Special Populations

The mission of Academy of Visual and Performing Arts (AVPA) is to provide a safe, challenging learning environment that cultivates students’ academic and artistic excellence. To provide students this level of learning, support, and services through special education and give access to the arts and academics for all learners. The relationship between AVPA and the family of the students is essential to the students' success, and a positive school experience.

Eligible youngsters are those ages 3 through 21 (birth through 21 for students with visual or auditory impairments) who meet the legal requirements of one or more of the following disabilities as defined by the Texas Education Agency (TEA):

• Auditory Impairment
• Intellectual Disability
• Autism
• Multiple Disabilities
• Deaf-Blindness
• Other Health Impairment
• Non-Categorical Early Childhood
• Orthopedic Impairment
• Emotional Disturbance
• Speech Impairment
• Specific Learning Disability- including dyslexia, dyscalculia, and dysgraphia
• Traumatic Brain Injury
• Visual Impairment

According to the House Bill 2938, the receipt of direct dyslexia services is considered specially designed instruction. Districts, and charter schools are required to complete Full Individual Evaluations on students who are receiving direct dyslexia services through 504, and “flip” the student to receive special education services by the end of the 2024/2025. 

The parent has the right to request a special education evaluation at any given time. The school then has 15 school days to respond to the parents request and the acceptance or decline of the evaluation request. Should you suspected your child has a disability condition as identified above, please complete a special education referral. You may access the referral by clicking the button below.

If you have any questions regarding your child, contact the special education teacher. If you have questions about special education services, please contact Nekia Moorehead, Special Populations Coordinator at nmoorehead@avpaschools.org.

“Child Find” is a requirement of both federal and state law. It mandates that each school district will locate, identify and evaluate, at no cost to the family, all students, from birth to 21, who are suspected of having a disability. 

The Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) list and defines thirteen disabilities - autism, deaf-blindness, auditory impairment, emotional disturbance, mental retardation, multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairment, other health impairment, learning disability, speech impairment, traumatic brain injury, visual impairment and non-categorical early childhood.

Academy of Visual and Performing Arts is an open enrollment charter school for grades 6th-7th for the 2023/2024 school year, and will add another grade level until serving grades 6th-12th. 

Academy of Visual and Performing Arts provides special education services to children who have, or are suspected of having a disability who are enrolled within our charter school.

In 2019, the 86th Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 139 (SB 139), which requires Texas local education agencies (LEAs) to distribute the following notice to parents:

TEA Resources for Special Education can provide more information regarding the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Dyslexia, Multi-Tiered Systems of Support and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

Compensatory Services information can be found in the following notices. Please click the button below. 

These notices contain the following information: changes made from 2016 to 2017 in reporting requirements for LEAs regarding special education enrollment in the Performance Based Monitoring Analysis System; the rights of a child regarding the provision of special education services under both state and federal law; the process and procedures for initiating a referral for evaluation for special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and TEC Sec. 29.004; where to find local policies and procedures related to initiating a referral for evaluation under IDEA.

What is it...?

The Legal Framework for the Child-Centered Process is a template in an electronic format that summarizes state and federal requirements for special education by topic. Schools may use the Legal Framework as a reference in managing the special education system's procedures and records to ensure accountability that each student is provided the benefits of a free appropriate public education and that relevant special education data is accessible and used in managing system change for continuous student performance and program improvement.

Que es….?

El marco jurídico para el proceso Niño-Centrado es una plantilla en un formato electrónico que resuma los requisitos estatales y federales para la educación especial por asunto. Las escuelas pueden utilizar el marco jurídico como referencia en los procedimientos especiales y los expedientes del sistema educativo de manejo para asegurarse que proporcionan a cada estudiante las ventajas de una educación pública apropiada, libre y que los datos relevantes a la educación especial son accesibles y utilizados en el cambio de sistema de manejo para el funcionamiento del estudiante y la mejoria continua del programa.

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. Contact information:

Phone: 1-855-773-3839

Email: inquire@spedtex.org

Live Chat: www.spedtex.org

Information on statewide services and programs that assist in the transition to life outside of the public school system. This guide includes transition services; employment and supported employment services; social security programs; community and long-term services and support; postsecondary educational programs and services; information sharing with health and human services agencies and providers; guardianship, alternatives to guardianship, including a supported decision-making agreement under Chapter 1357, Estates Code; self-advocacy, person-directed planning, and self-determination; and contact information for all relevant state agencies.