June 18, 2010
HISD names new chief of special education
Houston ISD today named Sowmya Kumar as director of the office of special education services, which serves about 21,000 children with special needs and disabilities. Kumar, who has been a special education specialist at the Region 4 Education Service Center for 13 years, replaces Carolyn Guess, who is retiring after 43 years with the district.
Kumar takes over as HISD Superintendent Terry Grier has ordered an audit of the special education department.
"Ms. Kumar's nearly 30 years of expertise and hands-on experience serving children with special needs make her the ideal candidate for the job," Grier said in a statement. "We are currently about to embark on an independent audit of our Special Education Department and Ms. Kumar will be instrumental in determining what needs to be done to better serve our parents and students."
Kumar, who was a director of special education services in New Jersey for 13 years as well as a teacher and education diagnostician for students with severe disabilities, earned a bachelor's degree in secondary science education at Queens College of the City University o