GOOD AFTERNOON ASSEMBLY SELECT
COMMITTEE ON SERVING STUDENTS
WITH DISABILITIES WILL NOW COME
TO ORDER. THE PURPOSE OF THIS
HEARING IS TO EDUCATE BOTH THE
PUBLIC AND THIS COMMITTEE ON THE
CURRENT STATUS OF SPECIAL
EDUCATION THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA.
AND I WANT TO SAY THAT WE DO
THIS WORK TODAY GROUNDED IN THE
CERTAINTY THAT ALL STUDENTS AND
STUDENTS OF ALL ABILITIES HAVE
THE RIGHT TO SAVE AFFIRMING AND
EFFECTIVE ENVIRONMENTS TO LEARN
AND GROW. AND WITH THAT, I WANT
TO SAY THANK YOU TO OUR
PANELISTS ARE SPENDING THEIR
TIME OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS, MANY
OF WHICH TEXTED ME AND REALLY
ARE VERY INTERESTED IN THIS
TOPIC, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE NOT
ABLE TO. UM, OUR STAFF AND THE
PUBLIC. REALLY I WANT TO SAY
THAT ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE
COMMITTEE, WE APPRECIATE YOUR
INTEREST. WE APPRECIATE YOUR
WORK ON BEHALF OF CALIFORNIA
STUDENTS. TODAY WE'RE GOING TO
HEAR TESTIMONY PER HOUR AGENDA
THAT'S ON THE TABLE OVER THERE
PRIOR TO TAKING PUBLIC COMMENT,
AND ONCE WE'VE HEARD FROM ALL OF
THE PANELS, ALL THREE PANELS WE
WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE PUBLIC
COMMENT FOR THE TOPICS THAT ARE
ON TODAY'S AGENDA. AND I WANTED
TO JUST SORT OF LAY A FOUNDATION
THAT SPECIAL EDUCATION AS
PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT TO ME.
I'VE BEEN A SPECIAL EDUCATOR AND
STILL CONSIDER MYSELF A SPECIAL
EDUCATORS SINCE 2001 AND WAS
ACTIVE IN MY SCHOOL DISTRICT UP
UNTIL THE DAY BEFORE SWEARING IN
. SO LAST DECEMBER, 4TH AND THEN
I WAS ALSO A TOSA FOR ENGLISH
LEARNER PROGRAMS AND I'VE BEEN A
TEACHER, DEPARTMENT CHAIR.
SUMMER PRINCIPLE A MEMBER OF MY
UNION'S EXECUTIVE BOARD, AND SO
MANY OF THE FOLKS HAD AGREED TO
TESTIFY TODAY I AM I WANT TO SAY
I'M VERY GRATEFUL TO YOU AND
ALSO RELATE TO WHAT YOU'RE GOING
THROUGH IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS
AND VERY, VERY IMPORTANT WORK
THAT YOU DO. I WORKED K 12 IN
BOTH MILD, MODERATE AND
MODERATE, SEVERE SETTINGS. TOP
RESOURCE AND SPECIAL DAY CLASS
WORKED IN URBAN AND SUBURBAN
ENVIRONMENTS. AND THEN, UM, IN
MY LAST POSITION IN ENGLISH
LEARNER PROGRAMS HELPED OPEN A
9010 DUAL IMMERSION SCHOOL, AND
THAT'S REALLY WHERE THAT MY
INTEREST GREW IN TERMS OF
SERVING STUDENTS WITH
DISABILITIES, WHO ARE ALSO MULTI
LINGUAL LEARNERS AND ONE OF THE
MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THAT I
LEARNED FROM THIS WORK. IT'S
FIRST AND FOREMOST THAT EVERY
STUDENT CAN LEARN. AND I USED TO
HAVE OTHER TEACHERS COME TO ME
AND SAY, YOU KNOW, YOU TEACH
SPECIAL EDUCATION. DO YOU TRULY
BELIEVE THAT EVERY STUDENT CAN
LEARN AND I MY ANSWER WAS ALWAYS
YES. EVERY STUDENT HAS THE
ABILITY TO LEARN, AND IT'S OUR
CHARGE IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO
DO THAT, AND I ALSO LEARNED THAT
EVERY FAMILY WANTS WHAT'S BEST
FOR THEIR CHILD. AND WE HAVE A
LOT OF CONVERSATION AROUND THAT.
WHO'S THE EXPERT IN EDUCATION?
AND I ALWAYS CAME BACK TO THIS
IDEA THAT IT'S PARENTS AND
FAMILIES AND CAREGIVERS THAT ARE
THE EXPERTS IN THEIR CHILDREN
AND THAT WE IN THE PUBLIC
EDUCATION SYSTEM HAVE TO RISE TO
MEET THAT NEED AND IT'S NOT
ALWAYS EASY. BUT THE FOLKS THAT
I WORKED WITH I CAN SAY ACROSS
MY ENTIRE 21, YOUR CAREER CAME
TO WORK EVERY DAY TO CREATE
CLASSROOMS WHERE TRUE EDUCATION
WAS HAPPENING, AND IT WAS A HUGE
HONOR TO WORK WITH THOSE FOLKS.
