On December 3, 2025, Goalbook hosted an in-person professional development event for Special Education Directors and Coordinators from the Dallas-Fort Worth area. More than 100 leaders came together to learn the latest Texas special education legal updates and how to apply them in their districts.
To facilitate, we brought in attorney Jose Martín. He’s known for his focus on special education compliance under IDEA, Section 504, and the ADA, as well as disability issues and litigation affecting school districts. Those who attended walked away with insights into new House and Senate bills, dyslexia, BIPs, and new friends they could call on for support. Texas leaders also got a first look at our new human-centered AI feature, Goalbook Threads. Here are some highlights from the event.
Texas Leaders Collaborating on How to Navigate Challenges Together
Oh, the dreaded seating chart. At the start of the Texas Special Education Leadership Summit, when attendees picked up their name badges, many were surprised to learn there was a seating chart. Why did we decide on assigned seating? The Summit was intentionally designed for deep strategy and peer connection. We organized a seating chart that placed leaders and their teams next to other leaders and teams from neighboring, size-alike districts.
And because we know the most effective learning happens amongst peers—sharing what’s working, what isn’t, and collaborating on how to navigate challenges together—we set up breakout strategy sessions between each topic Jose Martín presented. Intentional collaboration turned this summit into a unique community builder. Some leaders finally met the neighboring directors they’d known by reputation but had never met. It was a rare chance to turn names into faces and solve real problems with the people who truly get it.
Applying Texas Special Education Legal Trends in Districts
Our keynote speaker, Jose Martín Esq., led three sessions:
- Game-Changing Texas Special Ed Legislation
- Dyslexia Legal Challenges and Compliance Pitfalls
- Behavior and Discipline: Navigating New Requirements and Persistent Risks
Game-Changing Texas Special Ed Legislation
During the first session, there were collective nods and curious side conversations as Martín unpacked game-changing Texas special education legislation. Hot topics were parent rights, DEI, gender, and special education vouchers.
When it was time to break into group discussions, leaders turned to their neighbors for deep conversations about how new House and Senate bills would reshape compliance standards and funding in their districts, specifically, what systems they’d need to evolve to stay compliant without overwhelming staff.
Dyslexia Legal Challenges and Compliance Pitfalls
A popular topic in special education is the steadily increasing cases of students with dyslexia. In the second session, Jose Martín shared that in the last 10 years, the number of students in Texas identified with dyslexia has grown from 125,000 to 330,000.
This session addressed the dyslexia migration to IDEA and potential compliance issues. He even touched on committee meeting language and tools for navigating the rising complexity of dyslexia cases. Armed with Sharpies and Post-Its, leaders wrote down their thoughts about session two. They brainstormed how they would approach dyslexia legal challenges and tensions between Section 504 and IDEA, dual identification, and complaint trends with their peers.
Behavior and Discipline: Navigating New Requirements and Persistent Risks
The final session focused on behavior, discipline, and parent involvement. After hearing about the new state legislation that expands teacher authority and changes to how districts must handle placements, leaders turned to one another to discuss how they planned to navigate the new requirements. District leaders learned that defensible documentation is more complex than ever.
They also strategized on how to support their districts in the event of a behavior crisis, what training their staff would need, and how they planned to balance documentation demands with real-time campus needs.
Introducing Human-Centered AI to Texas Leaders
In addition to hearing actionable insights on the hottest topics in special education law, we also dedicated time to address solutions for more effective, specialized instruction. Leaders who attended the Texas summit had a first look at what’s possible when AI is harnessed not to replace the human touch in education, but to strengthen it, ensuring that all students truly succeed.
During lunch, founding Goalbook team member Jon D’Angelo gave a live demonstration of Goalbook Threads, our newest AI feature that empowers special educators to create and implement more coherent, research-based IEPs from start to finish. Leaders saw firsthand how Threads weaves educator knowledge of student needs with research, data, instructional practices, and IDEA requirements, while also aligning every part of the IEP via the “golden thread” of special education. Read more about Goalbook Threads here.
The Future of In-Person Learning for Special Education Leaders
Overall, Goalbook’s first Texas Special Education Leadership Summit provided a unique in-person professional learning experience for Special Education Directors and Coordinators in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. They gained actionable guidance on complex legal issues and discovered a solution that keeps human connection at the forefront of effective instructional practice. Stay tuned for more Goalbook in-person learning events. Maybe we’ll be near you next.
