ARD committees make decisions by consensus. Learn what happens when disagreements arise and how parents can use reconvene meetings or formal dispute resolution.

Parents are vital members of every ARD committee. Learn about your rights to participate, receive information in your language, and access your child’s records.

Prior Written Notice gives you written documentation before any changes in your child’s special education program—protecting your right to understand and respond.

From evaluation to IEP review, each Texas special education step has strict timelines. Learn the 15, 30, and 45-day rules and why staying on schedule protects your child’s rights.

ARD meetings are where decisions about your child’s special education IEP happen. Learn who attends, what FAPE means, and how ARDs ensure individualized, appropriate support.

The Special Education Rules and Regulations define how Texas schools meet legal timelines and compliance rules—protecting your child’s rights and ensuring schools follow IDEA and state law.

The Parent’s Guide to the Admission, Review, and Dismissal Process or "ARD Guide" from TEA helps parents understand the special education journey—from evaluation to services—and prepares you to participate confidently in your child’s ARD meeting.

The Notice of Procedural Safeguards outlines your legal rights in special education—from consent to dispute resolution. Learn when you receive it, what it protects, and how it connects to ARD meetings.

Start your Texas special education journey with the essential documents every parent should know. Learn how the Notice of Procedural Safeguards, Parent's Guide to the ARD Process, and the Special Education Rules and Regulations form your foundation for successful ARD meetings.

Texas adds unique layers to federal IDEA rules for identifying Specific Learning Disabilities—especially dyslexia. This post explains why Texas requires specialized dyslexia expertise on evaluation teams, mandatory early screening, and detailed procedures outlined in the Texas Dyslexia Handbook. Learn how these state-specific rules ensure students receive evidence-based instruction and full special education protections.

When is a learning challenge not a Specific Learning Disability (SLD)? This post explains the crucial “exclusionary” and “determinant” factors under IDEA and Texas law—such as vision, hearing, environment, and instruction—that evaluation teams must rule out before identifying an SLD. Understanding these safeguards ensures accurate diagnoses and that students receive the right supports for their true learning needs.

Behind every accurate Special Learning Disability (SLD) identification is a team of educators and specialists analyzing data to understand how a student learns. This post explains the importance of documentation, collaboration, and data review in the SLD evaluation process under IDEA and Texas law—helping ensure students receive the right support and services to meet their individual learning needs.

Identifying a Specific Learning Disability (SLD) involves more than test scores—it’s a data-driven process that looks at how a student learns and responds to instruction. This post explains how schools use models like Response to Intervention (RTI) and Patterns of Strengths and Weaknesses (PSW) to determine eligibility under IDEA and Texas law, ensuring students receive the right support to meet their unique learning needs.

Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) like dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia affect how the brain processes language, reading, writing, and math—but not intelligence or effort. This post breaks down what SLD really means under IDEA and Texas law, which conditions are included, and why clear identification matters. Understanding these differences is the first step toward effective advocacy and support for your child’s learning needs.

It’s parent-teacher conference season—and for many families, those meetings raise big questions. Is your child just struggling, or could it be a learning disability like dyslexia or dysgraphia? This post explains how schools identify Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD), what “evaluation” and “intervention” really mean, and how parents in Texas can advocate for accurate identification and support.

Understanding the difference between educational eligibility for autism under IDEA and a medical diagnosis of autism is essential for families navigating special education. While both systems assess similar traits, they serve different purposes and follow different criteria. This post breaks down how schools and doctors define autism, where they overlap, how they differ, and why it matters for accessing the right support.

The Full and Individual Initial Evaluation (FIIE) is the foundation of special education in Texas. Before a child can receive services, schools must complete this comprehensive assessment to determine eligibility and identify unique needs. This guide explains what an FIIE is, common misunderstandings, the steps in the process, parent rights, and what to expect from the final evaluation report.

The Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) means your child should have the chance to learn with their peers whenever it’s appropriate and supported. At the ARD meeting, you have an important voice in shaping where and how your child learns. Knowing your rights in special education helps you speak up for the right supports so your child can be included, make progress, and thrive at school.

The Texas ESA program creates new compliance burdens for districts but also unprecedented revenue opportunities. With final rules not arriving until May 2026, forward-thinking districts are already building data systems, training staff, and positioning themselves as ESA providers. Those who wait will scramble to catch up while prepared districts capture new revenue streams and serve families strategically.

Under IDEA, the special education process begins with Child Find, public schools’ legal duty to identify and evaluate students who may need services. This post explains how referrals work, timelines for special education evaluations, what informed consent means, and what happens at the initial ARD meeting. Understand how FAPE and your child’s right to an IEP begin with the first step.