Conroe ISD leaders discussed rising special education enrollment and costs, along with progress on a plan to return students to their neighborhood schools.
Conroe ISD officials are grappling with rising special education costs and enrollment while advancing a plan to return students to their neighborhood schools, district leaders said during a June 16 board meeting.
Conroe Independent School District serves 12,282 special education students, accounting for 17% of its total enrollment, according to a presentation by Kendra Wiggins, executive director of special education. The district also serves 5,977 Section 504 students, representing 8.3% of the student population.
Wiggins said the district has lost an estimated $10 million in funding since the 2022-23 school year due to Medicaid cuts. The district participates in the School Health and Related Services program, which reimburses schools for health-related services provided to eligible students.
To meet growing demand, the district has expanded staffing. For the 2025-26 school year, CISD hired 15 dyslexia teachers, four speech pathologists, four diagnosticians and four school psychologists at $3.2 million.
Officials have since identified additional staffing needs, including five more dyslexia teachers and nine support or teaching positions, bringing the projected personnel cost to $4.12 million.
Alongside the financial update, trustees reviewed progress on the district’s “homecoming plan,” which aims to decentralize special education services and allow students to attend schools in their zoned neighborhoods.
Wiggins emphasized that the initiative is a “structural shift,” not a budget change, and is designed to better serve students by keeping them closer to home.
The district recently hosted orientation nights to help students and families adjust to the transition. Wiggins said the events received strong support from parents and educators.
The board also reviewed a proposal to formally establish a Special Education Parent Advisory Committee. The group’s mission is to “move beyond compliance” and foster collaboration between families and educators.
The committee is expected to launch Aug. 31, with quarterly meetings scheduled for September, November, January and April.
Trustees are expected to consider final approval of the committee’s bylaws and policies at a future meeting.
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