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Board approves J‑13 emergency funding for Line and Bridge fires; adds commitment to make up missed special‑education services
Summary
After countywide Line and Bridge fires forced school closures, the Board approved a J‑13 declaration to restore state funding for missed days. Trustees adopted substitute language committing the county office to provide compensatory special‑education services for students who did not receive services specified in their IEPs.
The San Bernardino County Board of Education approved submission of a J‑13 declaration to the California Department of Education to account for instructional time lost during the Line and Bridge wildfires. The action allows the county to preserve state funding for programs that were disrupted when schools and county classroom programs closed.
The nut graf: trustees also secured a board‑level commitment that students with individualized education programs (IEPs) who missed services because of the closures will receive compensatory special‑education services to restore required instructional minutes.
During debate, Student Services Director Marlene Pierre told the board that "the majority of the students impacted by the Line and Bridge Fires are actually our special education students" and described how county staff have been adding minutes to the school day and scheduling make‑up time to preserve services. Pierre said some sites extended daily minutes to make up the lost days and staff worked to ensure required supports were provided to affected students.
Board member discussion focused on formalizing that compensatory approach in the J‑13 action. A trustee proposed substitute language to the resolution specifying: "SBCSS will provide compensatory special education services to students who did not receive services specified in their individual education plans." The substitute motion was seconded and the board voted to adopt the item with that commitment. Trustees did not specify dollar amounts in the meeting record; staff indicated the J‑13 preserves the county’s state funding eligibility so county programs and staff will be supported while make‑up services are scheduled.
The board’s action was presented as time‑sensitive because the J‑13 is the mechanism state education agencies use to account for missed instructional days resulting from emergency closures. Staff said they will continue to coordinate with districts and program sites to document missed minutes and the compensatory steps taken for students, including those receiving specialized services.
The board voted in favor; the motion carried with no abstentions noted in the meeting record.
