The school board approved the district’s first Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) that Superintendent Dr. Vinson will oversee the development and implementation of in a 6-1-0 vote during the Feb. 17 board meeting.
The group will begin their quarterly meetings Aug. 31.
“I’m really excited about SEPAC. I love the collaboration between staff and parents,” Trustee Lindsey Dawson said. “I think that’s essential, right? We’re better when we work together as a community, so props to everyone involved in this.”
Conroe’s SEPAC, founded by Trustee Aggie Gambino, is an advisory committee that represents the community’s parents and their suggestions for reform. Executive Director of Special Education Dr. Kendra Wiggins presented SEPAC, highlighting a need for a formally recognized special education networking system.
“Conroe ISD shall build partnerships and foster a culture of trust with parents, community stakeholders, and within feeder zones by providing meaningful and timely two-way communication, transparency, and opportunities for involvement,” Wiggins said.
Board President Misty Odenweller has advocated for SEPAC alongside trustees Gambino and Nicole May, arguing the council will alleviate Wiggins’ department workload, noting they are “stretched beyond limits in that area as we keep growing in our special ed needs.”
According to a document provided by Conroe ISD, the number of students in the district has increased 77% since 2021, with 14.1% of those identified for special needs services.
While state-allocated and Medicaid special education funding fell 30.6 million in the past two years, the district has yet to slash the special education spending.
“There’s a funding issue. It’s limited. We don’t have what we need,” Trustee Gambino said, abstaining because of her affiliations with SEPAC before joining the board. “Those realities are true, but once we acknowledge them we cannot allow them to be excuses for inaction.”
Wiggins said the selection process is currently unconfirmed, but she referenced other districts posting online applications. Dr. Vinson expressed his concern over this process, harping on the need for long term planning.
“One thing about this program is that a lot of them haven’t been successful, so we need to analyze what didn’t work,” Dr. Vinson said.
The board will finalize the group’s council members by June 1, who will represent both unique parent and administrative needs for the district’s special education community.
“We can build something that works for us, ‘Conroeize it,’” Trustee Gambino said. “At the end of the day, the number one goal is to make sure that our students’ learning experience is number one.”
