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San Francisco school CAC urges expanded outreach, inclusion and transition supports
Summary
The district's Community Advisory Committee (CAC) for Special Education presented 12 recommendations to the Board of Education Sept. 26, urging more translated outreach, earlier budget notice, transition guides, full-inclusion options and expanded preschool special-education hours.
The Community Advisory Committee (CAC) for Special Education told the San Francisco Unified School District Board of Education on Sept. 26 that it wants clearer communication and concrete steps to improve services for students with disabilities.
At the meeting, outgoing chair Linda Tong summarized the CAC's recent work and outreach, including a May 2005 community meeting and participation in SELPA legislative day. Wanyi Francis Babitsky, introduced as the incoming CAC chair, read 12 recommendations the committee wants the district to pursue, saying the list is intended to improve access and transitions for families of children with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs).
The CAC recommended the district send a newsletter to every parent or caregiver of a child with an IEP at least twice a year, with translations in Spanish and Chinese, and asked to be informed early in the budget cycle about potential reductions. The committee also recommended a transition guide for families moving between school levels, an up-to-date local plan posted annually, tracking of students moving between levels to ensure program availability, and additional full-inclusion opportunities.
Other recommendations asked the district to ensure special-education classes do not exceed capacity or staffing ratios, to ensure teachers hold appropriate credentials for the students they serve, to create special-day classrooms aligned to California State University/University of California admission coursework, to bring innovative teaching methods into schools and to consider increasing preschool special-education day length.
Board members thanked the CAC for its work and pressed staff for follow-up. Commissioner Kelly suggested curriculum committee discussion about implementing CAC recommendations; Commissioner Marr asked that CAC-backed items be agendized for curriculum. CAC members said the inclusion task force continues to meet monthly and agreed to provide a written update on task force outputs and next steps. Superintendent Arlene Chan and staff agreed to provide additional documentation and follow-up reports to the board.
The board confirmed four CAC appointments during the meeting and said it would work with the CAC and curriculum committee to pursue the committee's recommendations.
