Special Education
Welcome to Hondo ISD Special Education
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) assures disabled students an equal opportunity for a free appropriate public education. A diversity of special education services, highly qualified professionals and well-equipped classrooms are provided by Hondo Independent School District to meet the assurances of IDEA.
Students ages 3 through 21 who qualify for special education with disabilities such as:
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- Auditory Impairment
- Autism
- Emotional Disturbance
- Intellectual Disability
- Learning Disability
- Non-categorical early childhood
- Orthopedic Impairment
- Other Health Impairments
- Speech
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Visual Impairment
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A child-centered process is used to find an appropriate program for a student in Special Education. This assures placing each student in an educational program which will afford each one the best educational opportunity.
When a child appears to need educational assistance, a Child Study Team meets to consider the best plan to address the student's needs. The Child Study Team may recommend varied interventions or an assessment by the Special Education Department. A licensed psychologist, educational diagnosticians, a speech pathologist, and other related service providers staff the Special Education Department.
Testing is completed on referred students to determine if a disability and an educational need exist. The information gathered during testing helps the school staff and parents make the best possible educational plan for the student.
An Admissions, Review and Dismissal (ARD) Committee meets to develop an Individual Education Program (IEP) for each eligible student. The completed IEP is carried out by Hondo ISD staff in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE).
Child Find
Do you know of an infant, child or adolescent who is not developing at the same rate as other children their age? Many children develop at their own pace, but some have more difficulty than others.
Child Find is a process designed to identify, locate and evaluate individuals (birth through 21 years of age) with disabilities who may need special education services.
A parent or legal guardian can call the counselor of the campus your child would attend to begin the process or call the Hondo ISD Special Education office at (830)426-5902 with questions.
The parent(s) or legal guardian will be contacted by Hondo ISD staff. Appropriate personnel will gather together based on the type and characteristics of the disability which is suspected. This school district group with the help of parents will decide if an evaluation (testing) is needed to determine if there is a disability. If an evaluation is needed, the parent along with this group of knowledgeable staff will meet to discuss the outcome of the evaluation, special education eligibility, and whether the student is in need of a variety of service options. This meeting is called an Admission, Review or Dismissal (ARD) meeting.
Each individual's need(s) must be addressed with an Individual Education Program (IEP). There will be a team developing this. The team consists of the parent(s) or guardian, a school administrator or designee, an evaluation representative, teachers, other service providers if appropriate and the student, if they are able to participate.
There is no cost to parents, guardians or students for these specialized services.
Programs and Services
The Hondo Independent School District provides a continuum of special education offerings ranging from full inclusion to specialized classroom instruction. These services include, but are not limited to:
The Learning Continuum
- Students may remain in the general education classroom all day with assistance as needed from a special education teacher/instructional assistant.
- Students identified as having a speech impairment are served during the school day by a speech/language pathologist or SLP assistant.
- Students may report to a special education classroom to be served by the special education teacher.
- Students 16 years or older may receive on-the-job training under the supervision of a vocational adjustment coordinator or job coach.
- Students with auditory impairments may receive instruction in the Uvalde Regional Day School Program for the Deaf (RDSPD), inclusive general education classrooms with interpreters if needed and/or their RDSPD itinerate teacher, or fully mainstreamed with an interpreter if needed.
Adapted Physical Education
Adapted Physical Education is a diversified and systematic program of developmental activities, exercises, games, sports, and rhythms that are designed in the psychomotor domain. The program is organized and presented in a sequential and developmental manner that is geared to the needs, limitations and abilities of each individual student.
Alternative Behavior Learning Environment (ABLE)
The Alternative Behavior Learning Environment Classroom is transitional in nature and is designed to meet the needs of students in crisis, students entering or returning to mainstream campuses from alternative programs or hospital settings, and students with emotional or behavioral stressors who are not succeeding in a less restrictive environment.
Assistive Technology Program
The Assistive Technology Program helps students be more independent in their surroundings.
Autism Program
The Hondo Autism Program recognizes the unique needs of students with autism and related disorders. Educational programs are based upon current research and documented effective teaching practices for students with autism.
Community-Based Vocational Training
Training sites in the community are utilized to implement Individual Educational Plan (IEP) objectives relating to employment skills.
