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Special education director reports growth to 352 students; district cites staffing strains and upcoming funding changes
Summary
The FABENS ISD special education director told the board the district serves 352 special education students with 26 evaluations pending, described staffing and contract use to meet timelines, and summarized funding changes under Senate Bill Two including $1,000 per initial evaluation and a new tiered intensity model.
The FABENS ISD special education director told the board on May 20 that the district is currently serving 352 students in special education, with about 26 evaluations pending and a growing share of students coded for special services.
The presentation outlined a four-year rise in special education enrollment (from roughly 260 in 2021 to 352 in 2026) and described program structures including early childhood special education, transitional learning classes, behavior intervention, and inclusion supports. The director said internal auditing of student files began 18 months ago and that roughly 50 files remain to be completed in that process.
The director highlighted several legislative changes she said will affect the district. She said the state will provide $1,000 for every initial special education evaluation and cited a shift to an eight-tier intensity funding model intended to base funding on the intensity of services rather than instructional arrangement. She also noted a reported increase in special-education transportation reimbursement to $11.13 per mile and a higher college-and-career readiness bonus for qualifying students.
Board members pressed for details about staffing and compliance. The director said staffing shortages have required the district to contract some services — for example, contracted licensed specialists and diagnosticians — to meet evaluation timelines and remain in compliance. She said the district currently uses a mix of two contracted diagnosticians and two in-house diagnosticians and that one full-time diagnostician position is open. ‘‘We have to contract out mostly for evaluations to help us stay compliant with timelines,’’ the director said.
Board discussion stressed the importance of early identification. One board member said evaluations that occur in middle or high school are often too late to provide the most educational benefit and called late evaluations a ‘‘red flag’’ for earlier intervention. The director responded that many factors can cause later referrals — inter‑district transfers, late-arriving students, or new behavioral or home circumstances — and said most initial evaluations still occur at the elementary level.
The presentation closed with the director noting the district is no longer under TEA corrective action for earlier findings and that several parent and staff engagement initiatives — including three monthly parent opportunities and ongoing local staff training — are planned to support students and families.
The board received the report as information; there was no formal board action on the presentation.
