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Special Education

Special Education

The Special Education Department works collaboratively with Lamar CISD campuses, families, and support staff to provide individualized support, inclusive practices, and high-quality instruction, ensuring that all students can thrive in a learning environment that meets their unique needs.

By fostering collaboration between educators, families, and support staff, the Special Education Department empowers students with the tools, resources, and opportunities they need to succeed—both in the classroom and beyond. The commitment is simple: putting students first and ensuring success for every learner.

The department oversees and coordinates special education services in alignment with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), ensuring students ages 3–21 receive appropriate support at no cost to families. Services are provided to students who qualify under a range of disability categories, including intellectual disability, visual impairment, speech or language impairment, emotional disturbance, autism, hearing impairment, specific learning disability, multiple disabilities, other health impairment, traumatic brain injury, orthopedic impairment, deaf-blindness, and non-categorical early childhood.

  • Special Education Staff
  • Child Find

    Lamar CISD is required to implement a comprehensive Child Find system in which district personnel engage in activities designed to locate and identify students with disabilities.

  • Instructional and Related Services

    Instructional and related services refer to the specialized support provided to students, particularly those with disabilities, to help them succeed in their educational environment.

  • LCISD SEPAC

    What is SEPAC? (Special Education Parent Advisory Committee) A committee comprised of Lamar CISD employees, parents and community members working in a collaborative effort to ensure opportunities for a successful education experience for all students, especially those with disabilities.

  • Parent Resources

    School parent resources are tools and information provided to help families support their children’s education and stay engaged with the school community.

  • Operation Guidelines

    Operation guidelines are structured instructions that outline how an organization, department, or specific process should function on a day-to-day basis.

  • Parent-Directed Special Education Services (PDSES)

    The Parent-Directed Special Education Services (PDSES) program, previously, the Supplemental Special Education Services (SSES) program is a one-time $1,500 online grant for parents/guardians of eligible students served by special education and who are enrolled in a Texas public school.

  • Transition Services

    Transition services are coordinated activities designed to help students with disabilities move successfully from school to post-school life.

  • Pegasus Program

    The Pegasus Program is a collaborative preschool and inclusion initiative designed for children of Lamar CISD staff and those enrolled in the Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) program.

Special Education Programs

We are driven by our unwavering commitment to excellence, equity, and the holistic development of our students. Together, we forge a path of educational success, inspiring a love for learning and empowering our students to shape a bright and promising future for themselves and our community.

Two students are studying together in a library.

Adult Transtion (ATP)

The Adult Transition Program (ATP) helps students 18+ build independence through job training, life skills, and wellness. It offers hands-on work experience, community instruction, and support in areas like money management, transportation, cooking, and self-care. ATP also develops social skills, self-advocacy, and healthy habits, all tailored to each student’s needs for greater independence and community involvement.

A teacher is sitting at a desk in a classroom.

Compliance and Academics (CAP)

The CAP classroom supports students with disabilities and average cognitive skills who struggle with behavior that impacts learning. It targets attention, compliance, and frustration tolerance through structured, intensive instruction. With repetition, reinforcement, and behavior support, the goal is to reduce disruptions and help students succeed in general education.

A group of diverse children sit on the floor in a classroom, laughing and listening.

Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE)

The ECSE program supports children ages 3–5 with specialized instruction in communication, learning, social, and behavioral skills. It focuses on early intervention using a research-based Pre-K curriculum with differentiated instruction. Related services and inclusion are guided by the ARD committee to ensure the least restrictive environment.

 

A young girl wearing headphones studies at a desk with a laptop and paper.

Homebound

The special education homebound program provides instruction at home or in a hospital from a certified teacher for students with a verified medical condition. Students must be confined for at least four weeks and receive core academics, with other courses as possible.

A teacher gives a high five to a student in a classroom setting.

Inclusion

Inclusive education supports students with disabilities in general education classes at their home schools. They receive specialized instruction per their IEPs, with help from special education staff through in-class support or teacher consultation. Service time is based on individual needs set by the ARD Committee.

A young man is painting at a table.

Powell Point

The Powell Point Program is an off-campus program that builds academic and behavioral skills through a multi-systemic approach. It emphasizes socialization, classroom behaviors, and problem-solving to support a smooth transition back to general education. Success depends on individualized interventions, consistency, and collaboration. Powell Point provides special education counseling, sensory tools, and a low student-to-staff ratio, with specialized staff reinforcing coping strategies and social skills across settings.

A young boy wearing glasses focuses on his work at a table with other students.

Resource

Resource is a pullout service for students with disabilities who need support with grade-level TEKS due to learning challenges. It focuses on ARD-driven goals, offering direct instruction and interventions.

A group of excited children raise their hands in a classroom setting.

Social Emotional Support

Classroom (SESC)

The SESC offers structured support for social and emotional learning alongside academics. Students progress through levels by showing appropriate behavior, with trained staff using individualized strategies to maximize learning time.

A young girl in an orange sweater smiles as she colors a picture at a table with a teacher.

Structured Learning Classroom (SLC)

The Structured Learning Classroom (SLC) supports students with disabilities using a highly structured approach. It provides individualized instruction through an alternate curriculum aligned to prerequisite TEKS, focusing on academic, social, behavioral, and communication needs.