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.
Inclusive education means creating an educational environment where all students have the opportunity to participate and learn. The Department of Special Education and members of the Austin ISD Inclusion Workgroup developed a set of principles (Austin ISD Guiding Principles of Inclusion). that guides our implementation of inclusive practices. The principles align with special education law that requires school districts to include all students to the maximum opportunity appropriate to learn with children who do not have disabilities—in academic, nonacademic, and extracurricular activities. This part of IDEA is called Least Restrictive Environment or LRE.
- Events Calendar
- Family Empower Hours for the 2023-24 school year are hosted by the Austin ISD Department of Special Education. These sessions will include a variety of topics related to students with disabilities and special education.
- Learn more here: Parent, Family, and Community Learning and Engagement Opportunities English, Spanish.
- Recordings from past Parent Power Hours
- The ABCs of IEPs, 11/14/23, Passcode: u^7X8kyk
- Transition Services, 12/12/24, Passcode: xG8wLIJ@
- Social Emotional Learning and Mental Health Supports
- Online Learning Tools and Accessibility features available for Chromebooks, Passcode: rn#bXb3.
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Getting Organized: What to Know and How to Create Your Child's Special Education Toolkit, Passcode: 8*b?P&sw
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Austin Community College and Student Accessibility Services, Passcode: +kyjU5&V
- For more information, please contact our Social Services Specialist, Liena Garcia De Leon at 512-414-SPED (7733).
Engagement Opportunities
Autism Virtual Series, Sponsored by VELA, April 24 from Noon-1:30 p.m.:
ThinkCollege, May 7 at noon and from 6-7 P.M.
Each year, Austin ISD partners with various school districts to verify what summer programs and camps are available in the area for special education students and their families.
For more information:
- Download the English and Spanish PDF guides for Camp
- View the participating Schools and Contacts
- For additional questions, please contact: liena.deleon@austinisd.org
- Austin ISD Summer 2023 Language & Literacy/Biliteracy Resources for Families
- Buford the Bus Flyers ENGLISH/SPANISH
Vela is a local nonprofit dedicated to empowering parents to become their child's greatest advocates. Through an AISD & VELA partnership, we are offering the last session in our 3-part interactive virtual series for families & staff. Parents, staff, and community members, please REGISTER to participate.
Contact:
4900 Gonzales St Austin, Texas 78702 | Phone: 512-850-8281 | Fax: 512.870.9283 | Tax ID # 27-2451077 | #ILLUMINATEABILITY | VELA is a 501c(3) Non Profit Organization
AISD EDPlan Connect Parent Portal Guide 2023 - English
AISD EDPlan Connect Parent Portal Guide 2023 - Spanish
The Center on Disability and Development at Texas A&M University offers training at no cost to Texas parents and caregivers of children up to age 22 with core features of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Parents and caregivers will learn how to improve their child's communication skills. This service is provided by a research grant project entitled Coach to Communicate (C2C), sponsored by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. This training is on a first come first serve basis, and spots fill quickly.
The training includes a 1-hour self-paced webinar that teaches behavioral strategies to increase communication use in children with ASD. Once complete, parents can choose to be paired with a coach for a more intensive 12-week training specific to their child’s communication needs (again, at no cost to parents). Shorter options of 2-5 coaching sessions are also available for parents, if better suited to their needs. Coaching is offered in English, Spanish and Thai.
To learn more and to apply for the program, please review the following resources:
For questions or more information, please feel free to email TAMUAuParent@tamu.edu.