💙 THANK YOU. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. 💙

When I started this petition, I honestly didn’t know how many people would stand with us. Today, seeing over 104 signatures and even donations from complete strangers has left me emotional and incredibly grateful. To every parent, grandparent, educator, advocate, community member, and supporter who has signed, shared, commented, encouraged, or donated—thank you. Your support reminds me that our special education students are not alone. While I deeply appreciate every donation made to help promote this petition, I want everyone to know that money is not necessary. The most valuable thing you can give is your voice. A share, a conversation, a repost, or a signature helps us reach more people and sends a stronger message to the EPISD Board of Trustees that our community is paying attention. The more signatures we gather, the harder it becomes to ignore the families, students, and educators who depend on special education services every single day. As a parent, it is heartbreaking to watch special education repeatedly bear the weight of funding challenges. Our children did not create this deficit. They should not be expected to pay the price for it. These are some of the most vulnerable students in our district. They work harder than most people will ever realize just to keep pace with their peers. They deserve classrooms equipped with sensory supports. They deserve timely evaluations. They deserve counselors, psychologists, social workers, diagnosticians, therapists, teachers, and support staff who have the time and resources necessary to help them succeed. Recently, we lost the battle to save some of our diagnostician positions, and that loss should concern every family in our district. Diagnosticians are not simply another position on a spreadsheet. They are often the first professionals who identify a child’s disability, determine eligibility for services, help build educational plans, and ensure students receive the support they need to learn and thrive. They are a critical part of the special education process from elementary school through graduation. When diagnostician positions are eliminated, the workload doesn’t disappear—it falls onto the shoulders of the few who remain. That means heavier caseloads, increased delays, longer wait times for evaluations, and potentially slower access to services for students who desperately need help. Families already wait long enough. Our children cannot afford to wait longer. As EPISD works to address a reported $52 million budget deficit, I respectfully ask district leadership and the Board of Trustees to keep their hands off special education. Our students need more support, not less. They need more resources, not fewer. They need more professionals, not additional vacancies. They need investment, protection, and a commitment that their education matters just as much as every other child in this district. Please continue sharing this petition. Please continue speaking up. Please continue being a voice for students who often cannot advocate for themselves. Together, we can remind decision-makers that special education is not an expense to be reduced—it is a promise to some of the children who need us most. Thank you for standing with our kids. #HandsOffEPISDSpecialEducation #SpecialEducationMatters #ProtectSPED #EPISD #DisabilityAdvocacy #EveryChildMatters