SPECIAL PROGRAM INFORMATION and RESOURCE LINKS
Quick Reference Resources
Operating Guidelines
The Academy of Dallas strives to provide all needed services, modifications, and
accommodations each child needs to access their education. Should students need
additional services, an evaluation will be conducted to determine whether the child
qualifies.
For more information about Special Education in Texas, go to:
https://www.spedtex.org/ or https://www.texasprojectfirst.org/
Accessible
Instructional
Materials
Accommodations
and
Modifications
Adapted
Physical
Education
Adaptive
Equipment
Adult Students
and Transfer of
Rights
Alternate
Curriculum and
Assessments
Applied Program
ARD IEP
Process
Assistive
Technology
Audiological
Services
Conducting an
Evaluation
Determination of
FAPE and
Compensatory
Services
Development
of the IEP
Disability
Categories
Discipline &
Special
Education
Dyslexia and
Related Disorders
Parent Infant
Program
Eligibility
Determination
and
Documentation
Extended School
Year Services
Full and
Individual
Evaluation (FIE)
Functional
Behavioral
Assessment
(FBA)
Glossary of
Terms
Health and
Medical
Services
Identification/Child
Find
Independent
Educational
Evaluation
Legal Framework
Occupational
Therapy
Orientation
and Mobility
Parent Guide to the
ARD Process
Procedural
Safeguards
Re-Evaluation
Process
Rules and
Regulations
Parent & In
Home Training
Psychological
Physical Therapy
Services &
Counseling
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SPECIAL PROGRAM INFORMATION and RESOURCE LINKS
SHARS Medicaid
Reimbursement
SpeechLanguage
Services
State
Performance
Plan (SPP)
Surrogate
Parent or
Guardian Ad
Litem (GAL)
Transition
Policies and
Procedures
Translation
and
Interpretation
Services
Student Records
Summary of
Performance
Transportation
Visual
Impairment/Deaf
Blind
For more information regarding any of the items listed above, you may contact:
Amanda Carter
Forms
ARD Agenda
Parent Sped Information
Teaching and Learning Resources
Medicaid for Children with Disabilities
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Info on Medicaid and SSI for Children with
Disabilities: https://www.hhs.texas.gov/services/health/medicaid-chip/medicaid-chipprograms-services/programs-children-adults-disabilities/medicaid-children-adultsdisabilities

Health Care Benefits, Insurance For Children with Disabilities, and Special
Health Care Needs Helps You Pay For Essential Medical Care:
https://www.navigatelifetexas.org/en/insurance-financial-help/texas-medicaidfor-children-with-disabilities
National Autism Support and Information

Autism Speaks: https://www.autismspeaks.org
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Autism Speaks Medicaid and ABA: https://www.autismspeaks.org/advocacynews/new-texas-aba-medicaid-benefit-takes-effect-february-1

Autism Resource Guide: https://www.autismspeaks.org/resource-guide

Medicaid Autism Services
Guide: https://www.hhs.texas.gov/sites/default/files/documents/may-2022-smmcacagenda-item-7c.pdf
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SPECIAL PROGRAM INFORMATION and RESOURCE LINKS
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https://www.hhs.texas.gov/services/disability/autism
Office of Special Education Services
Operating Procedures
The district's special education process. It is updated frequently to reflect changes in
local, state, federal policies, and practices regarding students with disabilities. The
special education team is available for further clarification and assistance.
Mission Statement
The Special Education Department exists to provide leadership and service to equip
campuses with the knowledge and skills in order for students to create their own future
success. The department believes in the power and importance of collaboration with
campus staff, parents, and students to provide a world class education for all our special
education students.
Vision
To be recognized as the Special Education department that provides a level playing field,
for all the special education students in order to have access to the general education
curriculum from a continuum of service delivery models.
