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Board hears SELPA plan presentation; parent and CAC member urges more detail
Summary
District staff presented the 2026–27 SELPA local plan and budget breakdown while a parent and Community Advisory Committee member said the draft is incomplete and urged delaying approval for fuller CAC engagement; staff described fiscal oversight tiers and plan goals.
At a public hearing, Sacramento City Unified School District staff presented the Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) local plan for 2026–27, including operational sections and a financial breakdown. Assistant Superintendent Fran English and SELPA director Betty Jo Wessinger explained the plan’s purpose as a legal document required under IDEA and California law and described six goal areas the department will pursue through June 2027.
Betty Jo Wessinger summarized the plan’s finances: "Total revenue from all sources is 258,700 and or $258,779,097," and said staffing is the largest investment in special education services. Staff described a three-tiered fiscal oversight framework (daily, weekly and biweekly-to-quarterly review) intended to maintain budget discipline and ensure services continue while vacancies are used to temporarily fund contracts when necessary.
A parent and Community Advisory Committee member, Jennifer Womack, told the board she believes the SELPA plan as presented is "not legally approvable," citing missing information and limited CAC collaboration. Womack highlighted a line item of about $800,000 for special education supplies and urged the board to consider delaying approval or holding a special meeting to more fully incorporate CAC input.
Board members asked staff how families and students were engaged in the plan’s development. Staff said the district uses a Community Advisory Committee (CAC), the Student Advisory Council and multiple engagement channels; they committed to increasing outreach and clarifying a strategy for prioritizing goals in later plan iterations. Several trustees said they value the district’s investments in special education but urged better, earlier community involvement so the plan shows clear priorities and measurable steps.
The presentation and public comment focused the discussion on legal compliance, fiscal transparency and the goal of expanding early interventions while improving engagement with parents and the CAC.
