Resources

Special Programs

Our school offers a host of services to help your student get the support they need to thrive in school and beyond.
Below is a list of specific services, providers, and contact information.

Contents

Identification of English Learners (EL) Manager

Feyi Obamehinti

ELL Manager
[email protected]

Districts and charter schools are required to identify and serve English Learners (ELs) through bilingual education or English as a second language (ESL) programs (Texas Education Code (TEC) Chapter 29, Subchapter B). For further information, click here.

Identification of Section 504 Manager

Kristy Decker-Baird

504 Manager
[email protected]
1825 Lakeway Dr., Suite 400, Lewisville, TX 75057
972.420.1404

Students may be eligible to certain accommodations or services if they have a mental or physical disability that substantially limits or prohibits participation in or access to an aspect of the school program and otherwise qualify under the applicable laws. Texas Virtual Academy at Hallsville (TVAH) will ensure that qualified students with disabilities have equal opportunity to participate in the school program and activities to the maximum extent appropriate for each individual student. In compliance with applicable state and federal laws, TVAH will provide students with disabilities the necessary educational services and supports they require to access and benefit from their educational program. This is to be done without discrimination or out of pocket cost to the student or family for the essential supplementary aids, services or accommodations determined to provide equal opportunity to participate in and obtain the benefits of the school program and extracurricular activities to the maximum extent appropriate to the student’s abilities and to the extent required by the laws. Click here for more information related to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

Identification of Dyslexia Manager

Debbie Kraus

[email protected]
1825 Lakeway Dr., Suite 400, Lewisville, TX 75057
972.420.1404

“Texas Education Code (TEC) §38.003 defines dyslexia and related disorders, mandates testing students for dyslexia and providing instruction for students with dyslexia and gives the State Board of Education (SBOE) authority to adopt rules and standards for administering testing and instruction. TEC §7.028(b)relegates the responsibility for school compliance with the requirements for state educational programs to the local school board. Chapter 19 of the Texas Administrative Code (TAC) §74.28 outlines the responsibilities of districts and charter schools in the delivery of services to students with dyslexia. Finally, The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, §504, establishes assessment and evaluation standards and procedures for students (34 C.F.R. Part 104).” (The Dyslexia Handbook, Revised 2018: tea.texas.gov

Updated Dyslexia HandBook

Students with Dyslexia needs are serviced and supported following Section 504 guidelines. Texas Virtual Academy at Hallsville (TVAH) will ensure that qualified students with disabilities have equal opportunity to participate in the school program and activities to the maximum extent appropriate for each individual student. In compliance with applicable state and federal laws, TVAH will provide students with disabilities the necessary educational services and supports they require to access and benefit from their educational program. This is to be done without discrimination or out of pocket cost to the student or family for the essential supplementary aids, services or accommodations determined to provide equal opportunity to participate in and obtain the benefits of the school program and extracurricular activities to the maximum extent appropriate to the student’s abilities and to the extent required by the laws. Click here for more information related to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Active of 1973.

Identification of Homeless Coordinator

Marina Dugan

[email protected]
972.420.1404 ext. 2318

The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, reauthorized in January 2002 as Title X, Part C, of the No Child Left Behind Act, is the primary piece of federal legislation dealing with the education of children and youth in homeless situations. Its key themes are school access and stability, support for educational success, and child-centered decision-making.

Parents Rights

If your family lives in any of the following situations:

  • In a shelter
  • In a motel or campground due to the lack of an alternative adequate accommodation
  • In a car, park, abandoned building, or bus or train station
  • Doubled up with other people due to loss of housing or economic hardship

Your school-age children may qualify for certain rights and protections under federal McKinney-Vento Act. Your eligible children have the right to:

  • Receive a free, appropriate public education
  • Enroll in school immediately, even if lacking documents normally required for enrollment
  • Enroll in school and attend classes while the school gathers needed documents
  • Enroll in the local school; or continue attending their school of origin (The school they attended when permanently housed or the school in which they were last enrolled), if that is your preference.
  • If the school district believes that the school you select is not in the best interest of your children, then the district must provide you with a written explanation of its position and inform you of your right to appeal its decision.
  • Receive transportation to and from the school of origin, if you request this.
  • Receive educational services comparable to those provided to other students, according to your children’s needs.

Identification of Foster Care Coordinator

Quinnece Walker

School Based Enrollment Coordinator
[email protected]

For further information on supporting students who may be impacted by foster care, click here.

Identification of Americans with Disabilities (ADA) Compliance Act Coordinator/Special Programs Manager

Sarah Owen

Special Programs Manager
[email protected]

Stacy Sturges

Special Programs Manager
[email protected]

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) gives civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities that are like those provided to individuals on the basis of race, sex, national origin, and religion. It guarantees equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities in employment, public accommodations, transportation, State and local government services, and telecommunications. Texas Virtual Academy at Hallsville (TVAH) complies with all federal and state regulations regarding the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

For further information on the Americans with Disabilities Act and Education, click here.

