Wylie ISD Names Heather Beaty Director of Special Education

Wylie ISD is proud to announce Heather Beaty as the district’s new Director of Special Education. She succeeds Brenda Oksanen, who recently accepted a position outside the district.

Beaty brings 15 years of experience in special education, including leadership roles at the campus, district, and regional levels. Most recently, she served as a Special Education Information Center/Early Resolution Consultant with Region 10, where she collaborated with school districts, families, and the Texas Education Agency to support special education compliance, dispute resolution, and positive family-school partnerships.

Prior to her work at Region 10, Beaty served as a Special Education Coordinator in Mesquite ISD, overseeing secondary special education programs across 18 campuses and supporting districtwide training, compliance, instructional practices, and student services. Her experience also includes serving as a Special Education Instructional Specialist, ARD Chair, department head, and special education teacher.

As part of a recent departmental restructuring, Wylie ISD streamlined special education leadership positions while maintaining its commitment to providing high-quality services and support for students, families, and staff. The department will be led by Executive Director of Special Education Dr. Stephen Davis, alongside Directors of Special Education Heather Beaty and Angela Waters.

Beaty earned a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology and Criminal Justice from The University of Texas at Arlington and a Master of Education in Special Education from Lamar University.