UM BUT OUR SYSTEM REALLY
STRUGGLES AND WE WOULDN'T BE IN
THIS ROOM IF WE DIDN'T HAVE A
SYSTEM THAT STRUGGLES AND A
SYSTEM THAT SOMETIMES GETS IN
THE WAY OF OUR BEST INTENTIONS,
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, IT'S OUR
JOB TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE'RE
GOING TO UPLIFT STUDENTS
STRENGTHS, HOW WE'RE GOING TO
HONOR THEIR PERSONHOOD. HOW
WE'RE GOING TO PROVIDE SAFE
AFFIRMATIVE AND EFFECTIVE
LEARNING PROGRAMS WITHIN A
SYSTEM. THAT DOESN'T ALWAYS
UPLIFT THESE IDEALS AND HOW AS A
LEGISLATOR OR MYSELF AND MY
COLLEAGUES CAN DO BETTER TO
SUPPORT THE SYSTEM SO THAT IT
DOES CREATE THE ENVIRONMENT IN
WHICH WE CAN DO THESE THINGS.
AND SO I HAVE TO COMPLIMENT OUR
STATE BECAUSE THAT BACK IN MARCH
OF 2015, THERE WAS A STATEWIDE
TASK FORCE. ON SPECIAL EDUCATION
AND REPORT THAT WAS PUBLISHED
CALLED ONE SYSTEM, REFORMING
EDUCATION TO SERVE ALL STUDENTS
AND THAT WAS PUT BACK IN FRONT
OF ME RECENTLY AND I THOUGHT, I
REMEMBER READING THAT REPORT,
AND I REMEMBER REALLY THINKING
DEEPLY ABOUT HOW WE COULD DO
BETTER. AND IT WAS AT THAT TIME
THAT I WAS ALREADY IN THE
ENGLISH LEARNER WORLD AND
THINKING ABOUT HOW DO WE BETTER
MESH? THESE TWO PROGRAMS, AND SO
THE LEGISLATURE HAS TAKEN
NUMEROUS STEPS TO ADDRESS MANY
OF THE CONCERNS, BUT THERE'S
STILL AREAS THAT WE ALL KNOW.
NEED A LOT OF WORK AND THE THREE
THAT WE'RE HERE TODAY TO TALK
ABOUT OUR ENSURING THE RIGHT TO
LEARN SERVING MULTI LINGUAL
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AND
SUPPORTING THE SPECIAL EDUCATION
WORKFORCE. SO WITH THAT WE'RE
GOING TO START WITH SORT OF AN
OVERVIEW FROM THE LAOS OFFICE,
AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO
EACH OF OUR PANELS. AND THEN, AS
I SAID, I WILL GO INTO PUBLIC
COMMENT. I DO WANNA WELCOME MY
COLLEAGUE ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S
HOOVER AND SAY THANK YOU FOR
BEING HERE. AND IF YOU'RE
WELCOME TO ADJUST THE GROUP. IF
NOT, WE'LL JUST JUMP IN. I'LL
JUST BE SUPER QUICK. I JUST WANT
TO THANK THE CHAIR FOR CREATING
THIS COMMITTEE INVITING ME TO BE
A PART OF IT. I AM A PARENT OF A
CHILD ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM.
AND SO THE WORK THAT WE DO HERE
IS VERY MEANINGFUL. AND I JUST
WANT TO APPRECIATE YOU KNOW ALL
THE PANELISTS THAT ARE GOING TO
BE HERE TODAY. UM YOU KNOW, FOR
HELPING US HELPING US. I'M
REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO
HEARING FROM YOU ON HOW WE CAN
BETTER IMPROVE INCLUSION AND
OUTCOMES FOR OUR STUDENTS. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU. ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S
HOOVER ARE SO OUR FIRST
PRESENTER IS SARA CORTEZ FROM
THE LEGISLATIVE ANALYST'S OFFICE
AND SARAH'S GOING TO PROVIDE A
BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE STATUS OF
ESPECIALLY EDUCATION THROUGHOUT
THE STATE. THANKS SARAH. GOOD
AFTERNOON, SARA CORTEZ. ELIO. SO
UM, SO I WAS ASKED TODAY TO
PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF SPECIAL
EDUCATION IN CALIFORNIA. I'LL BE
SPEAKING FROM A HANDOUT THAT THE
SERGEANT HAS THERE'S ALSO
HANDOUTS OVER ON THE TABLE. UM
SO STARTING ON PAGE ONE OF OUR
HANDOUT PROVIDES AN OVERVIEW OF
SPECIAL EDUCATION. UM SO FIRST
SCHOOLS MUST TRY TO MEET ALL
STUDENTS NEEDS WITHIN THE
GENERAL EDUCATION PROGRAM AND
PUBLIC SCHOOLS MUST PROVIDE
SPECIAL SUPPORTS FOR STUDENTS
WITH DISABILITIES WHO NEED THEM.
