TEXARKANA, Texas -- Texarkana Independent School District has been awarded the 2022-24 Innovative Services for Students with Autism Grant, with a grand total of $5,716,376 to be spent over the next two years.
The grant will be used across all TISD campuses, as well as on establishing a Shared Service Arrangement with 18 school districts within the region.
TISD will utilize the funding on intensive and extensive training for special education and general education staff; developing and implementing instructional practices in the school, home and community; and increasing training and engagement opportunities for parents and family members to learn how to support their students.
The grant will allow TISD to expand programs established through a previous ISSA grant, such as the ASPIRe Program. ASPIRe provided training in best practices for delivering instruction to students with autism, additional inclusion support for students served in the general education classroom, and support for families within the district.
Through the previous grant, parents and staff were also able to attend the State Autism Conference, all expenses paid.
Overall, grant-backed programs could reach more than 300 students and 200 educators within TISD and other schools within the SSA.
The Innovative Services for Students with Autism Grant is a competitive grant that all Texas local education agencies are eligible to apply for. The funding is earmarked for use on programs that serve autistic students ages 3 to 21.