From the Austin American-Statesman:
“After more than two years of state oversight tied to special education failures, the Austin Independent School District has been released from a Texas Education Agency order aimed at fixing a yearslong backlog that denied some students timely services.
The announcement Tuesday clears Austin ISD of districtwide requirements meant to clear a chronic backlog of evaluation requests, an issue that prompted parent complaints and a lawsuit by Disability Rights Texas, a protection and advocacy agency.
Austin ISD has significantly overhauled its special education department, clearing thousands of evaluations and providing staff with thousands of hours of training since 2023. However, district leaders and advocates said the conclusion of the state order is merely a foundation for continued improvement and that more work is needed districtwide to ensure equitable access to services.
…While exiting the order is an important milestone, Disability Rights Texas still hears from families who report difficulty accessing services in Austin ISD, said Steven Aleman, senior policy specialist for the nonprofit.
‘It doesn’t mean that the district, itself, shouldn’t continue to remain vigilant,’ Aleman said.
Although Austin ISD has cleared its backlog of requests for student evaluations, that’s just the first step, he said. Districts then need to ensure they’re providing students with access to the services they’re entitled to, he said.
In 2024, Austin ISD and the nonprofit settled a 2021 lawsuit that Disability Rights Texas brought over accusations that the district had failed to provide timely special education services to five students.”
Read the full story from the Austin American-Statesman.