FEDERAL LAW REFERS TO THIS AND
REQUIRES THAT ALL SCHOOLS
PROVIDE A FREE AND APPROPRIATE
PUBLIC EDUCATION. NEARLY 13% OF
CALIFORNIA STUDENTS HAVE
DISABILITIES AFFECTING THEIR
EDUCATION AND THE SHARE OF
CALIFORNIA STUDENTS RECEIVING
SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES HAS
STEADILY INCREASED SINCE ABOUT
2010 11. MOST CALIFORNIA
STUDENTS WHO QUALIFY FOR SPECIAL
EDUCATION, UM, HAVE A DISABILITY
THAT FALL INTO ONE OF FOUR
CATEGORIES. THE LARGEST OF THESE
CATEGORIES IS SPECIFIC LEARNING
DISABILITY, WHICH INCLUDES
DISABILITIES, RESULTING IN
DIFFICULTIES WITH LISTENING,
THINKING, SPEAKING READING,
WRITING OR DOING MATHEMATICAL
CALCULATIONS, AND AN EXAMPLE OF
A DISABILITY IN THIS CATEGORY
WOULD BE DYSLEXIA. AND THE NEXT
LARGEST CATEGORY IS SPEECH AND
LANGUAGE IMPAIRMENTS. AND THEN
THE THIRD LARGEST CATEGORY IS
AUTISM, AND I WOULD NOTE THAT
THERE'S BEEN A RISE IN AUTISM.
MOVING ON TO OUR SECOND PAGE AND
WE TALK. WE'LL DISCUSS SPECIAL
EDUCATION SERVICES AND SETTINGS.
SO AN INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION
PROGRAM DEFINES A SPECIAL
EDUCATION STUDENTS. SPECIAL
EDUCATION SERVICES REFERRED TO
AS AN I E P. UM SCHOOL DISTRICTS
WILL OFFER STUDENTS WITH
DISABILITIES, UM, SPECIALIZED
INSTRUCTION AND SERVICES, AND
THESE WILL DIFFER DEPENDING ON
THIS DISABILITY. THE MOST COMMON
SERVICE PROVIDED IS SPECIALIZED
ACADEMIC INSTRUCTION. THIS COULD
BE SOMETHING LIKE FAMILIARIZING
THE STUDENTS, THE STUDENTS
GENERAL EDUCATION TEACHER WITH
CERTAIN TECHNIQUES DESIGNED TO
HELP THE STUDENT OR COULD BE
ALONG THE LINES OF SERVING
SERVING A STUDENT IN A SPECIAL
DAY CLASS, WHICH EXCLUSIVELY
SERVES CHILDREN WITH
DISABILITIES. FEDERAL LAW DOES
ENCOURAGE SCHOOLS TO EDUCATE
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES IN
SETTING ALONG WITH THEIR PEERS
THAT DON'T HAVE DISABILITIES.
STUDENTS MUST BE EDUCATED IN THE
LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT.
IN 2122 61% OF CALIFORNIA
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES WERE
EDUCATED IN GENERAL EDUCATION,
CLASSROOMS, 80% OR MORE OF THE
SCHOOL DAY, SO THESE STUDENTS
COULD BE RECEIVING THEIR
SERVICES WITHIN A CLASSROOM OR
ANOTHER COMMON MODEL IS THAT
THEY'RE RECEIVING SEPARATE
SESSIONS WHERE THE TEACHER
THERAPIST PULLS THE STUDENTS OUT
OF THE CLASS TO PROVIDE
SERVICES. MOVING ALONG TO PAGE
THREE. WE'LL DISCUSS SPECIAL
EDUCATION FUNDING, SO THE STATE
USES SPECIAL EDUCATION, LOCAL
PLANT AREAS AND REFERRED TO AS
SELF AST TO COORDINATE SERVICES
AND ALLOCATE FUNDING. UM AND
THERE ARE DEDICATED SPECIAL
EDUCATION FUNDS THAT ARE
INTENDED TO SUPPORT THE EXCESS
COST OF EDUCATING STUDENTS WITH
DISABILITIES. STUDENTS WITH
DISABILITIES IN ADDITION TO
THESE SPECIAL EDUCATION FUNDS
ALSO GENERATE LOCAL CONTROL
FUNDING FORMULA L C. F F UM AND
SO THE ADDITIONAL FUNDS THAT ARE
INTENDED DEDICATED FOR SPECIAL
EDUCATION ARE INTENDED TO COVER
THE EXCESS COSTS OF THOSE
SPECIALIZED SERVICES. UM SO THE
SO THE SPECIAL EDUCATION
SERVICES ARE SUPPORTED BY A
COMBINATION OF FEDERAL, STATE
AND LOCAL FUNDS, SO THE STATE
PROVIDED IN 2324 5.4 BILLION IN
STATE FUNDS AND 1.5 BILLION IN
FEDERAL FUNDS. UM AND THE COST
OF SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES
GENERALLY EXCEEDS THE COST OF
STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDS PROVIDED
SO THE REMAINDER OF COSTS ARE
TYPICALLY COVERED WITH THE LOCAL
GENERAL PURPOSE FUNDING. AND IF
WE MOVE ON TO PAGE FOUR OF OUR
HANDOUT WILL WE TALK ABOUT? UM
WE'LL DISCUSS OUTCOMES FOR
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES. UM,
AND THIS CHART HERE COMPARES
OUTCOME DATA. SO THE TOP BAR IN
EACH OF THESE CATEGORIES WE HAVE
THE CATEGORY FOR MATH, ENGLISH
LANGUAGE, ARCH AND THE
GRADUATION RATE, THE TOP BORROW
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.
