Region 16 conference helps Panhandle teachers support students with disabilities

AMARILLO, Texas (KVII) — Educators from across the Texas Panhandle gathered at Region 16 in Amarillo for a three-day conference focused on literacy instruction for students with significant cognitive disabilities.

The conference, which concluded on its third day, provided teachers with strategies to support students with disabilities and adapt instruction to their needs.

"So the purpose of this learning cohort is to help support teachers who have more significant cognitive disabilities and provide high-quality literacy instruction for those students because oftentimes we're not sure how to teach or accommodate for them," said Natasha Hubbard, teacher at Dumas South Elementary.

Organizers said the learning cohort was designed to help educators provide high-quality literacy instruction, particularly for students who may need additional accommodations.

"We have to believe in them," Danielle Compton, education specialist at Region 16, said. "All students can read and write if given the chance and when given access and it's up to us to figure that out and how to give that to them and to teach them."

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The training emphasized that all students can learn to read and write when they have access to instruction and teachers identify effective ways to support them.

"In order to improve the test scores and the outcome for students who have disabilities, it starts before the educator steps into the classroom; that's why they have to learn cutting-edge techniques," said Hubbard.

Participants also discussed special education evaluations and eligibility. One speaker said improved evaluation processes can help identify students at younger ages, despite what the speaker described as an increase in diagnoses and special education eligibility.

"I do think we probably have seen an uptick, you know, in different diagnoses and certain eligibilities and stuff in special education for sure, but I think our evaluation processes are improved where we can catch kids when they're younger," said Compton.

Teachers were expected to take what they learned back to their schools to improve instruction for students with disabilities.

Region 16 conference helps Panhandle teachers support students with disabilities

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