Extended School Year (ESY)
ESY provides services to students during vacation breaks so that they can continue working on Individualized Education Program goals and objectives.
Homebound
Homebound provides certified teachers for one-to-one instruction in the student's home. Lessons and exams are provided by the student's classroom teacher(s) to ensure that similar content is provided.
Inclusion
To the extent that they will benefit, eligible special education students are included with their age-appropriate peers. Many programs are available to these students. Both general education and special education teaching staff have received training in making modifications and adaptations for learning differences.
Life Skills
The Life Skills program serves students with moderate to severe disabilities and stresses functional skills in the community, recreation-leisure, vocational and family domains. The program's goal is full integration into the activities of the student's age-appropriate school and community.
Local Curriculum
Locally developed classes for students who are unable to participate in grade level TEKS courses. These classes are taught by special education teachers.
Occupational Therapy (OT)
Occupational therapists working in the schools provide an array of services designed to enable students to benefit from their educational program.
Orientation and Mobility Training (O & M)
Orientation and Mobility Training for students with visual impairments who need to safely move around the school and community.
Physical Therapy (PT)
Physical Therapy provides services to students from a broad continuum of support options. The therapist primarily looks at mobility and positioning issues, as well as gross motor skills.
Preschool Program for Children with Disabilities (PPCD)
The Preschool Program for Children with Disabilities provides early childhood education for disabled students, ages 3-5, in neighborhood schools and some community based settings.
Program for Students with Auditory Impairments
These services are provided for students who are deaf or have an auditory impairment.
(Uvalde) Regional Day School Program for the Deaf (RDSPD)
A wide range of service options are available to RDSPD students. Options include itinerant services at the student's home attendance campus, RDSPD classrooms clustered on mainstream campuses in Uvalde, and fully inclusive classrooms with RDSPD teachers co-teaching in general education. Audiological and interpreting are available as related services.
Special Education Counseling
Special Education Counseling provides a comprehensive guidance and counseling program for Special Education students.
Special Olympics
The program in Hondo ISD participates in Special Olympics annually. Students ages 8-22 are eligible to participate following the guidelines of Special Olympics. Coaches at several campuses work with the students to prepare them for the spring games.
Speech-Language Program (SLP)
This program helps students improve their speech and/or language skills and assists students in becoming more successful in school by improving their listening and speaking skills.
Transition
A service to assist students in making a successful transition from public school to adult living.
Visual Impairment
This program works to prepare students with visual impairments for their roles as independently functioning, productive members of society.
Notices of ARD Process and Procedural Safeguards (PDF)
Additional Languages
The Special Education Information Center (SPEDTex) provides resources and interactive features for increasing family awareness of disabilities and special education processes, with the goal of improving partnerships between schools and families.
Contact information:
Phone: 1-855-773-3839
Email: [email protected]
Live Chat: www.spedtex.org
Links to Resources
Experience a child's disability through their eyes.
Getting ready for life after graduation.
The Talking Book Program (TBP) provides library services free of charge to qualifying Texans with visual, physical, or reading disabilities. The TBP collection consists of more than 100,000 titles, including hundreds of titles in multiple languages.
Assistance to simplify vocabulary in a passage.
Transition
“To begin with the end in mind means to start with a clear understanding of your destination. It means to know where you are going so that you better understand where you are now so that the steps you take are always in the right direction.”
(Stephen Covey)
(Stephen Covey)
"The foundation for transition should be laid during the elementary and middle school years, guided by the broad concept of career development. Transition planning should begin no later than age 14, and students should be encouraged, to the full extent of their capabilities, to assume a maximum amount of responsibility for such planning.”
(Halpern, 1994)
(Halpern, 1994)
Early planning provides a support system for students to realize an independent adult life after high school. Connecting students with a support agency can be complicated and there are long wait lists which at times can be between 10-15 years before the service from government and/or community agencies begin. Applying for support services as early as elementary will give your child the opportunity to receive services when they are in their last year of high school. It is never too early nor too late to start transition planning for the now and life after graduation.
For questions regarding Transition services, resources, and agencies please contact the Special Education Department at your child’s school, their case manager, or the HISD Transition Designee.
Dyslexia, Dysgraphia and Dyscalculia
Special Education Office
2608 Ave H
Hondo, TX 78861
830-426-5902