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Lamar CISD reports sharp rise in special education enrollment, expands programs and stipend pay
Summary
District staff reported special education enrollment rose from about 5,270 in 2021 to roughly 8,000 in 2025, with in‑year counts at 8,331; leaders cited expanded autism diagnoses and a legislative requirement to place initially identified dyslexia students in special education as major drivers and outlined program and stipend changes to retain staff.
Lamar CISD staff told the board on April 21 that special education enrollment has grown substantially over the past five years and that the district is expanding programs and stipends to meet demand.
Mrs. Mathis, presenting the instructional update, said special education headcount rose from 5,270 in 2021 to about 8,000 in 2025 and that district in‑year counts show 8,331 students receiving special education services as of the most recent reporting. She said the growth is driven in part by more diagnoses in autism spectrum disorders and by a legislative change that the district described as requiring students initially identified with dyslexia to be served through special education rather than via Section 504 interventions.
“That is one of the reasons. One of the reasons, yes, but it’s a main reason,” Mathis said when asked about causes of the increase. In the presentation the district noted a rise in the share of students served: the district’s percentage of special education students rose from 13.6% to 15.2% over four years; district submissions to the state indicated a 16.4% figure that has not yet been verified by the Texas Education Agency.
To meet rising service needs, the district described a continuum of programs — inclusion and resource models, structured learning classrooms (SLC), self‑contained classrooms, early childhood special education and social‑emotional support classrooms — and said it has added dozens of self‑contained classrooms in recent years. The presentation listed planned program openings tied to new campuses and attendance‑zone shifts.
Mathis also outlined stipend pay to support retention: inclusion and resource teachers were listed at $2,000 and paraprofessionals at $1,000; self‑contained teacher stipends and higher tiers were presented in the materials (the presentation included multiple stipend tiers for self‑contained and specialized programs to reflect differing roles and responsibilities). The item was informational; no board action was required.
Board members asked about efforts beyond stipends to attract and retain staff; the presentation said program specialists and district supports are being increased, wellness days are offered and staffing assignments are managed to limit harmful student moves. The district said it will monitor state funding changes tied to special education in 2026–27 and adjust planning if additional dollars are awarded by the legislature and state agencies.
