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Ocean View trustees hear SELPA overview, district highlights a 97% IEP agreement rate
Summary
Assistant Superintendent Alice Lee and special-education leaders outlined SELPA regional supports, priorities to expand inclusive placements and behavioral staffing, and noted that roughly 97% of IEPs result in collaborative agreements; trustees pressed for consistent training and escalation pathways for disputes.
District special-education leaders briefed the Board of Trustees on May 27 about services, SELPA partnerships and priorities to strengthen inclusion and compliance.
Assistant Superintendent Dr. Alice Lee said Ocean View's special-education work is grounded in the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). She said the district's work focuses on Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), the least restrictive environment (LRE) and family partnership. Lee told trustees that the district reports a 97% rate of collaboratively agreed IEPs and described site-based instructional-support staffing across PK–8.
Charlene Spalding (director of special education) and coordinator Simi Sardana described WOCE (West Orange County Consortium for Special Education), the district's SELPA partnership with four neighboring districts that pools expertise and coordinates specialized placements and professional development. Staff said WOCE helps place students with rare or highly specialized needs and provides regional administrative support.
Trustees focused questions on dispute resolution processes and staff training. Lee described escalation pathways that include repeated IEP meetings, mediation when needed and occasional board involvement; trustees urged consistent training for general-education teachers so mainstreaming decisions are implemented as intended. Board members emphasized the district must avoid cutting services for fiscal reasons and that staff should report back on implementation fidelity.
Why it matters: Special education is a high-stakes program area legally required by IDEA; trustees framed it as a priority and requested follow-up on training, implementation checks and procedures for resolving the small percentage of contested cases.
