It is the mission of the Special Education Services Department to actively respond to the needs of students with disabilities and their families by providing supports that will encourage and foster empowerment, independence, and inclusiveness in all aspects of the educational experience in school and beyond.

The Department of Special Education as well as all the teachers, paras and support staff are excited for school to begin.  Remote learning will begin on 8/26/2020, for the District's decision regarding face to face instruction please go to the Denton ISD main information page.

September 4, 2020

Beginning Tuesday, Sept. 8, Denton ISD’s secondary campuses will operate on a hybrid learning model, a mix of remote instruction and face-to-face instruction, for all secondary students.  The hybrid model for grades 6-12 will allow campuses to reduce student capacity, by as much as 50 percent, which is within the occupancy guidelines recommended by Denton County Health officials, within the school buildings.

Families who selected the ConnectedLearning option for their secondary student will not be affected. Elementary campus schedules will also not be affected.

Guidance for special education students:

• For all grade levels –
  • student that have begun in-person on campus learning in a self-contained class (ECSE, COMM, AFS, AVLS, FLS, 18+ Transition, RDSPD (including interpreter dependent students), PABS (in self-contained), etc…) will continue in-person learning, daily at their campus,
  • related services will continue to be provided as agreed upon in the most recent ARD

• Elementary –
  • in- person (face-to-face) learning students will begin on-campus learning 9/8/2020

• Secondary –
  • in- person (face-to-face) students will begin on-campus learning 9/8/2020 or 9/9/2020 depending on their cohort:
    • Cohort MW1, alphabet A-L begin 9/9/2020
    • Cohort TR2, alphabet M-Z begin 9/8/2020
  • student that have begun in-person on campus learning in a self-contained class (AVLS, FLS, 18+ Transition, RDSPD (including interpreter dependent students), PABS (students in self-contained), etc…) will continue in-person learning, daily at their campus

As a District, we have determined that each student with a disability must have two schedules of services: face-to-face and virtual.  As ARD meetings have occurred, students should have two schedules of services to ensure there is not an interruption of services in the event a student is out for an extended period   While the district operates on a hybrid schedule for secondary students, teachers and service providers should adhere to the face-to-face/in-person schedule of services on the days the student is on campus and the virtual schedule on the days the students are learning remotely. However, services may vary based on the ARDC decision.

Special education and related services will be provided as documented in the most current ARD/IEP.

For additional information please contact the student’s case-manager/teacher or the special education supervisor assigned to the campus.

We are excited that students are returning to campuses! 

Special Education Leadership Team and Debbie Roybal (Executive Director of Special Education)

Students Served in Self-Contained Classrooms:

Student served in a self-contained classroom (Early Childhood Special Education, Communications, Academic and Functional Skills, Academic and Vocational Life Skills, Functional Life Skills, and 18+ or Transition Program), will have the option to begin in-person, face-to-face, instruction beginning August 26, 2020.  In-person, face-to-face instruction will occur at the campus where they receive such services prior to the school closure.  At this time, campuses and teachers are preparing for the return of these students on August 26, 2020.  Of course, all safety precautions and CDC recommendations will be followed. For those that received Special Education Transportation, they are planning for the return of self-contained students as well.

Know that this is an option for parents.  You are not required to send your self-contained student back to in-person learning on August 26, 2020, you continue to have the option to participate in remote learning until September 8, 2020. 

Please continue to watch this page for updates or contact the campus administrator at your campus.  We look forward to seeing your student in a few weeks.

Important notice regarding special education and Denton ISD Connected Learning:

Special Education services will be available to all students with individual education plans, regardless of their enrollment as a student who attends Denton ISD in-person or via Denton ISD’s Connected Learning Platform.  Due to the nature of certain special education services, some services may not be provided in the same manner as they would be if a student was in the classroom.   ARD committees will work together to determine in a collaborative and individual manner the setting that is best for each student’s unique needs and may meet more often than usual to adjust services and make recommendations that are in the best interests of each student.

Learn More about Denton ISD's Special Education Multi-Stage Service Options by clicking here.