THEIR BOTTOM BOTTOM BAR IS ALL
STUDENTS IN CALIFORNIA. UM SO
PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS WITH
DISABILITY LAGS BEHIND BEHIND
PEERS IN CALIFORNIA. AND THEN
THE SECOND THING I'LL HIGHLIGHT
WITH REGARD TO OUTCOME DATA IS
WITH REGARD TO THE STATEWIDE
ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM. UM THE
CALIFORNIA STATE WIDE
ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM IDENTIFIES
DISTRICTS AND COUNTY OFFICES OF
EDUCATION IN NEED OF
DIFFERENTIATE ASSISTANCE, WHICH
IS ESSENTIALLY ADDITIONAL
SUPPORT PROVIDED TO DISTRICTS OR
COUNTY OF COUNTY OFFICES OF
EDUCATION. AND IT'S BASED ON
PERFORMANCE OF THE STUDENT
GROUPS IN MULTIPLE AREAS,
INCLUDING ASSESSMENTS,
GRADUATION RATE ABSENTEEISM
SUSPENSION RATE. UM SO IN 2022,
THE MOST COMMON GROUP FOR
STUDENTS FOR WHICH DISTRICTS AND
CEO HE'S WHERE IDENTIFIED UM WAS
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, SO
84% OF DISTRICTS AND SEALY'S
IDENTIFIED FOR DIFFERENTIATED
ASSISTANCE WAS DUE TO
PERFORMANCE ISSUES WITH STUDENTS
WITH DISABILITIES. AND SO NOW
THAT BRINGS US TO OUR FINAL PAGE
OF OUR HANDOUT. WE WERE ASKED TO
DISCUSS THE 2015 REPORT THAT
FOCUSED ON SPECIAL EDUCATION IN
CALIFORNIA, AND THIS IS THE
REPORT FOR CALIFORNIA'S
STATEWIDE TASK FORCE ON SPECIAL
EDUCATION. IN THIS REPORT,
EDUCATION LEADERS PROVIDED
RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW TO CHANGE
THE STATE SYSTEM OF SCHOOLING,
SO IT WOULD BETTER SERVE ALL
STUDENTS AND THEIR
RECOMMENDATIONS IN THIS REPORT
FOCUSED ON THINGS THAT WERE
ACTIONABLE AT THE STATE LEVEL.
THE REPORT ITSELF IS 83 PAGES
LONG, SO THIS PAGE OF OUR
HANDOUT INCLUDES A VERY SMALL
SUBSET OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS
INCLUDED IN THE ACTUAL REPORT,
BUT I DID WANT TO HIGHLIGHT BOTH
SOME PLACES WHERE THERE WERE
THERE WERE STATE ACTION. THE
LINE WITH THE REPORT
RECOMMENDATIONS AND SOME PLACES
WHERE THERE HASN'T BEEN OR
THERE'S BEEN VERY MINIMAL STATE
ACTION ON TOPICS WITHIN THE
REPORT. UM I ALSO WANT TO
HIGHLIGHT THAT ARE COMMON CHERRY
HERE IS NOT INTENDED TO EVALUATE
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF STATE
ACTIONS TO DATE OR WHETHER
FURTHER STATE ACTION IS NEEDED
WERE SIMPLY HIGHLIGHTING THE
STATE ACTIONS TO DATE. UM SO THE
FIRST RECOMMENDATION I'LL
HIGHLIGHT IS IN WAS AN INCREASE
IN PER STUDENT FUNDING ALLOCATED
TO SELF BUZZ FOR SPECIAL
EDUCATION, AND THERE HAS BEEN
SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN THE
BASE RATE FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION
IN RECENT YEARS BEYOND THE
TRADITIONAL COST OF LIVING
ADJUSTMENT AND THE, UM THE
SECOND RECOMMENDATION I'LL
HIGHLIGHT IS THE EXPANSION OF
ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION
RESOURCES SUPPORTS AND SERVICES
THROUGHOUT THE STATE. IN 2122.
