Director Federal Programs
Darrell Ryan
dryan@bsisd.esc18.net

Mr. Ryan is a native of Wichita Falls where he received a Bachelor’s Degree from Midwestern State University.  He received a Master’s Degree with Supervisory Certification from East Texas State University in Commerce, Texas.  He has been a teacher, supervisor, and administrator in the State of Texas for over 35 years. He has also served as a Senior Consultant for Federal Programs for the Colorado Department of Education in Denver. Mr. Ryan has received the personal notation of Outstanding Citizen of the Year and Darrell Ryan Day dedicated in his honor in cities where he has resided and has received numerous musical awards including the Director’s Award from the National Choral Music Festival of Hollywood, California.

Mr. Ryan’s presentations include: Welcome to My Morning, Something’s Gotta Give, Accentuate the Positive and Stressed Out! Who Me?  He has also written and published several musical compositions and arrangements, a collection of Poems and Stories for Young Children, has assembled a collection of quotes, poems, notable sayings and interesting stories which he labels, Beef Stew for the Brain, and writes a column called Parent’s Corner for the Big Spring Herald Newspaper.  
 

Federal Programs for which Big Spring ISD qualifies and participates are as follows:                         
 

Title I, Part A: Helping disadvantaged Children 
Big Spring Schools qualify for supplementary funds designated to help disadvantaged children meet rigorous state standards.  Title I is designed to ensure that all children have a fair, equal and significant opportunity to obtain a high-quality education and reach, at a minimum, proficiency on challenging State academic achievement standards and state academic assessments. All schools in Big Spring ISD are classified as School wide. This means that Federal Title I Part A funds are used to serve all students.  See District Title I Handbook 
 

Title I, Part C: Education for Migratory Children
Big Spring ISD qualifies for federal assistance for the migratory children and has joined in a shared services agreement with Region 18 Education Service Center for regional services to assist these students. 
 

Title II, Part A: Preparing, Training and Recruiting High Quality Teachers, Paraprofessionals and Principals.
Big Spring ISD participates in the Title II, Part A program utilizing funds for classroom reduction and staff training to assist student success in the State academic content standards in curriculum and success in the challenging State assessment system. 
 

Title II, Part D: Enhancing Education through Technology.
Big Spring ISD uses funds from this federal source to provide our technology lab with a qualified technical trainer. This individual conducts training for paraprofessionals, teachers, principals, directors and other staff throughout the year. 
 

Title III: Language Instruction for Limited English Proficient and Immigrant Students.
Big Spring ISD qualifies for federal assistance for the language instruction of the Limited English Proficient and Immigrant students and has joined in a shared services agreement with Region 18 Education Service Center for regional services to assist these students.  See District Bilingual-ESL Handbook. 

Title IV, Part A: Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities:
Big Spring ISD qualifies for federal assistance in the creation of safe and drug free schools and has joined in a shared services agreement with Region 18 Education Service Center for regional services to provide instructional supplies, materials and programs educate students to the harmful effects of drugs and alcohol.  This cooperative also assists in training staff for safe and orderly schools and classrooms where children can learn in a safe environment.  
 

Title V: Innovative Programs.
Big Spring ISD participates in the Title V program to provide library books for the secondary campuses. Library books are provided to the elementary campuses through Title I funds.

Title IV:  Rural and Low Income Grant
Big Spring ISD utilizes funds from this government program to provide educational supplies, materials and equipment to the various academic programs within the district.

Carl Perkins, Career and Technology Education: (CATE)
Big Spring ISD utilizes funds from this grant to provide materials and equipment for the career and technology courses offered at Big Spring High School. Career and Technology Education (CATE) is offered as an “enrichment curriculum” to students of Big Spring I.S.D.  CATE, formerly known as vocational education, allows students to gain career awareness, exploration, and preparation while emphasizing the need for academic skills as well as work place skills and ethics. 
 

Dyslexia Education 
Phonological awareness, crucial for reading development, is a skill often lacking in students with dyslexia.  Big Spring I.S.D. uses a successful phonological program to address student needs.  Students with indications of Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome are tested and provided with colored overlays, if needed.  See District Dyslexia Handbook.

Accelerated Reading and Math Instruction (ARI-AMI) 
In order to meet the Governor’s challenge that all students be on grade level in reading and math, Big Spring I.S.D. has instituted Accelerated Reading and Math Instruction programs in grades K -5.  Students who are slow in developing the abilities necessary for successful reading and math are identified each year, using TAKS the Texas Primary Reading Inventory data.  Individual campuses have designed programs to meet the needs of their unique student groups.  These plans include additional time for teachers to work with identified students in small groups, targeting the developing concepts and skills with intense, individualized instruction, and/or the infusion of additional materials (i.e. books and educational software) to enhance learning.

Gifted and Talented Education  
The district’s Gifted and Talented program provides an opportunity for students to receive a curriculum which accelerates, expands, and enriches the regular curriculum in order to meet the needs of the gifted learner.  In the elementary grades, students in the G/T program receive differentiated instruction in their regular classrooms.   In grades 6 -12, G/T classes cover the four core subject areas and students which have been identified are scheduled in various G/T courses.  See District GT Handbook.

Big Spring ISD does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, military status or any other basis prohibited by law  and is in compliance with the nondiscrimination requirements of Title IX