AUSTIN – Laura Taylor, a veteran special education and monitoring policy leader, has been named the Texas Education Agency’s associate commissioner for accreditation, effective immediately.

Taylor has been an agency employee for about 16 years. She began her career here as a fiscal program specialist in the special education division. Working her way up in the agency, Taylor recently served as the deputy associate commissioner for program monitoring and intervention. She has served as the associate commissioner in an acting capacity since November.

In her new position, Taylor will oversee divisions that deal with program monitoring and campus turnaround, financial audits, charter schools, and governance and general inquiries.

“Laura Taylor exemplifies professionalism in everything she does. She always strives to think about the big picture when making a decision,” said Commissioner of Education Robert Scott.

Those who have worked with her use words such as knowledgeable, competent and poised to describe her.

During her tenure at TEA, Taylor spearheaded the effort to develop an integrated, automated funding system for the disbursement of federal special education funds. She also helped develop a new program monitoring and accreditation system for school districts.
Prior to moving to Austin, Taylor served as the director of special education for the East Plains Educational Co-op, which provided services to five districts in the Lubbock area.

Taylor, who holds a Bachelor of Science in Education, earned a master’s degree in business administration (MBA) and a Texas administrator certification from Texas Tech University.

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Page last modified on 4/25/2010.