THERE WAS 100 MILLION PROVIDED
FOR SUPPORTS OF THIS NATURE. AND
THEN THE THIRD ONE IS OUTCOMES
BASED ACCOUNTABILITY FRAMEWORK
THAT'S ALIGNED TO THE REST OF
THE CAVE 12 SYSTEM, AND THE
STATE ACTION HERE IS WITH REGARD
TO THE STATEWIDE SYSTEM OF
SUPPORT THAT WE JUST THAT WE
JUST DISCUSSED THAT STUDENTS
WITH DISABILITIES IS INCLUDED AS
ONE OF THE SUBGROUPS IN THAT
ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM. AND THE
LAST RECOMMENDATION I'LL
HIGHLIGHT IS THE ESTABLISHMENT
OF REQUIREMENTS FOR GENERAL AND
SPECIAL EDUCATION PREPARATION
PROGRAMS RELATED TO MASTERY OF
CONTENT STANDARDS, EVIDENCE
BASED STRATEGIES, PEDAGOGY,
INTERVENTION STRATEGIES AND
COLLABORATION AMONG TEACHERS. UM
AND AMONG TEACHERS ACROSS
ASSIGNMENTS AND THE STATE ACTION
. ALL HIGHLIGHT HERE IS THAT THE
COMMISSION ON TEACHING
CREDENTIAL ADOPTED TEACHING
PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS ALIGNED
WITH THIS WITH THIS
RECOMMENDATION. UM AND THEN
TOPICS NOT YET ADDRESSED. I'LL
HIGHLIGHT TO HEAR THE FIRST IS
PURPOSEFULLY INTEGRATED
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING
OPPORTUNITIES FOR EDUCATORS IN
BOTH SPECIAL AND GENERAL
EDUCATION. AND THEN THE SECOND
ONE IS ACCESS TO COMPREHENSIVE
AND EFFECTIVE TRANSITION
SERVICES AND PROGRAMS. AND THAT
CONCLUDES MY REMARKS, BUT I'M
HAPPY. I'M HAPPY TO TAKE
QUESTIONS ALREADY. THANK YOU SO
MUCH. SARAH ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S
WHOEVER DID YOU HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS FOR THE AH, IT'S
OFFICE. I JUST WAS WONDERING,
CAN YOU CLARIFY THAT FUND AT THE
VERY END? YOU TALKED ABOUT THE
FUNDING ISSUE. UM YOUR
RECOMMENDATION ON THAT. WELL,
AND THESE ARE THESE ARE OUR
RECOMMENDATIONS. I'M JUST
HIGHLIGHTING RECOMMENDATIONS
FROM THE TASK FORCE REPORT AND
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS
RECOMMENDED RECOMMENDED AT THE
TIME WAS TO INCREASE PER STUDENT
FUNDING ALLOCATED FOR SELF BUZZ
FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION. AND MY
COMMENTARY HERE IS THAT THERE
HAS BEEN SINCE THIS TASK FORCE
HAS PUBLISHED THIS REPORT. THERE
WAS SIGNIFICANT BASE INCREASES.
TO THE SPECIAL EDUCATION SYSTEM.
SO IN 2122, THERE WAS A BASE
RATE INCREASE THAT MOVED THE
BASE RATE FROM $625 PER STUDENT
TO 715 GOT IT. THANK YOU. I JUST
YEAH, I MISSED PART OF IT. SO
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SIR I JUST
I HAD ONE QUESTION I NOTICED USE
THAT NEARLY 13% OF CALIFORNIA
STUDENTS HAVE DISABILITIES AND
THAT FEELS LIKE THAT NUMBER HAS
GROWN. I'M GOING TO DATE MYSELF.
BUT WHEN I CAME INTO TEACHING,
WE ALWAYS USED TO SAY ABOUT 10%
AND THEN IT WAS KIND OF 11% AND
I WONDER IF YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO
FLESH OUT THAT GROWTH OVER THE
PAST 20 YEARS IS THAT THE RISING
ARTISTS? UM ARE THERE OTHER
FACTORS? ACTORS. YES I DON'T
HAVE THE DATA RIGHT HANDY IN
FRONT OF ME, BUT CERTAINLY
FOLLOW UP WITH YOUR STAFF. BUT
THERE HAS THAT YEAR EXACTLY
CORRECT. IN TERMS OF THEIR HAS
BEEN THE STUDY RISE, AND WE'RE
TRACKING IT AT ABOUT 2010 11 IS
WHEN WE SEE A STEADY RISE IN IN
IN STUDENTS, AND THIS IS A SHARE
OF THE K 12 POPULATION THAT IS
IDENTIFIED WITH STUDENTS AS A
STUDENT WITH DISABILITIES AND DO
YOU BY CHANCE, AND IT'S FINE IF
YOU'RE NOT SURE, BUT I KNOW HOW
THAT COMPARES TO OTHER STATES.
I'M NOT AT THE TOP OF MY HEAD,
BUT LET ME SEE IF NO PROBLEM. NO
PRESSURE CAN CERTAINLY FOLLOW UP
WITH YOU. NO WORRIES. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UM UNLESS
LOOKS LIKE NEITHER OF US HAVE
MORE QUESTIONS. SO WE'RE GONNA
MOVE ON TO OUR FIRST PANEL,
ENSURING THE RIGHT TO LEARN AND
WE'VE GOT CHRISTIAN RIGHT? THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF EQUITY
DIVERSITY AND EARLY INTERVENTION
FOR SACRAMENTO COUNTY OFFICE OF
EDUCATION, UM NO SMALL TITLE
DAVID TUSTIN, THAT CHAIR OF THE
CALIFORNIA ADVISORY COMMISSION
ON SPECIAL EDUCATION. AND LISA
YAMASAKI, ESPECIALLY EDUCATOR
AND ASSISTIVE, TECHNOLOGY
SPECIALIST WITH THE YOLO COUNTY
OFFICE OF EDUCATION, AND YOU
EACH HAVE ABOUT 10 MINUTES ARE
UP TO 10 MINUTES TO PRESENT AND
I WILL START WITH YOU, KRISTEN
AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
THANK YOU. AND I THINK I HAVE
SOME SLIDES. THERE WE GO. SO I
WAS HOPING TODAY TO PROVIDE A
LITTLE BIT OF, UM, HISTORICAL
CONTEXT AROUND. WHY HOW WE GOT
HERE? UM, AND SORT OF THE WORK
THAT CALIFORNIA HAS BEEN DOING
OVER THE PAST. UM SINCE 2015 AND
THE TASK FORCE REPORT, AND I'LL
SAY THAT, UM AS A SIDEBAR PRIOR
TO MY ROLE AT SCHOOL, WE I
SERVED AS THE STATE DIRECTOR OF
SPECIAL EDUCATION AT THE
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF
EDUCATION. AND SO THIS TOPIC IS
VERY NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART,
AND I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT
WE HAVE A CHAIR OF THIS
COMMITTEE THAT IS A SPECIAL
EDUCATOR. I DON'T KNOW THAT I'VE
EVER HAD A SPECIAL EDUCATOR. UM
THAT I'VE SEEN ONE UP ON THE
DICE BEFORE. SO THAT'S AMAZING,
AND THANK YOU ALSO
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S AND IT'S NICE
TO MEET A FELLOW PARENT. I ALSO
HAVE A DAUGHTER, WHO HAS
SIGNIFICANT INTELLECTUAL AND
PHYSICAL DISABILITIES, WHO IS 25
AND WENT THROUGH THE SCHOOL
SYSTEM. SO IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT
SLIDE NEXT ONE. SO AROUND 2015.