Special Education Operating Guidelines
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Accessible Instructional Materials
Accommodations, Modifications, Supplementary Aids and Services
Adapted Physical Education
Adaptive Equipment
ARD-IEP Committee
Assistive Technology
Auditory Processing Disorder (APD)
Autism
Commensurate School Day
Conducting the Evaluation
Counseling and Psychological Services
Deaf or Hard of Hearing
Development of the IEP
Disability Categories
Discipline
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SPECIAL PROGRAM INFORMATION and RESOURCE LINKS
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Discontinuing Special Education Services
Dyslexia
Early Childhood
Eligibility Determination and Documentation
Extended School Year Services
Field Trips
Full and Individual Initial Evaluation
Glossary of Terms
Grade Placement Committee and Graduation
Health and Medical Services
Homebound Services
Identification
In Home Community Based Training
Independent Educational Evaluation
LIFE Skills
Mainstream (In-Class Support Services)
Music Therapy
Occupational Therapy
Out of District Programs
Parent Concerns
Performance Based Monitoring Analysis System
Physical Therapy
Private, Religious, and Home Schools
Programs and Placement
Re-evaluations
Referral Process and Initial Evaluations
Residential Facilities Monitoring
Resource
Response to Intervention
Section 504 and Americans with Disabilities Act
Special Education Rules and Regulations
Speech-Language Services
SPP Data Collection
State Assessment
State Performance Plan
Student Records
Therapeutic Intervention Program
Transition Policies and Procedures
Translation and Interpretation
Transportation
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SPECIAL PROGRAM INFORMATION and RESOURCE LINKS
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Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
Visual Impairment
Child Find Duty Quick Guide
This Child Find Duty Quick Guide document highlights key points and resources
for local education agencies (LEAs) to consider for implementing child find. The
quick guide provides an overview of child find, a summary of LEA
responsibilities, and key points to remember.
Referral to Special Education
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SPECIAL PROGRAM INFORMATION and RESOURCE LINKS
Student Data Review Guide When Considering a Referral to Special Education
The Student Data Review Guide When Considering a Referral to Special Education is
designed to support school teams in reviewing and analyzing student data and
information to make informed decisions regarding referrals for special education. This
guide will help teams consider multiple areas that may impact the decision to proceed
with a referral.
Student Data Review Guide Summary of Responses
The Student Data Review Guide Summary of Responses provides an opportunity to graph
responses from the Student Data Review Guide to represent the student’s needs in
various areas visually. This visual representation is designed to guide the team through a
process of individually considering a student’s data to make more informed referral
decisions.
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SPECIAL PROGRAM INFORMATION and RESOURCE LINKS
Guidelines When Considering an Initial Referral for Special Education for English
Learners (ELs)-Supplemental Response Form to the Student Data Review Guide
This supplemental response form to the Student Data Review Guide When Considering a
Referral to Special Education is designed to help CLD review teams consolidate the
referral information for easy reference as they analyze various information. The
document is separated into five sections: Home/Background, Speech-Language
Development, Educational History and Performance, Assessments (Formal and
Informal), and Social Development and At-Risk Factors. An additional section is
available to add information or data that was not included within the questions to
consider. Also included in each section is a description of outcomes to determine the
level of concern based on the difficulties reported. After gathering and analyzing all the
information, the review team determines if the data indicates a language difference or a
suspected disability and a need for special education.
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SPECIAL PROGRAM INFORMATION and RESOURCE LINKS
Special Education Referral for Initial Evaluation Quick Guide
This Special Education Referral for Initial Evaluation Quick Guide document highlights
the key points and essential resources for local education agencies (LEAs) to consider for
referrals and requests for initial special education evaluations. The quick guide provides
an overview of procedures for referral for an initial evaluation request, what is required,
considerations for developing special education operating procedures, and legal and state
resources. An asynchronous video module and handout also accompany this quick guide.
Special Education Informed Consent Quick Guide
This Special Education Informed Consent for Evaluation and Services Quick Guide
document highlights the key points and important resources for local education agencies
(LEAs) to consider for obtaining informed consent for special education evaluations and
services. The quick guide provides an overview of procedures, requirements for
obtaining informed consent, and legal and state resources. An asynchronous video
module and handout also accompany this short guide.
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SPECIAL PROGRAM INFORMATION and RESOURCE LINKS
Evaluation
Special Education Initial Referral Timeline
Special Education Full and Individual Initial Evaluation (FIIE) Timeline
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SPECIAL PROGRAM INFORMATION and RESOURCE LINKS
Question and Answer Document: Review of Existing Evaluation Data and
Reevaluation
This question-and-answer document is intended to provide guidance and best practices to
LEAs reviewing existing evaluation data and reevaluation.
