AUSTIN, Texas – Austin ISD says it has been released from state oversight of its special education services.
AISD has been under TEA oversight since approving the plan in late 2023.
What they’re saying:
AISD announced it completed all required actions under its Special Education Agreed Order with the TEA on Tuesday, Feb. 17.
The backstory:
In March 2023, the TEA said it intended to assign a team of conservators to oversee AISD’s special education services, in particular a troubling district-wide backlog of initial evaluations, prompting the district to request an informal review.
In August 2023, the TEA gave AISD the option of monitors over conservators, provided the district complete specified corrective actions in a timely manner.
The district’s board of trustees voted in September 2023 to approve the plan for monitors in an effort to avoid an all-out takeover by the TEA.
AISD approves plan for state oversight
By a vote of 8-1, the Austin ISD school board approved a plan to establish state oversight of the district’s struggling special education program, avoiding an all-out takeover.
In October 2023, the TEA appointed Sherry Marsh and Lesa Shocklee as monitors to oversee the work of the special education department, including monitoring and supporting a corrective action plan and participating in a required external audit, says the district.
Austin ISD has since published reports on the progress of the approved order, and by September 2025, reported it had completed all but three of the required actions laid out by the TEA.
The Source: Information in this report comes from Austin ISD and previous reporting by FOX 7 Austin.
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