Special Education

Child Find Notice

With the assistance of the Texas Education Agency and the education service centers (ESC), local education agencies (LEAs) must ensure that a free appropriate public education (FAPE) is provided to all individuals with disabilities, ages 3-21, who qualify for special education services.

With the assistance of the Texas Education Agency, ESCs, and the Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) program, LEAs must ensure that early intervention services are made available for those children, ages 0-3, with an identified need.

To carry out these responsibilities, Melissa ISD has implemented a system in which personnel actively search for all individuals with disabilities or developmental delay who are 0-21 years of age, regardless of nature or severity of disability.

If you feel your child is in need of special services, please contact Jenny Clark, Director of Special Education, at jclark@melissaisd.org or 972-837-1225. You may access Child Find forms in the Forms & Resources section below.

Helpful Links

Special Olympics

Melissa ISD participates in the Area 10 Special Olympics, which includes the annual Melissa ISD Special Olympics Track Meet each spring.

Melissa ISD will host their annual Special Olympics track meet Friday, April 12, 2024 at Cardinal Stadium, welcoming student-athletes from many area schools. Opening ceremonies begin at 9:30 a.m. with track and field events starting at 10 a.m. We welcome the community to come out and cheer on our Cardinal athletes!

For more information on how to become involved through donations or volunteer opportunities, or to find out how your child can participate, please contact Jenny Clark, Director of Special Education, at jclark@melissaisd.org or 972-837-1225.

Resources & Forms

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: available on the SpedTex website at www.spedtex.org

Updates in Special Education

SB 139 Notice to Families

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

Please click on your child’s school below to view the notice in English and Spanish.