Family Learning Library

For questions, please contact Bree Rolfe: bree.rolfe@austinisd.org.

Empower Hour: Texas Transition and Employment Guide Presented by Courtney Gregori & Judith Leblanc Join us for an overview of TEA’s Texas Transition and Employment Guide. This session will highlight important sections of the guide, offering practical strategies and resources for planning education, employment, and independent living goals after high school.

Past Presentation Descriptions & Links
Empower Hour: Welcome to Austin ISD Special Education Join us for a tour of the helpful parent tools and guides on the SPEDTex website during an interactive session. We’ll also share key information for families new to Austin ISD’s special education programs, with plenty of time to answer your questions and offer support for your student. Slide Presentation (English) >
Empower Hour: Child Find Learn about Child Find, the process that ensures all children who may need special education services are identified and supported. This session will help you understand your rights, the school’s responsibilities, and how to get the help your child needs. Video Link (Bilingual) >
Empower Hour: The ABCs of IEPs This session welcomes new families to special education and introduces key parts of a student’s program, including performance levels, goals, and services. You’ll also learn about your role as a parent and how to work with the IEP team. Sessions repeat throughout the year. Video Link (Bilingual) >
Empower Hour: Austin ISD 18+ Info Session Ready for what’s next after high school? Join AISD’s Transition Team for a virtual informational session all about 18+ services, including GO Project, TLC, Greenleaf, and Project SEARCH. Discover which program best fits your student’s needs and get your questions answered by our experts. Video Link (Bilingual) >
Empower Hour: Let’s Get Organized! Progress Reports for Parents, Organization and Communication, Family Binder, Frontline Join us for an interactive session to learn essential tools for staying organized and engaged as a special education family. We’ll walk you through the AISD Parent Portal, the collaboration portal in Frontline, and instructions on how to create a Family Binder to keep all your important documents in one place. Video Link (Bilingual) >
Empower Hour: Together – How to Support our Bilingual Students In this session, families will learn the differences between ESL and bilingual programs. Participants will leave with powerful questions to ask teachers and schools to advocate for their children’s success. Slide Presentation (Bilingual) >
Empower Hour: Walkthrough of Texas Dyslexia Handbook This session is created to help families and school partners better understand the Texas Dyslexia Handbook. Together, we’ll walk through important sections of the handbook in an easy-to-follow way, so parents and caregivers can feel more confident about the state guidelines and supports available for children with dyslexia and related learning differences. Video Link (English) >
Empower Hour: Practical Strategies for Students with Dyslexia Effective strategies that can be used at home and in the classroom. You’ll walk away with tools for reading and study support, tips for building organization and study habits, and ways to nurture resilience and confidence in students. We’ll also connect you with helpful resources and community supports. Video Link (English with Spanish captions option) >
Empower Hour: A parent's guide to MAP Growth Scores Learn how to navigate parent-teacher conferences with confidence! This session will guide parents in understanding MAP Growth Scores and using them to support their child’s success. Video Link (Bilingual) >
Empower Hour: Accessibility Supports for Chromebooks This session will help parents understand the valuable technology tools available to students on AISD Chromebooks. Join us for demonstrations of the powerful assistive technology and accessibility tools built into every student device. We will showcase features that support a range of learning needs, including speech-to-text, text-to-speech, and more. Video Link (Bilingual) >
Empower Hour: AISD 18+ Info Session- Ready for what’s next after high school? Join AISD’s Transition Team for Empower Hour—a virtual info session all about 18+ services, including GO Project, TLC, Greenleaf, and Project SEARCH. Discover which program best fits your student’s needs and get your questions answered by our experts. Open to families and caregivers of students with disabilities. Video Link (Bilingual)
Empower Hour: Focus on Autism Join our District Autism Specialists for a discussion on Autism Eligibility for Special Education Services. Learn how autism may impact education, what supports schools can provide, and explore resources, including community events, visuals, and reinforcement systems. Video Link (Bilingual)
Empower Hour: Family Voices on Inclusion As part of Inclusive Schools Week, the Inclusion Workgroup invites families to join a special session. The event will feature family testimonials about inclusion, updates on the group’s ongoing work, and a parent town hall where families can share feedback about what inclusive schools mean to them. This is a great opportunity to learn, connect, and help shape the future of inclusive practices in our schools. Video Link (Bilingual)
Empower Hour: Texas Transition and Employment Guide Presented by Courtney Gregori & Judith Leblanc Join us for an overview of TEA’s Texas Transition and Employment Guide. This session will highlight important sections of the guide, offering practical strategies and resources for planning education, employment, and independent living goals after high school. Video Link (Bilingual)
Talk the Talk: Communication Strategies for Life After Graduation! Presented by Courtney Gregori & Judith Leblanc Don't miss this powerhouse partnership! Our Transition Team is joining forces with the AAC Team to host a crucial session focused on postsecondary communication success. We'll dive deep into the best communication tools and strategies—including Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)—to help students confidently express themselves, thrive in their chosen path, and navigate life both in school and long after graduation. This is key training for unlocking independence! Presentation Video

Summer Resources & Camp Guide

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: speddept@austinisd.org

Special Education/504 Parent Collaboration Portal

Parents/guardians/adult students will receive an email from “Frontline” with access each time there is a new document requiring review or signature. These documents include IEPs, progress reports, 504 documents, etc. For additional information on how to access the parent portal please reference the PDF documents below. Please note that these emails for access are one time use only. Don't forget to download your documents after signing!

SPEDTEX

The SPEDTex Resource Locator is your gateway to special education resources. From accommodations to transition and everything in between, the SPEDTex Resource Locator lets you tailor your search by topic, language, and type. Simply select an option to begin your search.

Center on Disability and Development at Texas A&M University

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: