We're thrilled to bring you our summer newsletter, designed to keep you connected and supported throughout the warmer months. Even though school is out, our commitment to your child's success and well-being continues. Dive into this edition for information to help you prepare for the exciting 2025-26 school year, upcoming events, and valuable resources for the summer months.
Special Education
Special Education Staffing Update for the 2025-26 School Year
Building a Stronger Team
For the past four years, we've relied on outside contractors, along with Austin ISD staff members, to help meet student needs due to a shortage of full-time staff (like school psychologists, Speech Language Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, and Mental Health Specialists). While valuable, these contracts are costly and temporary.
To address this challenge, our AISD School Board approved funding for many new full-time positions in January 2025. We're actively hiring for these roles now, aiming to fully staff our teams with permanent Austin ISD employees over the next two years. Our goal is to build a stable, long-term special education team that provides consistent, high-quality support for your children.
What This Means for Your Child
As we hire new staff, we'll continue to use contractors as needed to ensure your child receives all services outlined in their Individualized Education Program (IEP) without interruption. We're committed to a smooth transition for all our students and families.
We are truly grateful for the dedication of all staff members who support our students every day.
Special Education Family Advisory Committee
SEFAC
SEFAC meetings will resume in September 2025, as well. If you are a parent from the Akins, LBJ, Navarro, Eastside, Northeast, Travis, or Crockett Vertical Teams and interested in serving on SEFAC, please apply for membership on the standard application form: English / Spanish. To learn more about SEFAC, please visit https://www.austinisd.org/advisory-bodies/sefac/members
Family Events
Become part of UpClose, the Austin ISD elite team for parent and community engagement
This program offers an exclusive opportunity to look into the inner workings of Austin ISD. Through monthly meetings with back-to-back presentations in English and Spanish, participants gain in-depth knowledge of the district's diverse programs and essential services, alongside a clear understanding of its opportunities for growth. This leadership initiative not only empowers participants but also cultivates a strong community of well-informed education advocates, while providing invaluable small group interactions with district leadership.
Our ongoing goal is to recruit a class that truly reflects the rich diversity of our families and schools across the district. We deeply value our UpClose Alumni, some of our distinguished graduates have gone on to serve as dedicated Austin ISD Trustees.
Interested in joining the program? Please complete the application for UpClose Class of 2026 no later than July 17, 2025.
Questions? Please contact Norma Garza Mittanck, UpClose Lead, at norma.garzamittanck@austinisd.org.
*Program is intended for Austin ISD families and community members only. District staff may not be members.
The Center on Disability and Development at Texas A&M University would like to offer training at no cost to Texas parents and caregivers of children up to age 22 with core features of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Parents and caregivers will learn how to improve their child's communication skills. This service is provided by a research grant project entitled Coach to Communicate (C2C), sponsored by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
The training includes a 1-hour self-paced webinar that teaches behavioral strategies to increase communication use in children with ASD. Once complete, parents can choose to be paired with a coach for a more intensive 10-week training specific to their child’s communication needs (again, at no cost to parents). Shorter options of 4-7 coaching sessions are also available for parents, if better suited to their needs. Coaching is offered in English, Spanish and Thai.
Celebrations & Observance
Disability Pride Month:
Disability Pride Month is a time to recognize the history, achievements, experiences, and struggles of people with disabilities. It affirms that disability is a natural and valuable part of human diversity—not a deficit or condition to be fixed.
More than 1 in 4 adults in the United States—over 70 million people—have a disability. This month calls on everyone to reject ableism, promote inclusion, and ensure people with disabilities are seen and accepted exactly as they are, without conditions.
How to celebrate: Spend time learning from people with disabilities in real life and online, Watch for disability-led stories in the news, like these features from Good Housekeeping, USA Today, and PBS NewsHour. Learn about key moments in the disability rights movement from UC Berkley’s archive, Challenge harmful language and assumptions wherever you encounter them. Educate children and teens with age-appropriate tips from TODAY.com, HuffPost, and Cincinnati Children’s.
What are you proud of? What do you want other people to know? Share your videos, pictures, or written answers on your favorite social media platform using hashtags
#DisabilityPride and #DisabilityPrideMonth.
Practical Tips from the Team
Summer can be a wonderful time for growth and fun! Here are some practical tips from our team to help your child thrive during the break, whether they're just starting out or heading into their teen years.
Summer Activities for Kids with Disabilities
Tip 1: Make Summer Adventures Predictable (with Visual Supports!)
