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Martinez Unified presents special-education update showing modest decline in classification and rise in mainstreaming
Summary
District presenter Matthew Jensen told the board Martinez Unified’s share of students identified with disabilities fell from a 23–24 peak of about 16.8% to 15.97% this year, while the share of students with IEPs spending 80% or more of the school day in general education rose from 55.1% to 61.6%. Jensen said the district-calculated data are not yet certified by CDE.
Matthew Jensen presented the Martinez Unified School District’s special-education overview and recent data to the Board of Education on Oct. 20, saying the district has seen a modest decline in the share of students identified with disabilities and an increase in mainstreaming.
Jensen, who led the district update, said federal law (IDEA) requires free and appropriate public education and listed core principles including least restrictive environment. He told the board Martinez Unified peaked at about 16.8% of students identified with disabilities in the 2023–24 school year and is at 15.97% currently, while the state average cited on Jensen’s slides was about 13.1% and the local SELPA average about 13.6%.
"FAPE stands for free and appropriate public education, and that's what we're as a district required to provide for a student who's found eligible," Jensen said, explaining the legal framework that governs IEP decisions.
Jensen also highlighted a performance metric for inclusion: the percentage of students with IEPs educated 80% or more of the school day in general education. He reported that figure rose from 55.1% last school year to 61.6% so far this year, calling the roughly 5.5 percentage-point improvement "great data" and crediting MTSS (multi-tiered systems of support) and targeted interventions.
Jensen cautioned that the current figures for this school year are district-collected and "were not certified" by the California Department of Education, and he offered to share certified figures when available.
Trustees asked for clarification about drivers of the decline in classification and potential federal changes. One trustee asked whether the decline meant services were being taken away; Jensen said the decline largely reflected students exiting special education with parental or guardian consent and earlier interventions in general education, not a removal of services from students who still meet eligibility criteria. He agreed to provide periodic updates, and another trustee requested district communication to the community if federal policy shifts warranted follow-up presentations.
The presentation and ensuing questions concluded with board members thanking Jensen for the information; there was no formal board action on the item at this meeting.
The district said it will continue to monitor and report updated, certified data when available, and the board asked staff to include any significant federal developments in weekly updates and to return with slides for the public if necessary.
