Superintendent Matias Segura announces Austin Independent School District’s release from the Texas Education Agency’s oversight for special education violations after more than two years under state monitoring during a press conference at St. Elmo Elementary in Austin Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Community members applaud as Austin Independent School District announces their release from the Texas Education Agency’s oversight for special education violations after more than two years under state monitoring during a press conference at St. Elmo Elementary in Austin Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
From left, Board of Trustees vice president Andrew Gonzales, board member Kathryn Whitley Chu and Superintendent Matias Segura attend a press conference at St. Elmo Elementary as Austin Independent School District announces their release from the Texas Education Agency’s oversight for special education violations after more than two years under state monitoring in Austin Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Community members gather as Austin Independent School District announces their release from the Texas Education Agency’s oversight for special education violations after more than two years under state monitoring during a press conference at St. Elmo Elementary in Austin Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Board of trustees president Lynn Boswell speaks as Austin Independent School District announces their release from the Texas Education Agency’s oversight for special education violations after more than two years under state monitoring during a press conference at St. Elmo Elementary in Austin Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Interim Assistant Superintendent of Special Education Cherry Lee speaks as Austin Independent School District announces their release from the Texas Education Agency’s oversight for special education violations after more than two years under state monitoring during a press conference at St. Elmo Elementary in Austin Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Community members applaud as Austin Independent School District announces their release from the Texas Education Agency’s oversight for special education violations after more than two years under state monitoring during a press conference at St. Elmo Elementary in Austin Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Board of trustees member Kathryn Whitley Chu speaks as Austin Independent School District announces their release from the Texas Education Agency’s oversight for special education violations after more than two years under state monitoring during a press conference at St. Elmo Elementary in Austin Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
After more than two years of state oversight tied to special education failures, the Austin Independent School District has been released from a Texas Education Agency order aimed at fixing a yearslong backlog that denied some students timely services.
The announcement Tuesday clears Austin ISD of districtwide requirements meant to clear a chronic backlog of evaluation requests, an issue that prompted parent complaints and a lawsuit by Disability Rights Texas, a protection and advocacy agency.
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Austin ISD has significantly overhauled its special education department, clearing thousands of evaluations and providing staff with thousands of hours of training since 2023. However, district leaders and advocates said the conclusion of the state order is merely a foundation for continued improvement and that more work is needed districtwide to ensure equitable access to services.
The September 2023 order from the Texas Education Agency had been a “Priority 1A” for the district, Superintendent Matias Segura said.
“We’re seeing strong evidence that we’re on the path to strong and sustainable gains for our students with disabilities, and remain committed to the work ahead,” Segura said.
The Board of Trustees hired Segura in fall 2023 in part because members believed he could improve the district’s struggling special education system.
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In the past two and a half years, the district went on a hiring spree for staff who specialize in special education, increasing from about 755 specialized personnel in 2021 to about 934 last year, according to TEA data.
The ratio of diagnosticians — people who evaluate students for services — to students fell from one diagnostician per 510 students in 2021 to one diagnostician per 291 students in 2024, according to a 2024 audit of the district’s special education department.
The district also launched a new data management system for related information, provided stipends to special education teachers and held more than 120,000 hours of professional development, board President Lynn Boswell said.
“Staffing is thin all over the state, and we have done really good work together to make sure that we do have the people we need to make our students successful,” Boswell said.
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The investigation that launched the state order came in part because of complaints related to a yearslong backlog of families’ requests that their children be evaluated for special education services. Federal law requires districts to complete these evaluations within strict timelines. These evaluations are also required before students can access key services like in-school therapies or learning assistance.
TEA response
Although Austin ISD met expectations to be cleared of state oversight, the district has a long way to go, Commissioner Mike Morath warned in his Tuesday letter to Segura and Boswell.
“For the sake of all Austin ISD students, I expect to see focused, sustained efforts by the school board to prioritize excellent classroom instruction, ensure all students are learning, and eliminate board distractions that divert the focus of the superintendent and his administrative team from prioritizing student achievement,” Morath said.
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The state order also required the Austin ISD school board to adopt a state-created governance model called Lone Star Governance. Meant to create more effective board functions, the model limits public board conversations to “student outcomes” at least 50% of the time.
“While the board is no longer required to engage in Lone Star Governance, significant improvement in governance behavior remains necessary in order for the district’s student achievement to improve,” Morath said.
Under the order, the TEA was “monitoring” Austin ISD — the first and least comprehensive of three district-level interventions available to Morath. The third and most severe level is a district takeover, which involves replacing the superintendent and appointing trustees.
Continued work
Advocates for students receiving special education also called for more work from Austin ISD.
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While exiting the order is an important milestone, Disability Rights Texas still hears from families who report difficulty accessing services in Austin ISD, said Steven Aleman, senior policy specialist for the nonprofit.
“It doesn’t mean that the district, itself, shouldn’t continue to remain vigilant,” Aleman said.
Although Austin ISD has cleared its backlog of requests for student evaluations, that’s just the first step, he said. Districts then need to ensure they’re providing students with access to the services they’re entitled to, he said.
In 2024, Austin ISD and the nonprofit settled a 2021 lawsuit that Disability Rights Texas brought over accusations that the district had failed to provide timely special education services to five students.
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Segura said the next focus is ensuring academic achievement for the district’s students receiving services.
About 75% of Austin ISD students who receive special education services are in regular classrooms most of the time. Providing services for those students will involve removing barriers to their learning and ensuring teachers are trained to follow individualized education plans in their classrooms, said Cherry Lee, interim assistant superintendent of special education.
“We’ve worked intentionally to move beyond checking the boxes to reestablishing trust,” Lee said. “We want our parents to feel included, informed and empowered.”
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