Lancaster ISD special-education director reports program growth, full compliance on state indicators

Crystal Cromer, executive director of special education for Lancaster ISD, presented a quarterly update on April 8 highlighting staffing, services, student data and areas for growth. Cromer said the department serves roughly 900–1,000 students with disabilities, employs 49 central special-education staff, about 50 special-education teachers, 60 paraprofessionals and six dyslexia teachers (noting this is the first year six teachers reached level-2 MTA dyslexia training).

Cromer reported the district’s largest growth areas were autism and learning-disability classifications, with roughly 30 additional students in each category compared with the prior year. She said the department has recorded increases in kindergarten evaluations and remains focused on maintaining compliance timelines while providing individualized placements and related services (speech, occupational and physical therapy). The presentation noted a child-find effort that evaluated 53 children not enrolled in Lancaster ISD and 144 enrolled students this year.

Trustees praised the Tiger Olympics inclusion event and the department’s engagement with families; board members asked for continued attention to inclusion opportunities for students with more intensive needs and stronger early-childhood outcomes. Cromer said the department achieved 100% compliance on state special-education performance indicators for the 2025–26 reporting period and described outreach and stakeholder events planned for families, including a special-education-themed fashion show on April 24.