The El Paso Independent School District offers a unified continuum of educational services and programs for eligible disabled students ages 3-21. The El Paso Independent School District’s mission of excellence in teaching and learning applies to all students. A unified system of general and special education is one that is capable of responding to the needs of all its students by accessing a range of specialized services and supports.

A unified educational system is based on the principle that each student represents a unique combination of abilities and educational needs and may require individual assistance at varying times during the school years in order to achieve desired outcomes.”
-- McLaughlin and Warren, 1992

The unified system stresses a system of standards and accountability for all students, including those with disabilities, and engages in a collaborative process of continual improvement. For students with disabilities, processes are put in place to ensure that the educational services and programs selected are both appropriate and effective. This is achieved through the design, use, and assessment of resources at both the district and school level, which have one intention: to improve student performance.

Contact information:

Phone: 1-855-773-3839

Email: inquire@spedtex.org

Live Chat: www.spedtex.org

Educating Texas... one child at a time

If you suspect an infant, child, or young adult of having a developmental delay or disability, we can open a window of hope for a brighter future! The student may be eligible for services, at no cost, under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). If you reside within the El Paso Independent School District, please call (915) 230-2825 for more information.

Services are available to eligible infants, children, and young adults identified with a disability who may be experiencing difficulties in one or more of the following:

• Physical Disability

• Deaf or Hard of Hearing

• Visual Impairment

• Deaf-Blind

• Intellectual Disability

• Emotional Disturbance

• Learning Disability

• Speech and/or Language

• Autism

• Health Impairment

In 1973, when the Rehabilitation Act was passed, the intent was to encourage participation and equal access to federally funded programs by the disabled. As applied to schools, the language of the Act broadly prohibits the denial of public education participation or enjoyment of the benefits offered by public school programs because of a child’s disability. The law was enacted to “level the playing field” for disabled students.

Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) aim to eliminate discrimination based on disability. Section 504 is a federal law designed to protect the rights of individuals with disabilities in programs and activities that receive Federal financial assistance from the U.S. Department of Education.

Section 504 provides accommodations in the general education setting for those students with disabilities that are not severe enough to qualify for special education, yet still, substantially limit a major life activity. Section 504 also includes service animals, homebound services, auditory impairments, and visual impairments and may include Dyslexia services.

A student is eligible for Section 504 when the student has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major activities. Eligible students under Section 504 will receive a 504 Individual Accommodation Plan that outlines any reasonable accommodations to the general education classroom or educational environment that are required for the student to have equal access to the educational benefits of the school. These accommodations may be based on physical or mental health, emotional, behavioral, environmental or academic needs of the student.

A 504 Plan should include only those reasonable accommodations to the regular classroom or educational environment that are required for the student to have equal access to the educational benefits of the school program. A 504 plan cannot modify the student’s curriculum or the expected level of mastery of the curriculum. A 504 plan follows the student through all school activities, including extracurricular activities.

Please contact your campus administrator if you feel your child may benefit from Section 504.