WISD Appreciates Our Diagnosticians
Across Texas, school diagnosticians are being recognized for their work on Texas Education Diagnostician Week March 2-6. In Waller ISD (WISD), diagnosticians play a vital role in the district’s goal of doing whatever it takes for students to succeed. Educational diagnosticians assess, evaluate, and make recommendations to assist in the identification and service of students with disabilities. Thank you to WISD Educational Diagnosticians Katrina Tulod, Neilin Marcano, Abby Tenorio, Carmen Romero, Lauri Hansen, Jennifer Backhus, Lisa Schwaeble, Jana Robinson, Mary Llanas, Chris Donalson, Anglea Hodde, Erin Lischka, and Angela Rankin.
“I am proud to be an Educational Diagnostician and honored to get to work with students with disabilities and their families each day,” Lischka said. “I also work alongside the best assessment staff, special education teachers, related service providers, counselors, and administrators! As a team, our ultimate goal is to positively impact students' educational careers so that learning for them is successful.”
All educational diagnosticians must hold a valid teaching certificate, master’s degree, and have three creditable years of teaching experience. This allows diagnosticians to have advanced knowledge of classroom instruction and student assessments. They must also go through specialized training to receive a Standard Educational Diagnostician Certificate. Their experience makes them some of the best advocates for student success.
Educational diagnostician duties include but are not limited to: supporting campus administration, counselors, and teachers in how to help student progress; collecting and analyzing student, family, and teacher data to determine disability; facilitating Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) meetings; serving as consultants to help families understand the needs of students.
“The most rewarding part of being an educational diagnostician is watching students with special needs flourish. There is truly no greater joy!” Lischka added. “Being a part of the assessment team and getting to work one-on-one with students is extremely rewarding. This allows me to identify students' strengths and weaknesses which helps our team develop the most appropriate plan and programming for our students. Proper programming equals success for our students with special needs!”