ARD Supports
Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) Committee Manager Quick Guide
Question and Answer Document: Individualized Education Program (IEP) Measurable
Annual Goals
This Question and Answer document is intended to provide guidance and best practices to
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SPECIAL PROGRAM INFORMATION and RESOURCE LINKS
local education agencies regarding ways to write annual Individualized Education
Program (IEP) goals that ensure involvement and progress in the student’s grade-level
academic standards. This is also known as a standards-based IEP process.
TEA Available Instructional and Assessment Materials
TEA provides districts and educators direct access to an optional set of high-quality
instructional materials (HQIM) designed especially for Texas.
Two types of materials are available to local education agencies (LEAs):
 Core products: complete sets of materials designed to cover 100% of the Texas
Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) in a grade level/band
 Supplemental products: materials not designed to cover 100% of the TEKS but
that complement, enrich, or extend supports in a particular subject and grade band
The type of materials license impacts the length of time educators and districts can access
a digital product. There are two types of licenses:
 Open education resources (OER): state-developed digital materials that are
freely available forever to Texas school districts and educators
 State licensed: digital materials freely available to Texas school districts and
educators for a specified time period.
Prior to publication, materials go through a rigorous third-party review. Review criteria
include TEKS alignment, support for all learners, progress monitoring, implementation
support, and more. Products also are subject to a focus group of Texas educators.
Visit each product page to request digital access and view the complete product
information, including sample materials.
Core Products
These core products cover 100% of the TEKS in the indicated grade level/band. *Denotes a
resource that educators may already have access to (e.g., trade books or materials in a science kit) required for high-fidelity product
implementation.
**Denotes a resource that must be purchased from the vendor for high-fidelity product use.
Supplemental Products
These supplemental products are not designed to cover 100% of the TEKS but to
complement, enrich, or extend support in a particular subject and grade band.
Grade and
Additional
Available in
Product Name
Digital Access Term
Subject
Costs
Spanish
Amplify Reading
freely available
none
all content
K–2 RLA
Texas
through 8/22
6–8 RLA
Amplify Reading
Texas
freely available
through 8/23
none
all content
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SPECIAL PROGRAM INFORMATION and RESOURCE LINKS
K–5 Math
ST Math
freely available
through 12/23
none
language neutral
platform
K–5 RLA
Tutoring
Amplify Tutoring
with mCLASS
Intervention
available via Vetted
Texas Tutor
Corpsthrough 8/23
none
pre-lesson English
learner supports
BookNook
available via Vetted
Texas Tutor
Corpsthrough 8/23
none
includes supports
for Spanish
speakers
K–8
RLATutoring
tutor materials
available in
K–5 Math
Zearn Math
none
English and
Tutoring
Spanish
The following supplemental open education resources for secondary math and science
remain available; however, since they were released before COVID, they have not yet
been reviewed by a third party and are not currently updated by TEA.
OpenStax Advanced Math and Science Lessons | Developed by Rice University | OER
Study Edge Math and Science Videos | OER
Digital and Print Access
In addition to digital access, all products allow educators, campuses, or individuals to
self-print the materials. Print options for some products are described in the print and
digital access summary (PDF).
Resources for Parents and Caregivers
Parents and caregivers may create individual accounts to access the materials, many of
which include family guides and resources. Sample resources may be found on each
product page.
Table Definitions
 Trade book: an authentic text written and published for the public that is used
within the curriculum; many are commonly found in school libraries
 Unit reader: a text developed and compiled by a Texas Home Learning publisher
that is under a license that prevents free use
 Science kit: a set of materials for use in hands-on science exploration
Instructional Materials
 TEA Available Materials
o Amplify ELAR Texas
o Amplify Reading Texas
o Amplify Texas Elementary Literacy Program
o Eureka Math TEKS Edition
o Odell Texas High School Literacy Program
available via Vetted
Texas Tutor
Corpsthrough 8/23
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SPECIAL PROGRAM INFORMATION and RESOURCE LINKS
Ph.D.
o ST Math
o Teaching Strategies for Texas
o Carnegie Learning Texas Math Solution
State-Adopted Instructional Materials
CRIMSI
The Review and Adoption Process
o
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SPECIAL PROGRAM INFORMATION and RESOURCE LINKS
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