Austin Independent School District (AISD) has announced its release from state oversight concerning its special education services. This decision marks the conclusion of a monitoring period initiated by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) due to significant delays in processing initial evaluations across the district.
The oversight began in late 2023 following the approval of a corrective action plan aimed at addressing these issues. On February 17, AISD confirmed that it had successfully completed all 99 required actions outlined in the Special Education Agreed Order with the TEA.
The background of this situation dates back to March 2023 when the TEA proposed assigning a team of conservators to manage AISD’s special education services amid concerns about a substantial backlog of evaluations. In response, AISD sought an informal review, ultimately leading to an agreement with the TEA in August 2023. The district opted for monitors instead of conservators, contingent upon timely completion of specified corrective measures.
In September 2023, the AISD board voted 8-1 in favor of the plan to implement state oversight, which helped the district avoid a complete takeover by the TEA. Following this, the TEA appointed Sherry Marsh and Lesa Shocklee as monitors to supervise the special education department’s compliance with the corrective action plan.
Throughout the monitoring process, AISD provided updates on its progress, reporting by September 2025 that it had fulfilled all but three of the mandated actions. The recent announcement signifies a positive development for AISD as it moves forward with its special education services.
