Mesquite ISD and Grayson County Special Education Co-op Awarded State Autism Grant
Mesquite ISD and the Grayson County Special Education Co-op will expand autism services and inclusive practices across North Texas after receiving a competitive grant from the Texas Education Agency (TEA). The 2026-28 Innovative Services for Students with Autism Grant will provide nearly $1 million in first-year funding to strengthen evidence-based instruction, coaching systems, and student support programs.
The partnership, led by Mesquite ISD Executive Director of Special Education Dr. Matt Morris and Grayson County Special Education Co-op Director Lacy Russell, was awarded $981,291 for Year 1 of the grant cycle. Pending final TEA approval, the partnership will receive an additional $981,291 during the 2027-28 school year. The initiative focuses on increasing equitable access to high-quality autism programming while building sustainable support systems for both urban and rural districts.
Mesquite ISD serves approximately 1,175 students with autism and has established districtwide expectations centered on structured routines and evidence-based practices that support students with autism and other disabilities. Through the grant, Mesquite ISD will continue expanding its coaching infrastructure, model classrooms, and professional learning systems to ensure consistent, high-quality instruction across 126 specialized classrooms.
“This opportunity allows us to continue building systems that ensure students with autism receive consistent, high-quality support regardless of their campus or setting,” said Dr. Matt Morris. “We are excited to partner with the Grayson County Special Education Co-op to expand access to evidence-based practices and meaningful inclusion opportunities for students and staff across the region.”
The Grayson County Special Education Co-op includes nine districts (Bells ISD, Collinsville ISD, Howe ISD, Gunter ISD, Tom Bean ISD, Whitesboro ISD, Whitewright ISD, Tioga ISD, and S & S Consolidated ISD) serving approximately 230 students with autism across a broad geographic region. Many of these districts face barriers related to staffing, travel distance, and access to ongoing professional learning.
“This partnership creates opportunities for our districts to access coaching, training, and collaboration that may not otherwise be available in smaller rural settings,” said Lacy Russell. “The grant allows us to build long-term systems that directly impact teacher effectiveness and student outcomes.”
The collaborative project will provide hybrid coaching models, virtual workshops, asynchronous training modules, and expanded support for inclusive instructional practices aligned with IDEA Least Restrictive Environment requirements. The partnership will create long-term, sustainable, scalable systems that strengthen support for students and educators long after the grant period ends.