Federal Programs seek to enhance the school setting for all students and to meet the needs of Kerrville ISD's diverse populations by:
-Identifying and servicing students in different demographics with diverse learning needs,
-Improving student success by providing necessary resources/assistance to teachers, administrators, and parents to meet the needs of learners, and
-Increasing parental involvement in student learning by implementing effective parent involvement strategies.
Below are some of the programs that serve the diverse populations of Kerrville ISD.
Title I, Part A - Improving Basic Programs - Title I, Part A is a Federally-funded program designed to help schools improve the academic performance of struggling students. According to the Texas Education Agency's website: "...Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), provides supplemental funding to state and local education agencies. This funding pays for resources to assist schools with high concentrations of students from low-income families. These resources improve education quality and help ensure all children in low-income contexts meet the state's student performance standards. Title I, Part A programs use effective methods and instructional strategies that are grounded in scientific research."
Kerrville ISD operates seven school-wide programs on campuses housing grades Pre-K-8. These campuses introduce Title I topics to parents in the fall, and continue to discuss a variety of topics throughout the year. One component of the Title I program is the District Title I Parental Involvement Policy. You can view the policy in English here and in Spanish here.
Bilingual / English as a Second Language (ESL) - Both the Bilingual and ESL (English as a Second Language) programs are designed to help students learn English and to be successful in all subjects taught in Kerrville Independent School District.
The Bilingual Program uses both Spanish and English to teach the state–required curriculum in our K-5 classrooms. The Bilingual Program is available at Daniels Elementary and Starkey Elementary. It is also available to students who qualify to attend the Early Childhood Center.
The ESL Program integrates English listening, speaking, reading, and writing. ESL students learn functional, social, and academic vocabulary in English by communicating in English with native English speakers in the school community. The ESL program is available at all Kerrville ISD campuses, Early Childhood Center through 12th Grade.
Below are some websites that provide more detailed information for Bilingual / ESL learners, including games and language activities.
http://www.esc20.net/default.aspx?name=ci_besl.Bilingual-ESL
This site provides parents and students with the vital links for information about Bilingual / ESL education in Texas.
www.quia.com/shared
This site has basic vocabulary games in Spanish, English and other languages that can easily be played at home. Easy java download is provided at site.
www.audiobooksforfree.com/home
This site has many audio-books that you can download for free and some you can purchase.
www.ed.gov/espanol/bienvenidos/es/index/html
This site is primarily in Spanish and is sponsored by the US Department of Education. It is aimed to provide resources to Spanish-speaking parents.
www.nabe.org
This site is the National Association for Bilingual Education. Learn about relevant legislation and policies and read press releases.
www.colorincolorado.org
This bilingual site that focuses on reading is for families and teachers of Bilingual / ESL students.
Dyslexia - Kerrville ISD students who struggle with some or all of the many facets of reading, writing, and/or spelling are provided specialized assessment in order to determine identification with dyslexic tendencies. Identified students are provided with an appropriate instructional program at each campus. Instructional strategies utilize individualized, intensive, and multi-sensory methods as appropriate.
The state-sponsored dyslexia site is hosted by Education Service Center 10 at:
https://www.region10.org/programs/dyslexia/overview/
http://neuhaus.org/parent-faqs/#dyslexia
This site answers the most basic questions about dyslexia and provides information about dyslexia education.
https://dyslexiaida.org/screening-for-dyslexia-screener-for-school-age-children/
This site provides screeners for dyslexia for children of different ages. The home page of this site is The International Dyslexia Association (IDA), an international, 501(c)(3) non-profit, scientific and educational organization dedicated to the study and treatment of dyslexia.
https://aus.dyslexiaida.org/
This site is the Austin-area branch of the IDA site listed above. It provides information about resources, service providers, education and technologies for dyslexic students in the state of Texas.
Kerrville ISD Dyslexia Handbook
This handbook was updated in 2018.
https://www.region10.org/programs/interactive-dyslexia-handbook/introduction/
This is the most recent handbook provided by the Texas Education Agency.
Dysgraphia - Dysgraphia is a specific fine-motor learning disability that manifests itself in spelling, handwriting, or expression of thought on paper. While commonly related to other learning disabilities and frequently associated with dyslexia, a student with dysgraphia does not always demonstrate any other learning disability. Those students who are identified are provided with an appropriate instructional program at each campus. The major instructional strategies utilize individualized and multi-sensory methods, as appropriate.
Kerrville ISD Dysgraphia Handbook
This handbook was developed in 2010.
Migrant Education Program - The KISD Migrant Education Program is administered in a shared service agreement with ESC20 from San Antonio. Students are identified with the Family Survey in the campus registration packet. Students or parents who have moved from one school district, city or state in the past three years to work, or look for work in agriculture or fishing, meet the qualifications for this program. Contact Cheryl Manchester, the liaison for Kerrville ISD's Migrant Education Program, who supervises the Migrant Coordinator at each campus. All services are provided in a confidential manner.
Homeless Student Support - Students are identified for this program through the Student Residency Questionnaire in the campus registration packet. When housing for students is not adequate, fixed, or regular, mandatory support is provided for students through federal legislation, the McKinney-Vento Act. Funding for student needs is coordinated by Cheryl Manchester, the KISD Homeless Liaison, who supervises a Homeless Coordinator at each campus. Campuses also provide Blessings in a Backpack, clothes closets, and family resource assistance. All services are provided in a confidential manner.
For more information on any of these programs, please contact Cheryl Manchester. Contact information is at the top right of this page.