Child Find, Early to Exit, and IEP Supports Grant

The Child Find, Early to Exit, and IEP Supports Grant aims to enhance technical assistance and professional development in special education across Texas. It focuses on key areas such as child evaluation, transition planning, ARD processes, and IEP development, to improve outcomes for students with disabilities. With support from the Texas Education Agency and regional ESCs, the program will implement resources and trainings developed from 2019 to 2025, benefiting school administrators and educators statewide.

Program Purpose, Goals, and Objectives
The purpose of this program is to support the dissemination and implementation of state-level technical assistance, professional development training, tools, and resources in the following areas of special education:
child find and evaluation; transition planning for students ages birth to 21; admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) committee processes; and individualized education program (IEP) development that includes progress monitoring.
A robust ecosystem of resources and trainings in these areas was developed from 2019-2025; this grant will support the targeted implementation of these resources and trainings to scale their usage across the state. The audience for the technical assistance and professional development provided through this grant primarily includes school systems’ administrators, educators, and support staff with the ultimate goal of improving special educator practice and outcomes for students with disabilities. TEA and the grant awardee will be supported in their endeavors with the help of ESC representatives from all 20 regions in Texas.
Examples of the types of activities that will be supported by this grant include but are not limited to:
overseeing training and coaching; facilitating online courses; developing training and resources as identified by annual needs assessment activities; assisting with the logistics and facilitations of meetings, conferences, and focus groups; providing technical assistance to school systems and ESCs; and assisting TEA with emerging needs.