Governor Greg Abbott appointed Rebecca Faulkner, Felicia Penn, and Kristen Tuttle Urbanovsky and reappointed Claudia Cavazos, April Estrada, Ed.D., and Amy Litzinger to the Special Education Continuing Advisory Committee for terms set to expire on February 1, 2029, according to an April 2 announcement. The committee provides policy guidance on special education and related services for children with disabilities in Texas.
The appointments are important because the committee plays a key role in shaping how special education is delivered across the state. Members come from diverse backgrounds in education and advocacy.
Faulkner is director of special populations at Brownwood Independent School District. Penn manages education at the Department of Family and Protective Services. Urbanovsky works as an educational diagnostician at Giddings Juvenile State Correctional Facility. Cavazos serves as assistant superintendent of governance and leadership for Catholic Schools of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. Estrada is Director of Special Populations for Region 10 ESC, while Litzinger is a Policy Lead with Texas Parent to Parent.
According to the official website, Governor Abbott’s office has contributed to Texas leading the nation in jobs growth and record employment levels. The office maintains its primary offices in Austin at the State Insurance Building according to official sources. In addition, Greg Abbott was listed among TIME’s 100 Most Influential People in 2024 according to official records.
The Office of Texas Governor Greg Abbott focuses on job creation, economic opportunities, enhancement of education, protection of individual liberties, parental empowerment in schooling decisions, and southern border security according to its website. Since his election in 2014, Greg Abbott has led this office according to official information, which exercises authority statewide across Texas according to official records.
These appointments reflect ongoing efforts by state leadership toward supporting children with disabilities through specialized educational policies.
