LA JOYA ISD reports progress on special‑education audit, doubles IEP quality scores and mounts hiring surge

District leaders briefed the board on progress implementing the special‑education audit recommendations and the superintendent constraints tied to IEP quality and MTSS documentation.

Deputy Chief Kandelario said the district operates a phased implementation plan — planning, launch, full launch and sustainability — and reported that of 25 audit exit criteria roughly 15 are on track. The district enlisted a third‑party reviewer using the TEA IEP rubric and reported a substantial improvement in IEP quality from an August baseline near 30% to nearly double that percentage in the April review.

To maintain services while staffing improves, the district allocated contractual resources approved in October that brought in 15 contractors (diagnosticians, related‑service providers and AR facilitators) who supported more than 600 students and conducted hundreds of AR meetings, direct and indirect service hours. The district also reported 80 vacancies in special education at the time of the briefing and a current fill rate of about 58% following a targeted hiring effort; presenters listed 29 special‑education teachers and 17 diagnosticians/related service staff recently onboarded.

Deputy Chief Kandelario and Dr. Sorenson emphasized the role of Panorama to document MTSS interventions, the new rapid decision‑making framework for AR committees, continued family engagement events, and professional‑learning communities for role‑specific cohorts.

What’s next: The district plans to continue hiring to reach a 100% fill rate target by June, sustain professional learning and district monitoring, and increase family‑facing communications about services and IEP processes.

Sources: Deputy Chief Kandelario’s special education briefing and superintendent remarks.