For many students, the unstructured nature of summer can be a challenge. Whether it's a trip to the park or a family vacation, create a simple visual schedule or "first/then" board for daily activities or special outings. This helps reduce anxiety by showing what's coming next. For younger children, pictures work great; for older students, a bulleted list or calendar app on a device can provide the same sense of predictability and control. Review it together each morning! You can find photos for daily activities at Do2Learn.)
Tip 2: Build Social Skills Through Structured Play & Community Fun
Summer is a fantastic time for social skill development outside of the classroom.
Younger Students: Organize playdates with one or two familiar peers. Use clear communication and pre-plan activities. Consider practicing greetings, sharing, and taking turns with fun games. Local parks or sensory-friendly play gyms can be great settings.
Older Students: Encourage participation in structured group activities like adapted sports leagues, library summer reading programs, or even a local volunteer opportunity (animal shelter, community garden). These provide natural opportunities to interact with peers and practice social cues in a relaxed setting.
Tip 3: Explore Sensory-Friendly Summer Fun!
Summer offers unique sensory experiences, and embracing them can be joyful!
For all ages: Think about activities that engage different senses. Water play (sprinklers, pools, splash pads), sandbox fun, nature walks (touching leaves, smelling flowers), or even creating a "sensory bin" at home with rice, beans, or water beads can be calming and engaging.
For those seeking calm: Look for "sensory-friendly hours" at local museums, movie theaters, or trampoline parks. These offer reduced noise, adjusted lighting, and a more relaxed environment.
Tip 4: Keep Learning Alive (and Fun!) Through Everyday Activities
Learning doesn't stop when school does! Integrate academic skills into daily summer routines:
Younger Students: Practice counting with fruit at the grocery store, read road signs aloud on car trips, or write short stories about their summer adventures.
Older Students: Engage them in practical math (calculating costs for an outing, budgeting for summer treats), research interests online (e.g., historical sites for a family trip), or keep a summer journal to practice writing and reflection. The key is to make it low-pressure and relevant to their interests.
Tip 5: Practice Self-Advocacy & Independence in New Settings
Summer presents new opportunities for students to build independence.
Younger Students: Encourage them to express their needs (e.g., asking for a specific snack, saying they need a break) in new environments like a summer camp or grandparent's house. Help them practice how to politely ask for help.
Older Students: Support them in planning parts of summer outings, navigating public transportation (if applicable), or even ordering their own food at a restaurant. Discuss strategies for communicating their accommodations or preferences in new social situations. Role-playing can be a great tool!
Community Resources
Explore exciting possibilities this summer! Our Summer Camp Guide provides a curated list of local camps and programs, many offering inclusive and specialized experiences for students with disabilities. Find the perfect fit for your child's summer fun.2025 Summer Recreation and Camp Guide for Students and Adults with Special Needs
Children need nutritious meals to learn, grow, and thrive—even when school is out. Thanks to federally funded Texas Department of Agriculture meal programs, we provide free breakfast and lunch for students at many schools throughout the summer.
Who qualifies for free summer meals:
Students participating in on-site summer programs at eligible schools.
Any child in the community younger than 19.
Enrolled students with disabilities up to 21 years old.
How to find free meals this summer:
Beginning June 1, families may use the following tools to find a meal site anywhere in Texas:
Call 2-1-1 to speak to a live operator.
Visit www.SummerFood.org for an interactive site locator map.
To view Austin ISD summer meal sites, click here.
How it works:
Children in the community enjoy free meals regardless of household income and without any registration or identification. To receive a free, healthy meal, children may simply visit the cafeteria at any participating site during designated service times. Children do not have to be enrolled in AISD to receive free summer meals. Good to know: All AISD meal sites are closed June 19 and June 30-July 4, click here to view community food resources.
Food Service may only provide free summer meals at eligible sites where at least 50 percent of the children residing in the area are members of households that meet the income standards for free or reduced-price meals. In compliance with Department of Agriculture guidelines, summer meals must be served and consumed on-campus during the designated breakfast and lunch times. AISD is not permitted to provide bundled meals (breakfast + lunch), multi-day meal packs, to-go meals, weekend meals, or distribute food from curbside locations.
Family Resource Centers
The primary goal of Austin ISD family resource centers is to provide support, resources and leadership opportunities that promote well‐being, self-sufficiency and the engagement of family members in our public schools. Family resource centers are located on campus at participating schools and are operated in collaboration with Austin Voices for Education and Youth.
Families can receive support at the centers in these areas:
Basic Needs
Housing
Employment
Access to healthcare
Social Connections
Continuing Education
Families with students enrolled in participating schools may receive support from Family Resource Centers. Support may include direct services, referrals, application assistance for benefits, adult education opportunities.
AISD Family Resource Center Info Sheet (English and Spanish)