AS YOU POINTED OUT, YOU'RE AT US
, UM, CALIFORNIA STARTED
DREAMING ABOUT WHAT IT WOULD
TAKE AND REALLY THE DRIVERS WAS
A CONVERSATION AROUND EMPLOYMENT
INITIALLY, UM, THAT WAS DRIVEN
BY THIS IDEA THAT WE WERE A
RIGHT TO WORK STATE FOR EVERYONE
AND THAT WE THAT COMPETITIVE
INTEGRATED EMPLOYMENT WITH
SOMETHING THAT CALIFORNIA WAS
WORKING TOWARDS AND GETTING RID
OF THE SUB MINIMUM WAGE. AND IF
WE'RE LOOKING AT THOSE THINGS
THAT WOULD MAKE A LOT OF SENSE
TO BACKWARD MAP INTO WHAT ARE WE
PREPARING STUDENTS WITH AND HOW
ARE WE MAKING SURE TO YOUR POINT
THAT EVERY STUDENT HAS AN
OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN AND MEET
THEIR GREATEST POTENTIAL? SO WE
LOOKED AT, UM, AT THE RATES AND
ALL THE STATE AGENCY SORT OF GOT
TOGETHER UNDER THE COMPETITIVE
INTEGRATED EMPLOYMENT, WHICH IS
A NICE WAY FOR STATE AGENCIES TO
START COLLABORATING ACROSS
AGENCY TO SAY, WHAT IS OUR ROLE.
IN THIS ENDEAVOR NEXT SLIDE. AND
SO, UM, THE TASK FORCE POINT
BOTH POINTED OUT A NUMBER OF
CHALLENGES AND THEN LOOKED AT
DIVIDING IT INTO KIND OF
COMMITTEES TO SEE WHAT THE
SOLUTIONS MIGHT BE IN THOSE THE
BIGGEST CHALLENGE, AND I THINK
THAT IS ONE THAT STILL EXISTS.
TODAY IS THE PREVAILING A BLISS
MINDSETS ABOUT THERE'S CERTAIN
CHILDREN WHO BELONG CERTAIN
PLACES. UM, AND THAT MAYBE THEY
DON'T NEED TO HAVE ACCESS TO
THEIR GRADE LEVEL STANDARDS AND
WHAT WE KNOW NOW AND WHAT THE
STATES PUT A BIG STAKE IN IS THE
FACT THAT FIRST OF ALL, IT'S THE
LAW FOR STUDENTS TO LEARN THEIR
GRADE LEVEL STANDARDS, BUT ALSO
THAT WE HAVE SEEN THAT EVERY
STUDENT CAN LEARN IF THEY'RE
GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY. UM AND
THAT DOVETAILS WITH THE LEAST
RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT. UM
PERCENTAGES THAT WE WERE THAT WE
WERE TALKING ABOUT EARLIER AND
SO THAT HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION
RATE IS RELATED TO THAT, UM, THE
LOW RATES OF INCLUSION ARE
DEFINITELY RELATED TO WHAT WE'RE
SEEING IN TERMS OF THE NUMBERS
OF INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES
, PARTICULARLY INTELLECTUAL AND
DEVELOPMENTAL, DISABILITIES, NOT
WORKING AND NOT AND JUST BEING
AT HOME. SO. THAT DOVETAILS ALSO
WITH WITH THEIR ONE OF THE KIND
OF RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THE L A,
OH POINTED OUT, WHICH IS AROUND
TRANSITION PROGRAMMING AND THE
NEED TO NOW AS WE'VE BEEN
ADDRESSING A LOT OF THE OTHER
THINGS IS THINKING ABOUT WHAT
HAPPENS RIGHT AFTER HIGH SCHOOL
AND THAT 18 TO 22. UM AND I KNOW
WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT SHORTAGES
OF IT SPECIALISTS LATER, BUT
THAT IS ALSO ANOTHER CONFOUNDING
ISSUES. SO NEXT LINE. AND SO
THERE WERE THESE ALL THESE
OPPORTUNITIES THAT WERE SORT OF
LIKE CATALYZING THESE
CONVERSATIONS THAT WERE LIKE THE
PERFECT STORM, AND, UM, IT WAS
REALLY AROUND THE POLICY
CHANGES, THE EXPECTATIONS THAT
EVERYONE COULD WORK AND THAT
THEN SHOULD WORK AND NO MATTER
WHAT LEVEL OF SUPPORT, THEY NEED
TO WORK, THEY CAN STILL WORK.
