Marshall ISD, Pine Tree ISD enter MOU regarding special education services
MARSHALL, Texas – Marshall ISD has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) agreement with Pine Tree ISD regarding an exchange of services in the respective districts’ Special Education departments for the upcoming school year.
The MISD Board of Trustees approved the MOU as presented by Jessica Bayless, MISD Director of Special Education, during the regular June board meeting this past Monday, June 18.
Under the terms of the agreement, MISD will provide a Visual Impairment teacher for one day a week during the 2017-2018 school year to provide services for visually-impaired students in Pine Tree ISD. In exchange, Pine Tree will provide a Licensed Specialist in School Psychology (LSSP) to provide psychological services and evaluations including autism testing.
MISD is required to offer psychological testing and services to eligible special education students. During the 2016-2017 school year, the district had to contract out for these services due to the lack of qualified applicants for the position.
Currently, MISD does employ a Special Education Counselor (LPC) to provide counseling services. However, an LPC cannot perform evaluations for Autism and Psychological (ED) testing.
The agreement is a temporary one, as MISD will continue its search for a qualified LSSP due to the unique services the district should be providing in its Special Education program.
The agreement is expected to save the district approximately $26,000-$30,000 in contract fees for the upcoming school year and will ensure that basic services will be provided. There will also be no money exchanged between the two school districts.