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La Joya ISD audit finds low special‑education outcomes; district sets 85% IEP quality and MTSS targets
Summary
A Bellwether‑led audit presented to the La Joya ISD board found fewer than 25% of students in special education meet grade‑level standards and recommended six priority areas including MTSS, IEP quality, staffing and data systems; the district proposed progress measures to boost IEP quality to 85% and require MTSS documentation for 85% of new referrals by 2028–29.
At a May board meeting, La Joya ISD leaders released findings from a third‑party special education audit and outlined a multi‑year plan to improve services for students with disabilities.
Dr. Derek Little, the district's chief of academics and school leadership, told the board the audit by Bellwether Education Partners found that “less than a quarter of our students in special education are meeting on grade level standards,” and that college‑career‑readiness rates for special education students have been below 5% historically in the district. The auditors reviewed IEPs, visited classrooms, interviewed families and staff, and examined related data systems.
Why it matters: Board members and administrators said poor outcomes for special education students must be addressed systemically rather than by isolated campus fixes. The audit identified…
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