2015 Special Education Program Evaluation Progress Report
Recommendations
1. Develop outcomebased school monitoring
systems for students
with disabilities.
Indicators
The percent of initial
evaluations completed
within 45 school days of
receipt of parental
consent will increase.
The percent of students
younger than age 3 who
are evaluated, found
eligible, and who have an
IEP developed and
implemented by their
third birthdays will
increase.
The percent of annual
ARD/IEP meetings held
within timelines will
increase.
The percentage of
students with disabilities
participating in
employment
opportunities will
increase.
The overrepresentation
of African-American
students placed in special
education will decrease.
The percentage of
secondary school
students with disabilities
also identified as English
Language Learners (ELL)
will decrease.
Parents will provide input
for the development of
Houston Independent School District
Page 1
2012
2013
2014
2015
96.4%
97.3%
84%
88.0%
* TEA changed
methodology
92.0%
99.7%
99.8%
99.6%
93.0%
95.38%
96.4%
96.0%
No Data
Students Employed:
221
Employers: 150
Students in CBVI: 232
Community Partners &
Agencies: 75
Students Employed:
296
Employers: 205
Students in CBVI: 268
Community Partners &
Agencies: 118
Students Employed:
252
Employers: 223
Students in CBVI: 251
Community Partners &
Agencies: 140
9.2%
8.0%
7.4%
7.1
31.0%
Established parent
meetings,
16.1%
Continued parent
meetings,
14.9%
Continued parent
meetings,
13.9
Continued early
childhood parent
meetings,
2015 Special Education Program Evaluation Progress Report
Recommendations
2. Hold principals
accountable for issues
identified in the report.
Indicators
Special Education
programs and policies.
2012
Advisory Committee
meetings, and
Advocate meetings
2013
Advisory Committee
meetings, and
Advocate meetings
Principals take ownership
and responsibility for
effective programs and
services for students with
disabilities.
Principals' Advisory
Committee
established
Reorganization of
School Support Offices
Comprehensive
Support Plan and
Special Education
report cards for each
school for continuous
program improvement
EasyIEP alert system
for compliance
EasyIEP dashboard for
principals
2015
Implemented autism
parent meetings
Comprehensive
Support Plan and
Special Education
report cards for each
school for continuous
program improvement
2014
Initiated meetings
with parents of
students with
disabilities in early
childhood programs,
Advocate meetings are
discontinued,
Community Advisory
meetings are on hold.
Comprehensive
Support Plan and
Special Education
report cards for each
school for continuous
program improvement
EasyIEP alert system
for compliance
EasyIEP alert system
for compliance
EasyIEP alert system
for compliance
EasyIEP dashboard for
principals
EasyIEP dashboard for
principals
EasyIEP dashboard for
principals
A4E dashboards
A4E dashboards
A4E dashboards
Review 360 data for
discipline
Review 360 data for
discipline
Review 360 data for
discipline
State accountability
system includes
students with
disabilities
State accountability
system includes
students with
disabilities
State accountability
system includes
students with
disabilities
Principals are the first
point of contact to
resolve formal and
informal parent
complaints with
support from the
Principals are first
point of contact to
respond to and resolve
parent complaints
Houston Independent School District
Page 2
Comprehensive
Support Plan and
Special Education
report cards for each
school for continuous
program improvement
2015 Special Education Program Evaluation Progress Report
Recommendations
Indicators
2012
2013
2014
2015
Office of Special
Education Services
Costs associated with
compensatory or
corrective action
incurred due to lack of
campus systems and
oversight are paid by
the school
3. Develop effective
models of special
education service
delivery emphasizing
universal design
principles.
UDL Workstations in
place and personnel
trained
583 UDL computer
workstations in place
Technical support to
83 campuses
604 staff attended
professional
development
Additional 50 staff
attended professional
development
Program specialists
and managers/senior
managers attended
UDL Institute to
develop capacity
District wide capacity
building on UDL
principles
District wide capacity
building on UDL
principles
Partnership with IT for
PowerUp Initiative to
include students with
significant disabilities
Partnership with IT for
PowerUp Initiative to
explore balance of
need for accessibility
software and
maintaining student
device security
538 Status of UDL
computer
workstations verified
22 UDL computer
workstations
transferred & setup
for new classes
92 participants
attended workshops /
Open Labs (Tues &
Wed) sessions
Houston Independent School District
Page 3
Kurzweil 3000
software provided
universally throughout
the district
Partnership with
Curriculum and
Student Assessment to
provide all district
level assessments for
secondary campuses
in a computer based
accommodated
2015 Special Education Program Evaluation Progress Report
Recommendations
Indicators
2012
2013
2014
43 participants
attended campus
based trainings
105 schools received
technical assistance
with using the UDL
workstation for
student learning
2015
version using Kurzweil
3000 software
26 campuses received
training on Kurzweil
3000 software
529 status of UDL
computer
workstations verified
23 UDL computer
workstations
transferred & setup
for new classes
41 participants
attended Technology
Tuesday sessions
4. Develop specialized
inclusive schools for
students with significant
disabilities.
Students with disabilities
are in inclusive settings.
Houston Independent School District
Page 4
LRE Data
LRE Data
LRE Data
48 schools received
technical assistance
with using the UDL
workstation for
student learning
LRE Data
Ages 3-5 years:
6.7%
Ages 3-5 years:
9.9%
Ages 3-5 years:
14.4%
Ages 3-5 years:
17.0%
Ages 6-11 years:
33.6%
Ages 6-11 years:
41.2%
Ages 6-11 years:
43.8%
Ages 6-11 years:
67.5%
Ages 12-21 years:
49.0%
Ages 12-21 years:
48.7%
Ages 12-21 years:
56.0%
Ages 12-21 years:
62.8%
2015 Special Education Program Evaluation Progress Report
Recommendations
5. Develop policies,
procedures, and
practices for students
with dyslexia.
Indicators
The number and percent
of students identified
with dyslexia will
increased.
Campus personnel
trained to provide
dyslexia support will
increase.
6. Develop and
distribute a
comprehensive, easily
accessible manual of
special education
policies and procedures.
Houston Independent School District
Page 5
2012
2013
RDSPD for students
deaf & hard of hearing
2014
RDSPD for students
deaf & hard of hearing
2015
RDSPD for students
deaf & hard of hearing
Oral Communication
programs established
at one elementary
school
Oral Communication
programs established
at two elementary
schools
Oral Communication
programs maintained
at two elementary
schools
Campus cluster sites
established for
students with autism.
Campus cluster sites
established for
students with autism
7 Schools participated
in inclusive preschool
program
8 schools participated
inclusive preschool
program
Campus cluster sites
continue to be
established for
students with autism
around the city
402 (0.20%)
990 (0.50%)
1,650 (0.80%)
2276 (1.1%)
2,737
3,975
4,004
4118
Web-based Operating
Guidelines are
continuously updated
to reflect local, state,
and federal policy and
practice
Web-based Operating
Guidelines are
continuously updated
to reflect local, state,
and federal policy and
practice
Consolidate manuals,
guidebooks, forms and
district resources
Developed online
Operating Guidelines
available on the
department website
19 schools
participated inclusive
preschool program
2015 Special Education Program Evaluation Progress Report
Houston Independent School District
Page 6