Individuals seeking to discuss accommodations the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) may contact either Sarah Owen, Special Programs Manager [email protected] or Stacy Sturges, Special Programs Manager [email protected].

Request for Parent/Guardian Interpreter Services or Disability Accommodations

Professional interpreter services may be requested at any time for parents/guardians of students by contacting either Feyi Obamehinti, ELL Manager [email protected], or Winter Cason, Special Education Manager [email protected].

Additionally, if any parent/guardian has a disability or other limitation that would impact their ability to participate fully in their child’s educational planning process, Texas Virtual Academy at Hallsville (TVAH) would be happy to discuss accommodations that may be available in order to maximize the parent/guardian’s participation. Individuals seeking to discuss accommodations for this reason may contact either Feyi Obamehinti, ELL Manager [email protected], or Winter Cason, Special Education Manager [email protected].

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Procedural Safeguards

In accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requirement that all educational agencies provide parents of students with disabilities notice containing a full explanation of the Procedural Safeguards available under the IDEA and U.S. Department of Education regulations. For a copy of the current Procedural Safeguards documentation, please click here.

In Texas, a child’s eligibility for special education services and most of the major decisions about a child’s special education program are made by an admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) committee. You may also hear this group referred to as an individualized education program (IEP) team, which is the term used in federal law. If an ARD committee is formed for your child, you will be a member of that committee. Click here for the Parent’s Guide to the Admission, Review, and Dismissal Process.

Annual Public Notice of Special Services & Programs

In accordance with federal and state regulations, Texas Virtual Academy at Hallsville (TVAH) will provide an annual public notice to families informing them of TVAH’s child find responsibilities, procedures involved in the identification of educational disabilities and determination of students’ service and support needs.

Families are encouraged to review the following information that describes these regulations. Information regarding TVAH’s internal practices to comply with these will be available in the TVAH Special Programs Manuals and Handbooks. Click here for updates in Special Education.

Child Find

The 1997 Amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act mandate that every school district in the country develop a system to identify children with disabilities, birth through age 21, residing in the district. Texas Virtual Academy at Hallsville (TVAH) strives to identify, locate, and evaluate all enrolled children who may have disabilities. Disability, as stated in IDEA, includes such conditions as hearing, visual, speech, or language impairment, specific learning disability, emotional disturbance, cognitive disability, other health or physical impairment, autism, and traumatic brain injury. The process of identifying, locating, and evaluating these children is referred to as Child Find.

As a public school, we will respond vigorously to federal and state mandates requiring the provision of a Free Appropriate Public Education regardless of a child’s disability or the severity of the disability. In order to comply with the Child Find requirements, TVAH will implement procedures to help ensure that all TVAH students with disabilities, regardless of the severity of their disability, who are in need of special education and related services—are identified, located, and evaluated —including students with disabilities who are homeless or students who are wards of the state.

Parent/Guardian permission and involvement is a vital piece in the process. Once a student has been identified as having a “suspected disability” or identified as having a disability, TVAH will ask the student or the student’s Parent/Guardian for information about the child such as:

  • How has the suspected disability or identified disability hindered the student’s learning?
  • What has been done, educationally, to intervene and correct the student’s emerging learning deficits
  • What educational or medical information relative to the suspected disability or identified disability is available to be shared with the school?

This information may be also be obtained from the student’s present or former teachers, therapists, doctors, or from other agencies that have information about the student.

All information collected will be held in strict confidence and released to others only with parental permission or as allowed by law. In keeping with this confidence, TVAH will keep a record of all persons who review confidential information. In accordance with state regulations, parents have the right to review their child’s records.

As part of the Child Find process, some services may include a complete evaluation, an individualized education program designed specifically for the child, and a referral to other agencies providing special services.

Consent

TVAH staff adheres to all portions of FERPA in regard to student educational records and personal information.

Texas Virtual Academy at Hallsville (TVAH) cannot proceed with an evaluation, or with the initial provision of special education and related services, without the written consent of a student’s parents/legal guardians. For additional information related to consent, please refer to the Procedural Safeguards Notice which can be found at the Texas Education Agency (TEA) website [PDF]. Once written parental/guardian consent is obtained, TVAH will proceed with the evaluation process. If the parent disagrees with the evaluation results, the parent can request an independent education evaluation at public expense.

Special Education (IEP) or Service Agreements (504 Plans)

Once the evaluation process is completed, a team of qualified school personnel, parents/guardians, and other relevant service providers hold an evaluation determination meeting to come to agreement on whether the student meets eligibility for one of the disability categories under IDEA. Click here for information related to eligibility criteria associated with the disability categories defined under IDEA. If the student is eligible and requires specially designed instruction, an Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) committee will be gathered to construct an Individualized Education Plan (IEP); during which the ARD Committee will review and finalize the proposed details of an appropriate educational program to meet the student’s documented needs.

