Austin ISD Section 504
Parent Newsletter #1
We're here for you!
Welcome to our first Section 504 parent newsletter!
We are here to assist you during this unprecedented time.This newsletter is intended to support families by providing helpful tips, contact information you may need, and resources to assist with the new Continuous Learning format.
As educators, our role requires innovative thinking, intellectual agility and empathy. We acknowledge the imperfections that exist as are working in an ever evolving context.
We commit to keeping you informed as information changes. We are in this together, and we are here with you.
We thank you for your continued support for Austin ISD.
Executive Director Message
Dear AISD Section 504 Parents,
Things are moving fast and are ever-changing! I want you to know that we are all in this together. During this unprecedented time, first and foremost, I am hoping this letter finds your children and families are safe and healthy.
Campuses and/or the District will provide individualized student communication in electronic formats, addressed directly to you. We are exploring options to distribute information swiftly.
Coming your way soon (or you may have already received)...
- Contact from your Providers
- Individualized Continuity Plans detailing service delivery designed for your student
- Notification regarding evaluation status
- Virtual and telephonic 504 committee notices
Please know that I am here for every one of you.
Dr. Akweta Hickman
Executive Director of Special Education
Austin Independent School District
What to Expect for your student
Section 504 Continuity Plans
We want to honor the Section 504 plan we created to support your child to the greatest extent possible.
Your campus has reviewed your child’s current 504 plan and identified which accommodations/services are applicable or available in the at home learning environment. These services are documented in a“Continuity Plan” that should have been shared with you.
If your child is a 504 student, but does not have any accommodations or services, you will not receive a continuity plan, as there are not any current accommodations/services to consider to provide in the at home environment.
If you have questions about your child’s Continuity Plan, please consult with your teachers, 504 coordinator, and campus administrators.
Although you have received a continuity plan, you still have the right to request a 504 meeting as needed.
Dyslexia Services
The Dyslexia and Literacy team has been in contact with different publishers and creators of dyslexia interventions. They have provided guidance to our reading specialists/CALTs/and teachers on what provisions are necessary for each program and the possibility of providing the program virtually.
If your child's intervention is able to be continued, you will receive notice in the continuity plan.
Campuses will provide parents with a consent form for virtual and/or remote dyslexia intervention before starting services.
For additional questions about dyslexia interventions, please contact your campus and/or reading interventionist.
Evaluations
Due to the unprecedented global pandemic, in person evaluations must be discontinued.
The following actions are proposed in regards to Evaluations:
● For all 504 evaluations that are complete (for example: in that no further in-person assessments and/or classroom observations are needed):
Evaluation specialists or 504 campus coordinators will finalize the evaluation report. If it is a dyslexia or dysgraphia report, the evaluator will contact the parent to review the results of the evaluation.
The 504 campus coordinator will schedule a 504 meeting. The 504 committee will review the results and make a disability determination. Parents are invited to participate in this meeting. If eligible, a plan will be drafted to support your child both during the time the District is closed and when the District reopens.
For all evaluations that are incomplete (for example: in person assessments or classroom observations are needed):
Section 504 Evaluation Specialists will contact parents by telephone to discuss the delay in evaluation due to the necessary in person assessments needed.
Section 504 Evaluation Specialists will draft and send the Section 504 Evaluation Letter explaining the status of in-person assessments due to the COVID-19 and the district recommendation to complete the assessment when the safety of the student and evaluation specialist can be ensured.
When schools reopen, evaluations will continue. We will be in contact with you if additional information is needed.
April is Autism Awareness Month
In 1970, the Autism Society launched an ongoing nationwide effort to promote autism awareness and assure that all affected by autism are able to achieve the highest quality of life possible. In 1972, the Autism Society launched the first annual National Autistic Children’s week, which evolved into National Autism Awareness Month (NAAM). This April, we continue our efforts to spread awareness, promote acceptance, and ignite change.
The Autism Society of America, the nation’s oldest leading grassroots autism organization, is is proud to celebrate National Autism Awareness Month in April 2020 with the its new “Celebrate Differences” campaign. Designed to build a better awareness of the signs, symptoms, and realities of autism, #CelebrateDifferences focuses on providing information and resources for communities to be more aware of autism, promote acceptance, and be more inclusive in everyday life.
The Autism Society recognizes that the prevalence of autism in the United States has risen from 1 in 125 children in 2010 to 1 in 59 in 2020 – recognizing this continued increase, the goal for NAAM is to further increase awareness about autism signs, symptoms and opportunities through: information and referrals, events, printable and digital resources, and community partnerships with businesses and organizations dedicated to building inclusive experiences.
The Autism Society has a variety of resources designed to inform and encourage communities to celebrate differences, and become more inclusive of individuals with autism. The campaign will overlap with World Autism Awareness Day on April 2nd, and continue throughout the month. These resources will be made available on social media for sharing as well as on www.autismawarenessmonth.org for download.
Article from: Autism Society
Contact US!
If you have questions about your delayed evaluation for Section 504, please contact Leandra Trujillo, Assistant Director of Section 504: leandra.trujillo@austinisd.org
If you would like to contact a district representative for Section 504, please contact Jennifer Covington for South campuses: jennifer.covington@austinisd.org, or Cassandra Hulsey for North Campuses: cassandra.hulsey@austinisd.org. You can also contact Leandra Trujillo at: leandra.trujillo@austinisd.org
You can also direct questions or concerns to our new Let's Talk feature, under 504 Supports on AISD's main webpage :https://www.austinisd.org/letstalk
If you or someone you know is interested in a Section 504 evaluation, please contact your home campus.
Email: leandra.trujillo@austinisd.org
Website: https://www.austinisd.org/504-services
Location: 4000 South Interstate 35 Frontage Road, Austin, TX, USA
Phone: (512)414-6645