Special Education

Meet Our Wonderful Special Education Staff!

	Lindsay Hense This is my 20th year teaching in special education. I provide inclusion and resource for 4th and 5th grade at Palm Elementary.
Laura Liscano
	Arturo Puga
Samantha Deibler
	Pedro Caamano-Pelayo
Manuel Zecena

Welcome

Austin ISD is committed to providing quality services for all our students. The term “special education” refers to instruction that is specially designed to meet each student's needs throughout the school day.

All students are general education students first, and the provision of special education and related services, or Section 504 accommodations and supplementary aids and services, are provided in addition to general education—not in place of it. The primary instructional goal for all services is that students with disabilities are able to access and progress in the general curriculum through an Individualized Education Program, or IEP, built on a standards-based framework.

The Special Education team exists to support the Austin ISD mission of ensuring that children who receive special education services are provided with access to a free and appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment. The team also works to ensure that students receive a quality education that enables them to achieve their potential and participate fully in future social, economic and educational opportunities.

The Special Education Information Center (SPEDTex) provides resources and interactive features for increasing family awareness of disabilities and special education processes, with the goal of improving partnerships between schools and families.