The Cypress Fairbanks Independent School District Special Education Department provides educational services to an estimated 13,500 students with special needs.

Teachers, instructional aides, speech pathologists, and related service personnel provide instruction and related services to students who have a disability. Students are eligible for special education services from the age of 3 through 21. Students who have hearing and vision disabilities may receive services from birth.

To be eligible for special education services, students must meet eligibility requirements as a student with an orthopedic impairment, other health impairment, deaf/hard of hearing, visual impairment, deaf/blind, intellectual disability, emotional disturbance, learning disability, speech impairment, multiple disabilities, autism, non-categorical early childhood, or traumatic brain injury and have a need for specially designed instruction/services.

Cypress Fairbanks ISD instructional arrangements for elementary school-aged students include in-class support, resource classes and speech/language supports. Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE), adaptive behavior, and LIFE Skills classes are offered as cluster programs at many of the elementary campuses.

In-class support, resource classes, LIFE Skills, adaptive behavior and speech/language services are available at all secondary level campuses.

As part of the Northwest Harris County Cooperative for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, services for students who have auditory impairments are offered at Birkes Elementary, Matzke Elementary, Spillane Middle School and Cy-Ridge High School.  In addition to receiving instruction from certified deaf education teachers, interpreters, speech pathologists, and audiologists at the onsite campuses, students may also be served by itinerant teachers.

Other special education program options include the Dorothy Carlton Center, the Maybelline Carpenter Center, homebound, adaptive physical education, itinerant and on-site services to the visually impaired.

Related services may include psychological services, occupational therapy, physical therapy, orientation and mobility training, school health services, adaptive equipment and special transportation.

Are you a parent of a preschooler (3-5 years), or of a school-aged child, and have concerns regarding your child’s physical, speech, and/or emotional development? Is your child experiencing academic problems which could interfere significantly with educational success?  If so, we encourage you to contact the Special Education Department at 281-897-6400 to discuss your concerns and learn more about the referral process.