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Students, parents urge Harlandale ISD board to address exclusion and IEP accountability
Summary
During public comment at the May 20 board meeting, a senior and a parent told trustees that special education students have been excluded from senior events and that Individualized Education Programs are not being followed; they asked the district for modified classes, IEP audits, staff training and a timeline for fixes.
Demetrios Monreal, a senior at Harlandale High School, told the board during public comment that students with disabilities feel “unheard and overlooked” and urged immediate action to include them in senior events and to provide life-skill supports.
“My name is Demetrios Monreal and I'm here to speak for this myself and for the students with disabilities at Harlandale,” he said, describing LA-program seniors who he said were not included in awards and senior videos and urging the district to provide modified classes, individualized work, and more staff training on accommodations.
Shortly afterward, parent Lourdes Rios told trustees she has found numerous discrepancies in her son’s IEP and said teachers are not consistently implementing required accommodations. Rios asked the board to order an audit of IEPs, to create a timeline for corrective actions so future seniors are not excluded, and to increase resources and accountability for special education classrooms.
The two public commentators framed their remarks as urgent requests for changes to practice and oversight. Both speakers asked the board for specific remedies: modified classes at Harlandale High School, inclusion in senior events and ceremonies, regular staff training on disability awareness and IEP implementation, and an externally verifiable audit or review of IEP compliance.
Board members did not make immediate policy changes on the spot; the public comment period concluded and the meeting proceeded to scheduled agenda items. The board later completed routine business and directed staff to follow standing agendas for items requiring staff reports or follow-up.
Next steps: The speakers asked the board to place inclusion, IEP audits and staff training on a future agenda or to direct staff to return with an implementation timeline and specific remedies. The district did not provide a timeline or formal response during the public comment period; parents and students asked trustees to act quickly so the next school year benefits from changes.
