Austin ISD is dedicated to providing parents and guardians with the support they need to be fully involved in the success of their children. We are committed to providing resources and information to support students, families, staff, and community members to strengthen partnerships, foster collaboration, and promote positive outcomes for students with disabilities. For Family Support please contact bree.rolfe@austinisd.org.
What is Special Education?
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a law that makes available a free appropriate public education to eligible children with disabilities throughout the nation and ensures special education and related services to eligible infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities.
Special education means instruction that is specially designed to meet the unique needs of a student with a disability. It includes any related services like transportation, occupational or physical therapy, or assistive technology, needed for the student to benefit from his or her special education services. Special education is not a place, but a set of services and supports that can be provided in many ways and in many different settings. What special education looks like for an individual student is outlined in his or her IEP (Individualized Education Program). The IEP is developed by a team referred to in Texas as the admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) committee. The parent is a member of the ARD committee.
Download the PDF file: Overview of Special Education for Parents (English | Spanish)
Requesting a Special Education Evaluation for Your Child
To request an evaluation, please visit the Child Find webpage.
Special Education Information Center for Families
The Resource Locator is your gateway to special education resources provided by TEA. From accommodations to transition and everything in between, the SPEDTex Resource Locator lets you tailor your search by topic, language, and type.
Procedural Safeguards & Parent鈥檚 Guide to the ARD Process
Special Education/504 Parent Collaboration Portal
Parents/guardians/adult students will receive an email from 鈥淔rontline鈥 with access each time there is a new document requiring review or signature. These documents include IEPs, progress reports, 504 documents, etc. For additional information on how to access the parent portal please reference the PDF documents below. Please note that these emails for access are one time use only. Don't forget to download your documents after signing!
Resolving Special Education Issues with Your Child's School
If your child is having difficulty in school or you think a change to your child鈥檚 Individualized Educational Program (IEP) is needed, communicating with the appropriate school or district personnel is often the quickest, simplest way to resolve or address an issue.
For More Questions or Support
For more questions or support, please contact your child鈥檚 campus principal, contact the Austin ISD Special Education Department by email at speddept@austinisd.org or by phone at 512-414-SPED (7733), or visit .