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District 28 to participate in Inclusion Innovators pilot; officials say community advocacy and funding are key to expanding specialized programs
Summary
District 28 will be among five pilot districts in the city’s Inclusion Innovators program, officials said, and administrators urged parent advocacy and principal interest to expand specialized programs like NEST, Horizon and AIMS.
District 28 will be one of five districts participating in a city pilot called Inclusion Innovators, officials announced Tuesday, and district staff urged parents to advocate for funding and host sites to expand specialized programs such as NEST, Horizon and AIMS.
Andy Corso said citywide specialized programs have grown from a few classrooms to many sites but that opening new programs requires funding and principal support. “We apply for funding as part of our budget every year to be able to open new specialized programs,” Corso said. “That is the main limiting factor to opening up new sites.”
Jennifer Lozano Luna clarified that CSCs do not oversee the selection process for specialized program placements but can help families fill out applications. “The CSC themselves…we do not oversee specialized programs,” Lozano Luna said, but added CSC staff can assist families with applications so the district can see demand.
District staff announced that Dr. Blake and his team in District 28 will participate in the Inclusion Innovators program beginning in the fall to build capacity for schools to adopt practices used by specialized programs. “There are only 5 districts participating in this first round, and doctor Blake said yes,” Corso said.
Officials encouraged parents to identify principals who could host specialized programs and to advocate with community leaders for city funding; they said demand currently outpaces available seats.