AND A RENEWED COMMITMENT TO
INCLUSIVE EDUCATION AND THE
PREPONDERANCE OF RESEARCH THAT
HAS COME OUT IN THE LAST. 20
YEARS, BUT MORE SO EVEN IN THE
LAST FIVE, SAYING STUDENTS DO
MUCH BETTER WHEN THEY'RE HAVING
ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY FIRST
TEACHING AND TEACHERS WHO KNOW
ALL THE CONTENT. AND IF YOU
THINK ABOUT, UM, CLASSROOMS THAT
ONE TEACHER IS SUPPOSED TO SERVE
FOUR OR FIVE GRADE LEVELS, IT'S
A VERY HIGH TASK TO EXPECT THEM
TO BE ABLE TO UM, TEACH EVERY
GRADE LEVEL STANDARD TO EVERY
CHILD IN THEIR CLASSES ARE
ALMOST GRADE LEVELS. UM WE DID
MAKE LARGE STATE FISCAL
INVESTMENTS AND INCENTIVES. UM
SCHOOL WE ACTUALLY HAS ONE FROM
LAST YEAR, WHICH IS A $2 MILLION
RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT. UM. THAT
WE RECEIVED IN ORDER TO CREATE
RESOURCES FOR THE FIELD FOR
PARENTS FOR THE COMMUNITY TO
UNDERSTAND THE BENEFITS AND
RESEARCH BASED BENEFITS OF
INCLUSION AND BELONGING FOR
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES. AND,
UM YEAH. SO GO AHEAD AND GO TO
THE NEXT ONE. AND SO THAT THAT
WORKFORCE INNOVATIONS AND
OPPORTUNITY ACT PROMPTED A LOT
OF THIS CONVERSATION EARLY ON,
UM AND WE'VE SORT OF BUILT ON
THAT, BECAUSE AGAIN IF WE'RE
BACKWARD MAPPING TO SOMETHING
THAT WE KNOW WE'RE SUPPOSED TO
DO, IT GIVES A LITTLE MORE
IMPETUS NEXT ONE. AND SO. D O. R
DEPARTMENT OF REHABILITATION
DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENTAL
SERVICES AND C D E SORT OF
JOINED HANDS AND STARTED TO
CREATE, UM, CONSISTENT MESSAGING
ACROSS ALL OF THEIR DEPARTMENTS.
AND THAT WAS REALLY HELPFUL
BECAUSE IT WASN'T JUST ONE
PERSON SAYING SOMETHING. IT WAS
REALLY THIS IS WHAT THE STATE
BELIEVES AND EXPECTS NEXT SLIDE.
AND SO, UM, JUST TO MAKE SURE
EVERYONE KNOWS WHAT COMPETITIVE
INTEGRATED EMPLOYMENT MEANS IT'S
REAL WORK FOR REAL PAY.
CALIFORNIA THINK IS COMPLETELY
ELIMINATED SUB MINIMUM WAGE. UH
AND SO IF I'M HEARING JOKES,
XAVIER FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF
REHAB IN MY EAR, SAYING, IT'S
NOT JUST MINIMUM WAGE. IT'S
FAMILY SUSTAINING WAGE, AND
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE AIMING
TOWARDS, UM AND GETTING THE SAME
BENEFITS AND CHANCES NEXT LINE.
SO OUR STATE POLICIES POLICY
SHIFTS WITH A LOT OF HELP FROM
LEGISLATORS AND THE GOVERNORS
OFFICE, UM AND KEY STAFF. WE'VE
REALLY DONE A LOT IN CALIFORNIA
TO REALIZE THE VISION OF THE
TASK FORCE REPORT. AND IF THERE
WAS ONE THING THAT WE COULDN'T
LEGISLATE, IT WAS MINDSET, AND I
THINK IF WE CAN LEGISLATE
MINDSET, WE WOULD BE EVEN
FURTHER ALONG THAN WE ARE RIGHT
NOW. UM BUT WE HAVE REALLY
EXPANDED STATEWIDE SUPPORT FOR
INCLUSIVE PRACTICES, INCLUDING
WHAT WE HAVE, BUT THERE'S A
NUMBER OF OTHERS, INCLUDING THE
SUPPORTING INCLUSIVE PRACTICES
PROJECT, WHICH HAS BEEN VERY
SUCCESSFUL IN HELPING TO SHIFT
NOT JUST SPECIAL ED PROGRAMS,
BUT MINDSET ACROSS DISTRICTS TO
BE ABLE TO FULLY EMBRACE
INCLUSIONARY PRACTICES ACROSS
ALL UM, LEVELS AND ABILITIES AND
THAT WOULD BE ONE AREA TO MAKE
SURE WE CONTINUE TO INVEST IN
BECAUSE WE NEED TO HAVE THAT
VISUAL, UM FOR THOSE
DEMONSTRATION SITES. UM ALSO
THAT FOCUS ON ADULT AND SOCIAL
EMOTIONAL LEARNING. I THINK IT'S
ALSO CONTRIBUTED AS WELL AS, UM
KIND OF THAT EDICT THAT YOU SAW
ON SB 692, WHICH WAS EVERY
STUDENT IS REALLY A GENERAL
EDUCATION STUDENT. AND SO TO THE
DEGREE, WE CAN STOP CALLING
ANYONE A SPECIAL ED STUDENT. WE
ALSO MIGHT BE ABLE TO SHIFT SOME
MINDSETS AROUND LANGUAGE. AND SO
THAT WOULD BE ANOTHER PIECES TO
REALLY BE THINKING ABOUT THE
LANGUAGE THAT'S CURRENTLY IN
STATUTE AND THE LANGUAGE THAT
RUNS THROUGH TO TRY TO BECOME A
LAW TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IT'S
REPRESENTING THE KIND OF
LANGUAGE WE WANT TO HAVE OTHER
PEOPLE SHARE AND SAY NEXT LINE.
