Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Special Education topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
District reports gains after inclusion program; special-education attendance and GPA improved
Summary
District officials reported a year-over-year improvement after implementing an inclusive program: special-education attendance rose 22.08%, ADA increased from 92.77% to 94.85%, and GPA for grades 7–12 rose about 12% (from 2.32 to 2.44). Board members were briefed and staff said a fuller presentation will follow.
District staff told the Palmdale Aerospace Academy District board on Jan. 14 that an inclusive-program rollout has produced measurable gains in attendance and academic performance.
The director of educational services reported that special-education attendance improved by 22.08% compared with the same semester last year and that average daily attendance rose from 92.77% to 94.85%. The director said GPA among grades 7–12 increased roughly 12%, moving the cohort average from 2.32 to 2.44, and that nearly every grade showed double-digit improvement except for one grade level. The presentation credited greater access to credentialed core-content instruction as a driver of the gains.
Why it matters: Improved attendance and higher GPAs for students with disabilities suggest the district’s inclusion approach is affecting classroom access and outcomes. Staff told the board they will deliver a fuller presentation at a future meeting showing program design, implementation steps and the underlying data.
Details and context: The director said the improvements came from compliance and improvement monitoring and from intentionally implementing inclusive practices. Staff framed the GPA gains as the result of students receiving first instruction from teachers credentialed in core subjects. The director promised a more complete presentation and additional data at the next board meeting to explain program features and next steps.
Ending: Board members praised staff and asked for the upcoming presentation with more granular data; staff committed to bringing a presentation that will include implementation details and the hard data behind the reported changes.
