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District reports gains in special education performance but notes inclusion targets still short of state goals
Summary
The district's special education annual performance review showed measurable gains, with 12 of 17 indicators met for 2024–25 and preschool inclusion and social‑emotional outcomes improving substantially; the district's least restrictive environment rate remains below the state's 70% target.
Placentia‑Yorba Linda Unified School District officials presented the district’s 2024–25 Annual Performance Review for special education at the April 14 board meeting, reporting improvement on key indicators while identifying areas that still require focused work.
Jamie Nash, director of special education, said about 13.8% of district students receive special education services and that nearly 90% of those students fall into four primary categories: speech and language impairment (25.9%), autism (25.4%), specific learning disability (21.5%) and other health impairment (18.4%). The district met 12 of 17 APR indicators for 2024–25, improving from seven indicators met in 2022–23 and moving the district to targeted status under state monitoring — meaning the district leads its own improvement efforts rather than being state‑directed.
Nash highlighted dramatic preschool gains: inclusion for preschool children with IEPs rose from 8.5% to over 35% in a single year and social‑emotional outcomes on the DRDP rose to 93.33%, meeting the state's target. The presentation also noted strong post‑secondary outcomes with increased subsidized job placements and improved graduation rates at some high schools (Yorba Linda High School reported a special‑education graduation rate above the district average).
The district acknowledged shortcomings in the least restrictive environment (LRE) measure: districtwide LRE stood at about 55.62% versus a state goal of 70%. Nash and trustees discussed barriers to further inclusion, citing the need for expanded professional capacity, ongoing specialist support, behavior interventions and operational alignment. Trustees and staff also discussed billing and reimbursement partnerships (Villages and Leader Services) to sustain additional supports.
The board received the report and directed staff to continue scaling inclusive practices, build professional development and incorporate APR measures into the district’s strategic planning. District officials stressed the dual goals of improving instructional outcomes and preserving local funding flexibility by meeting state indicators.
