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Socorro ISD approves $400,000 to clear special‑education evaluation backlog flagged by TEA
Summary
Trustees approved an additional $400,000 for contracted special‑education evaluators and therapists to address evaluation backlogs and TEA findings; staff said the funding is budgeted and aims to return the district to compliance.
The board approved a $400,000 expansion of contracted services for special‑education evaluations and therapy to address evaluations and compensatory‑service backlogs, district staff said on May 27.
Chief Academic Officer Melissa Parham told trustees the district's $1,000,000 allocation for contracted evaluators had been fully spent because of persistent staffing shortages (notably in speech‑language pathology and school psychology) and increased special‑education enrollment. Parham said contractor services will be used through June and July to complete outstanding psychological evaluations and timely summary evaluations, work that the district's corrective action plan requires to address TEA findings.
Parham said the $400,000 request includes $280,000 to complete services through early June and $120,000 to support summary evaluations; staff said cost‑saving measures and an improving hiring pipeline (including practicum and UTEP candidates) should reduce reliance on contractors next year. Legal and TEA representatives had previously flagged the special‑education professional services RFP for follow‑up; TEA conservator Michael Hinojosa recommended a public briefing on the item.
CFO David Solis confirmed the additional funds were identified in the current budget and emphasized the investment was necessary to remediate noncompliance. Trustee Woodcraft asked for quarterly updates on progress; trustees approved the expenditure by voice vote.
District staff said biweekly monitoring and data submissions to TEA will continue until the corrective actions are complete, with the goal of beginning the 2026–27 school year in compliance.
