The Texas Education Agency has ruled that only 5 percent of Texas’ 1,000 school districts require intervention in special education programs. Bryan ISD was one of them.
TEA recently released the 2023-24 Texas Academic Achievement Report listing STAAR test results for students at all grade levels. The State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) test is an annual spring test for students in grades 3-8. This test is designed to measure student progress and how well teachers are preparing students for higher education.
In addition to the STAAR test, the performance report also includes special determination status regarding the school’s special education competency. Campuses were reviewed and placed into four categories: meeting requirements, requiring assistance, requiring intervention, and requiring significant intervention. Bryan ISD received the third-lowest rating of “intervention required,” while College Station ISD was determined to meet all criteria. Navasota ISD was determined to be “in need of assistance” and Hahn ISD was also determined to be “in need of intervention.”
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Bryan ISD did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication.
According to TEA, there are four data sources used to determine a school district’s special education performance level. The commissioner will review the results of the audit to determine whether the district met state performance plan indicators, submitted valid and reliable data in a timely manner, and corrected data found to be inaccurate. Assess whether you have revised your financial audit within the specified schedule. Commissioners may also consider external factors such as complaints and ratings against the district and the completeness of financial data.
Of the 1,207 local educational institutions assessed, 962 (79.7%) met the requirements, 184 (15.2%) were determined to require support, and 48 (4.0%) were determined to require intervention. Thirteen institutions (1.1%) were judged to require significant intervention. . The exact reason why Bryan ISD received the third-lowest score is not specified in the document.
There are 2,797 students enrolled in Bryan ISD’s special education program, representing 17.4 percent of the student population, according to the report. This is higher than the state average, where special education students make up 13.9% of the student population.
On September 18, 2024, additional clarification was added to Texas Administrative Code Section 19 regarding how the TEA will respond to potential “areas of concern.” In law, an “area of concern” means that TEA is aware of an allegation, violation, or noncompliance with the requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Act. If the investigation proves non-compliance or violation, the TEA has full authority to intervene or apply sanctions.
Although the Texas Legislature sets standards for professional education, funding for these programs continues to decline. In late October, Texas cut Medicaid funding for programs for students with disabilities by $607 million, according to an article in the Texas Tribune. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) estimated that the deficit between school districts’ special education costs and revenue from federal and state funds could grow to about $1.7 billion annually. TEA allocated an estimated $4.34 billion for special education in the 2020-21 school year, according to the TEA website.
The General Commissioner also developed monitoring tools to outline general oversight activities by district, including focused compliance reviews, required stakeholder engagement, corrective action plan development, and remote or on-site district reviews. I was also asked to explain.
There is frequent debate about the relationship between state and local education. One example is when the state took over the Houston Independent School District and the school board was replaced with a state-approved superintendent and school board. Reasons cited included a decrease in the number of students and misconduct by the board of education.
According to ABC13 Houston, Houston ISD recently released data showing a relative increase in test scores within the district. State-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles discussed returning to the elected board position after further evidence of positive growth.
TEA’s 2024 Results-Based Accountability Special Education Decision Document states, “Special education decisions reflect the extent to which an LEA (Local Education Agency) meets the requirements and objectives of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The LEA’s decision, in addition to other factors, promotes general oversight responsibilities by the TEA.
Future actions are unclear, but it is up to TEA to decide what interventions will be implemented in each district.
Texas high school students performed about the same on this year’s STAAR test compared to last year (June 2024) // From KVUE on YouTube
