GUEST COMMENTARY
Public education is rooted in a simple belief: every student deserves the opportunity to learn, belong, and reach their full potential, regardless of where they come from or the circumstances that shape their lives.
Public education is a great equalizer because it gives every student access to the teachers, resources, and experiences they need to enrich their learning, achieve their dreams, and attain a bright future.
A few years ago, the state of Texas reclassified Special Education services to be more comprehensive. Seemingly overnight, the number of students served by special education departments increased significantly.
The shift has made conversations around special education more mainstream, which in turn has changed the way these services are viewed. For many, accessing services has shown thousands of new families what educators have known for a long while: special education is public education at its finest.
As educators, it’s our duty to see the potential in our students. Our Special Education team in Boerne does this exceptionally well. Boerne ISD currently services 2,144 students – nearly 19% of our student body – and that number is increasing.
Our Special Education staff coordinate implementation of state mandates and work alongside families, teachers and staff to provide the very best educational opportunities to our students.
Demonstrating a strong commitment to comprehensive education, Boerne ISD serves 85% of its special education student population within general education settings through targeted support practices. This means that the overwhelming majority of our special education students are fully integrated into the fabric of our schools while also being provided individualized learning.
By learning from master teachers, our students have more opportunities to rise to challenges and excel. This approach takes talent — and something you will find no shortage of in Boerne ISD.
In grades 3-12, our students are outperforming the state and region by significant margins as displayed in our Results Driven Accountability report. This doesn’t happen by accident; it’s by design.
Our Special Education staff works tirelessly to ensure that our students are prepared and successful. While the State averages 80.9% graduation rates for students in SPED, Boerne ISD averages 93.7%. STAAR tests scores for SPED students in grades 3-8 are 48.8% for the state; our students average 70.7%. And in Math, Boerne ISD outperforms the state by almost 18 points on STAAR tests.
Education is a calling for many of us. We’re grateful to keep building a strong foundation for our young people. In Boerne ISD, we’re here to serve every child and family who calls our community home.
Kristin Craft, Ed.D., is superintendent of the Boerne Independent School District
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