Providing our kids with the proper attention
The Special Programs team provides resources, training, and support for all campuses that service students who are English Language Learners (ELL) and/or receive 504, Homebound, Dyslexia, or Special Education services. Additionally, we provide resources, training, and support for the Response to Intervention (RtI) process and for campuses that service students who receive a specialized remedial curriculum for additional academic support.
The Special Programs team’s mission is to train and support campuses in extending and improving learning opportunities for diverse learners and/or students with disabilities in accordance with state, federal, and local policies and procedures. As a result of these efforts, students are able to participate in a broader number of activities and achieve the highest of expectations.
Special Programs collaborates with district and campus staff and parents to develop and implement programs and activities that will meet the needs of all students and ensure that all students receiving special services are fully included in campuses’ instructional and extracurricular programs in accordance with least restrictive environment (LRE).
Students identified with special needs are serviced via their IEP (Individualized Education Plan). More specifically, IDEA Public Schools initiates a service delivery approach that offers intervention to all students who need extra help to reach grade level academic proficiency. Here are more details:
IDEA Public Schools will offer comparable support services for any child based on their need. In the case of a student who requires behavioral support, the comparable service will be provided through the child’s behavior intervention plan developed through the ARD process. The student’s ARD Committee will determine the student’s placement based on the Least Restrictive Environment.
A student’s 504 accommodation plan will be followed according to the child’s documented needs. If intervention is needed based on the criteria established by the district, the child will be placed in an intervention class. This includes services for dyslexia via our Direct Instruction Decoding program.
Although the self-contained classrooms are not at every IDEA campus, we have strategically placed these campuses in our regions so that if a student requires this setting, they are able to attend to a campus nearby to receive the support they need. The centralized locations allow IDEA to focus its resources towards helping students in these environments. Assignment to one of these classrooms will be made by the ARD Committee as appropriate and per IEP.
IDEA Public Schools will provide related services (ex. Speech, OT, PT, AI, VI) as noted in a child’s IEP through their employees or a contract company that is employed through the school district.
IDEA identifies students who are English Language Learners within 20 days of entry into our schools so that we can offer them the type of instructional supports that the Texas Education Agency recommends for students at different level of English language acquisition. We offer targeted language acquisition support programs such as Imagine Learning, Español to English, Direct Instruction for Spoken English, and Rosetta Stone for our students during their intervention blocks.
Managing Director of Special Programs
Tricia.Lopez@ideapublicschools.org
Phone: 956-377-8056
Special Education Project Manager
Belinda.Garcia@ideapublicschools.org
Phone: 956-998-9688
2115 W. PIKE BLVD
WESLACO, TX 78596
956-377-8000
FAX: 956-447-3796
2800 South IH 35, Suite 265
Austin, Texas 78704
512-822-4959
813 N. Kansas St.
Suite 100
El Paso, TX 79902
915-201-1959
12500 San Pedro Ave. Suite 500
San Antonio, Texas 78216
210-239-4959
804 Main Street
Suite D
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
225-571-5910
Opening in 2021!
It is the policy of IDEA Public Schools not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex or handicap in its vocational programs, services or activities as required by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. As required by Texas Education Code 38.006 and 38.007, IDEA Public Schools maintains an alcohol-free and tobacco-free work environment.
IDEA Public Schools National Board Members: Tom Torkelson – Executive Chair & CEO, Al Lopez – Treasurer, David Guerra – Chair, Ryan Vaughan – Secretary, Xenia Garza – Chair-Elect, David Earl, Bill Martin, Michael Burke, Reba Cardenas McNair, Gabe Puente, Preston Castille, Ed Rivera, Erich Holmsten, David Handley, Michael Rhodes, Victoria Rico, Eric Ziehe