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SFUSD special-education leaders outline inclusion goals and ask board for resources
Summary
Special-education director Claire Davies reported inclusion metrics and a plan to expand inclusion placements and professional development; the CAC presented recommendations including strengthened parent liaisons, clearer placement procedures, and transition programs for ages 18–22.
At the Dec. 8 meeting the San Francisco Unified School District’s special-education office presented current inclusion data and a proposed strategic approach to expand inclusive practice across SFUSD campuses.
Claire Davies, executive director of special education, told the board that 30 of 72 elementary sites (42%) and a smaller share of middle and high schools are providing inclusion services, and that 542 students are currently identified as receiving inclusion supports under the district’s definition. She noted that the district’s larger population of students who receive related services (speech, OT/PT, RSP) are not reflected in the inclusion counts.
Davies said the inclusion population by primary disability is varied: about 27% of identified inclusion students have autism, 27% a primary speech-language impairment, 10% a specific learning disability, and smaller percentages with other primary disabilities. She said the district will pursue a multi-pronged strategy: align the special-education review with expansion of inclusion services, redesign secondary service delivery models, expand training for general-education teachers and administrators, and increase parent and community participation in planning.
The Community Advisory Committee for Special Education (CAC) presented a long list of recommendations: increase parent liaison capacity focused on underserved communities; provide parents full written information and site-viewing options equivalent to general-education families; create written placement offers that include site and IEP meeting details; provide transition curricula for 18–22-year-olds; increase preschool inclusion seats; and revise Board policy on least-restrictive environment (LRE).
Board members thanked the CAC and special-education staff and asked the superintendent to incorporate CAC recommendations into the broader special-education review and student-assignment discussions. Several commissioners requested a written staff response describing which recommendations the district will pursue and a timeline for action.
What happens next: staff will incorporate CAC recommendations into the special-education strategic-plan work and report back to the board. Commissioners requested a formal response on feasibility and implementation priorities.
Representative quote: “An overarching goal is to increase inclusion placement options and the philosophy of inclusive education and best practices across all campuses,” Claire Davies said.
