May 1 2024, Fort Worth Reporting : Arlington ISD maximizes benefits for increasing numbers of special education students
Ashley Haddad noticed her sixth grade student rocking in his chair — a sign that he was losing focus.
“Touch your head,” Haddad touched her head. The student followed.
“Touch your eyes,” the process repeated.
“Touch your nose.” By the last command, Haddad had regained her student’s attention.
That’s just one of many techniques that Haddad, an academic and behavior learning environment teacher at Wood Elementary, has picked up in her 17 years of special education instruction.
Haddad is one of many Arlington ISD instructors navigating the needs of the district’s growing number of special education students. While overall enrollment continues to decrease, the number of students in special education has increased in the past three academic years, according to data from the district obtained by the Arlington Report.
The district has 6,424 special education students, about 12% of all students, as of October 2023 — a 400-student increase from the previous year. Dyslexia and dysgraphia also have recently been brought in under the umbrella of special education.
The share was about 10% when Cindy Brown applied to become special education director in October 2022.
“That’s a pretty significant jump, and it’s continuing that way,” Brown said.
The growth matches nationwide trends. More than 7.5 million students, or 15.2% of all public school students nationwide, needed special education services in the 2022-23 school year, according to the latest National Center for Education Statistics data. In 2011-12, that share was about 13% of all students. . . .
All of Arlington ISD’s students with disabilities are considered general education students first.
Brown has three priorities going into the upcoming school year: Have enough staff and teachers, maintain high academic standards and develop the best IEP for students. . . .
Supporting staff and teachers
Brown knows her district can’t support its special education students without providing assistance to the staff and teachers that work with them.
She has been with the district since 1990, serving as a classroom teacher and working with special education students.
Every month, her team meets with lead teachers on individual campuses. They discuss the latest legislative changes affecting special education and work on how the department can address issues that teachers are facing, she said. . . .
The district has 489 teaching positions in special education as of April, according to Brown.
Trustee David Wilbanks said Arlington ISD’s biggest challenge in serving special education students is to find high-quality educators and support staff. . . .
About 25% of students at Wood Elementary are in the special education program, principal David Dillard said. Next year, the school will have another teacher that supports students with dyslexia to support the growing needs of students. . . .
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