The Conroe ISD board of trustees has approved the creation of the Conroe ISD Special Education Parent Advisory Council, or SEPAC, at the Feb. 17 board meeting.
It was established in a 6-1 vote, with trustee Aggie Gambino abstaining because of her involvement with the council.
What to know
Kendra Wiggins, CISD’s executive director of special education, said SEPAC would serve as a collaborative forum between the district and parents or guardians of students receiving special education services and 504 services, which serve students with disabilities who attend schools receiving federal financial assistance, per the Texas Education Agency.
“We want to unite together to make sure that we are providing the best services for our students and that overall we are looking at partnership over complaints and working together on what’s best for our students,” Wiggins said.
The committee will be made up of a diverse group of board-appointed parent members representing all campuses and feeder zones while serving in an advisory capacity with the district making the final decisions, Wiggins said. The district will also have ambassadors, made up of district staff, to “serve as non-voting advisors” during its quarterly meetings, she said.
“One thing about this program is that a lot of them haven’t been successful, so we need to analyze what didn’t work,” Superintendent David Vinson said. “What we’re going to do with this is really make sure we kind of collaborate with the parents and make an outline and a plan with them.”
By the numbers
The special education department shared the following:
- Total special education students served in Conroe ISD: 11,603
- Current initial evaluations being completed: 1,166
- Total of 504 plan students: 6,107
- Percentage of special education students in the district: 23.8%
- Percentage of students receiving special education services: 16%
What they’re saying
“I love the collaboration between the staff and parents, and I think that’s essential,” trustee Lindsay Dawson said. “We work better when we work together as a community, so props to everyone involved.”
“There have been committees that have not worked throughout the state, and I would like us to be the leader for what is going to work, and I think a policy that defines that will be very helpful,” trustee Nicole May said.
“Every special education family in Conroe ISD deserves a structured, consistent seat at the table, and SEPAC ensures that voice is heard … it’s an advisory council whose role is to gather input from families across the feeder zones, identify themes and trends and provide through recommendations to district leadership,” trustee Aggie Gambino said in a statement she read at the meeting. “This creates a formal, organized channel for feedback, not an individual dispute resolution, but its systemic improvement.”
Also on the agenda
The board also approved:
- Jamie Almond as the principal for Kacy Arnold Elementary School
- Amber DeBeaumont as principal for Janene Fowler Intermediate School
- Tiffany Jarebica for Bozman Intermediate School
- Carlton Todd as principal for Timber Mills High School
The mascot and colors for Timber Mills High School, which will open in August 2027 at 2700 N. Loop 336 E. in Conroe, were also approved by the board. The mascot will be a stallion, and the colors will be maroon, Columbia blue and gray.
What’s next
A final plan with a committee will be completed by June 1, with SEPAC beginning its quarterly meetings Aug. 31.