For students confirmed to present with special education needs, once the ARD Committee agrees on the IEP and the student’s educational placement, a Prior Written Notice (PWN) will sent to the parent/guardian for signature. This must be signed and returned to Texas Virtual Academy at Hallsville (TVAH). TVAH can only proceed with implementing the student’s IEP (or 504 Plan) upon receipt of the signed PWN. Some students are found to present with one or more disability, but do not meet the eligibility criteria outlined under IDEA (Special Education); however, their disability may still require TVAH to develop a 504 Service Agreement (504 Plan) to outline the special provisions a student may require for adaptations and/or accommodations in school-based instruction, facilities, and/or activities.

Students may be eligible for certain accommodations or services if they have a mental or physical disability that substantially limits or prohibits participation in or access to an aspect of the school program and otherwise qualify under the applicable laws. TVAH will ensure that qualified students with disabilities have equal opportunity to participate in the school program and activities to the maximum extent appropriate for each individual student. In compliance with applicable state and federal laws, TVAH will provide students with disabilities the necessary educational services and supports they require to access and benefit from their educational program. This is to be done without discrimination or out of pocket cost to the student or family for the essential supplementary aids, services or accommodations determined to provide equal opportunity to participate in and obtain the benefits of the school program and extracurricular activities to the maximum extent appropriate to the student’s abilities and to the extent required by the laws. Click here for more information related to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Active of 1973.

Parents/Guardians have the right to revoke consent for services after initial placement. Please note, a revocation of consent removes the student from ALL special services and supports outlined on the IEP or 504 Plan.

To maintain privacy of students’ Special Education records, both within its central office and across school systems and databases, Texas Virtual Academy at Hallsville (TVAH) follows protocols consistent with the federal regulations associated with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Click here for additional information about the privacy and security guidelines for your child’s educational records.

Special Education Grievances or Disputes

Texas Virtual Academy at Hallsville (TVAH) recognizes that despite best intentions of all parties, disagreements or miscommunications may arise between the school-based team and TVAH’s families or students. Should this situation occur, the TVAH Special Education case manager will call an Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) Committee meeting where the specific details contributing to any educational concern are fully discussed and addressed as the entire team determines would consider most appropriate for the student. Collaboration is a primary focus for this type of meeting, and the TVAH Special Education Team seeks to establish and maintain the confidence of its families to always serve its students in order to maximize their educational success.

For details on how to file a complaint, please click here to visit the Texas Education Agency (TEA) site.

Accommodations

Notice of these rights is available, upon request, on audiotape, in Braille, and in languages other than English. Should you need further assistance or information regarding any of these accommodations, please contact Cindy Cook, Special Programs Manager at [email protected] or any member of your child’s TVAH team for guidance.

Dispute Resolution Options

IEP Facilitation

IEP facilitation is a voluntary process that can be utilized when all parties to an IEP meeting agree that the presence of a neutral third party would help facilitate communication and the successful drafting of the student’s IEP. This process is not necessary for most IEP meetings. Rather, it is most often utilized when there is a sense from any of the participants that the issues at the IEP meeting are creating an impasse or acrimonious climate.

Mediation

A voluntary process in which both parties seek to resolve the issues involved in the concern with an unbiased, third party mediator from the Texas Education Agency. The mediator who will write up the details of the agreement that the parties come to through the mediation conference, the agreement is signed by both parties, and thus what the document states is mandated to be implemented; This process is overall less time-consuming, less stressful, and less expensive to complete than a due process hearing (see below) 

Formal Due Process

Families are NOT obligated to pursue the above alternatives to due process should they feel their concerns can only be resolved through a formal due process hearing, and they submit a formal complaint against TVAH to the Texas Education Agency.

SPEDTex

The Special Education Information Center (SPEDTex) provides resources and interactive features for increasing family awareness of disabilities and special education processes, with the goal of improving partnerships between schools and families.

Important Links:

SPEDTex Procedural Safeguards
SPEDTex Updated ARD Process

Contact information:

Website: www.spedtex.org
Phone: 1.855.773.3839
Email: [email protected]
Live Chat: www.spedtex.org

Identification of Gifted Talented Manager

Leigh Radichel

[email protected]
972.420.1404

A gifted/talented student is a child or youth who performs at or shows the potential for performing at a remarkably high level of accomplishment when compared to others of the same age, experience, or environment and who

  • exhibits high-performance capability in an intellectual, creative, or artistic area;
  • possesses an unusual capacity for leadership; or
  • excels in a specific academic field. (Texas Education Code §29.121)

The following G/T resources assist local education agencies in certifying to the commissioner that the district has established a program for G/T students as required by rule, and it is consistent with the Texas State Plan for the Education of Gifted/Talented Students (State Plan) under Texas Education Code Section 29.123 and the use of the funds on the district’s program for G/T as provided by the State Board of Education rule.