VIDBE-Q Volume 69 Issue 1
In the mid-1970s, RDSPDs were established in Texas through the state's
legislature. The state wanted to have a process of providing a full continuum of
services and support across the state for students who are deaf or hard of hearing
(Texas Education Code (TEC) Chapter 30, Subchapter D). RDSPDs were
established in each of the state's 20 regions. All Texas public ISDs and charter
schools have access to RDSPDs through SSAs, and individualized education
program (IEP) teams are to consider RDSPD services and support for any student
who is found eligible for special education services as a student who is Deaf and
Hard of Hearing (DHH) or DeafBlind (DB) (19 TAC §89.1080).
In each of Texas' 20 regions, the state legislature established regional
educational service centers (ESCs) to support the needs of districts and charter
schools within their respective boundaries. The fiscal agent of an RDSPD SSA can
be either an ISD or an ESC. While all regional ESCs regularly support 53 RDSPDs
across Texas through professional development and technical assistance, only three
have regional ESCs that act as fiscal agents for an RDSPD. This includes Regions
4, 13, and 15.
The History of the Region 4 RDSPD
In the 2011-2012 school year, Region 4 ESC was approached by TEA to act
as fiscal agent of a new RDSPD in the greater Houston area. As fiscal agent of the
Region 4 RDSPD, Region 4 ESC sought to promote equity in services for students
