With classes back in session, Michael Webb, Tomball ISD assistant superintendent of student support, said TISD is boosting its efforts to connect qualifying children with special education services as encouraged by the Texas Education Agency.

The TEA submitted a corrective action plan to the U.S. Office of Special Education Programs in April in response to a Jan. 11 report in which the U.S. Department of Education found the TEA failed to ensure all special education students in the state were given access to appropriate services, Community Impact Newspaper reported previously.

“One thing that TEA is asking us to do is we need to become more assertive in our child-find outreach—our efforts to find kids that may have disabilities,” Webb said. “We’re going to be more assertive with our efforts within the district, but also we’re going to be more intentional for students that may not be enrolled, which we still have a responsibility for.”

Students living in but not enrolled in the district can still receive a proportionate share of services from TISD, such as speech therapy, teacher training or consultations for academic support, Webb said.

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