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Parents and educators press Del Mar Union trustees over drop in special-education identifications
Summary
Three public commenters told the Governing Board that a Voice of San Diego report showing a steep drop in Del Mar Union special-education identification demands board review; commenters pressed for data on students later qualifying after leaving the district and disagreed on whether improved interventions or under-identification explain the decline.
Public commenters raised concerns about a reported, steep decline in students identified for special education at Del Mar Union School District during the Governing Board meeting on July 22.
Janice Saloka, an educational consultant, pointed to a Voice of San Diego article that she said showed statewide special-education enrollment grew by more than 25% over the last decade while Del Mar Union’s numbers have fallen markedly; she asked the board, “How many students who were not identified for special education in Del Mar later qualify after leaving this district?” and urged the board to investigate whether the district is identifying students early enough to receive services.
Jennifer Delquist Ramirez, a longtime educator, cited the same article and said Del Mar’s special-education identifications are down 43% since 2015, asking the board, “So here's my question tonight, at what cost?” She described a student evaluation in which evaluators documented a wide gap between IQ and processing speed and said the district’s determination did not result in an eligibility finding.
Laurie Carpenter, a Del Mar Union special educator who said she was interviewed for the article but declined to be quoted in print, offered a different perspective: she told the board that in her experience “assessments were conducted thoroughly, and eligibility decisions were based on legal criteria established under IDEA,” and that district investment in early intervention and professional development could account for some declines in eligibility rates.
Board members and the Chair acknowledged the concerns and said the district leadership and new staff with special-education backgrounds will continue reviewing practices; the public comments closed without a formal motion or policy action at this meeting.
Next steps: Commenters requested data on how many former Del Mar Union students later qualified for special education outside the district; the board did not set a formal timeline for a follow-up report during the meeting.