UH HUH. AND I'LL JUST MENTION
TWO. I'M NOT SURE IF IT WAS
MENTIONED EARLIER, BUT
CALIFORNIA'S SET SOME PRETTY
SIGNIFICANT TARGETS AROUND LEAST
RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT A FEW
YEARS AGO, AND SO BY 2026 70% OF
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
SHOULD BE IN GENERAL AT 80% OF
THE TIME AT A MINIMUM, AND RIGHT
NOW I THINK WE'RE AT 61% AND FOR
INDIVIDUALS WITH INTELLECTUAL
AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES
AND MORE SIGNIFICANT, EXTENSIVE
SUPPORT NEEDS, IT'S MUCH LOWER.
VERY LOW. UM AND SO THE ONE
SYSTEM REPORT. I KNOW YOU SPOKE
ON THAT EARLIER, AND I KNOW YOU
CAN GO AHEAD AND LOOK AT THOSE
THINGS. BUT I'LL JUST SAY THAT,
UM, A COUPLE OF KEY, UH, THINGS
THAT HAVE HAPPENED. ONE IS THE
PASSAGE OF AN ALTERNATE PATHWAY
TO A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA FOR
STUDENTS WITH SIGNIFICANT
COGNITIVE DISABILITIES, SO THIS
IS NOT AN ALTERNATE DIPLOMA.
THIS IS A PATHWAY TO GET A
DIPLOMA. AND SO WHAT IT DID WAS
IT PUT CALIFORNIA IN THE
CATEGORY THAT MANY OTHER STATES
ARE ALREADY IN WHICH THERE IS
MEANS THAT THEY HAVE DIPLOMAS
FOR EVERY EVERY STUDENT WHO
COMES THROUGH THE SYSTEM. NOT
JUST SOME AND SO THERE'S STILL
SOME WORK TO BE DONE AROUND THAT
AND HELPING DISTRICTS AND
SCHOOLS REALIZED WHAT THAT CAN
LOOK LIKE, BECAUSE THAT IS GOING
TO REQUIRE A MASSIVE MIND SHIFT
AROUND WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING
PREVIOUSLY. SO AGAIN, UM OUR
STATE AGENCIES. THEY BANNED
TOWARDS THAT COMMON TOGETHER
TOWARDS THE COMMON GOAL, AND
WE'RE IN THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW
IN THE STATE OF DEVELOPING OF
THE FINAL STAGES, LIKE STAGE
THREE OF, UM A STATE I E P
TEMPLATE. THAT CAN ALSO SERVE AS
A MODEL OF WHAT WE WANT TO SEE
AND WHAT WE EXPECT IN THE
LANGUAGE THAT WE WANT TO USE
ABOUT STUDENTS. NEXT ONE. UM I
KNOW WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT
TEACHERS IN A MINUTE, BUT I JUST
WANTED TO MENTION A COUPLE QUICK
THINGS BECAUSE WE KNOW THE
BIGGEST CATALYST FOR CHANGE IS
WITH TEACHERS AND WE NEED THEM.
WE DEPEND ON THEM. THEY'RE THE
KEY TO EVERYTHING IN ALL THIS
NEXT SLIDE. AND SO, UM REALLY
THE EDUCATOR PREP PROGRAMS ARE
POISED TO BE ABLE TO PUMP OUT
NEW TEACHERS THAT HAVE
BACKGROUNDS IN UNIVERSAL DESIGN
FOR LEARNING AND MULTI TIER
SYSTEM OF SUPPORT AND
UNDERSTANDING, BEHAVIORAL
SUPPORTS AND NOT JUST SPECIAL
EDUCATORS, ALL EDUCATORS AND SO
THAT COMMON TRUNK OF PREPARATION
IS GOING TO BE REALLY CRITICAL,
AND WE'RE SEEING OUR
UNIVERSITIES REALLY EMBRACED
THAT. UM SOME KEY FEATURES ARE
SOME OF THE RESIDENCY PROGRAMS
THAT HAVE TEACHERS IN CLASSROOMS
EVERY DAY FOR THE FULL YEAR.
GETTING THAT FULL EXPERIENCE OF
WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IN THE
CLASSROOM AND THE UPS AND DOWNS
OF THAT. UM WE ALSO AND
HOPEFULLY THAT NEW GENERATION
WILL BE ABLE TO BRING A LOT OF
THIS FORWARD. OUR CURRENT
TEACHERS THAT ARE IN THE SYSTEM
ARE ALSO WORKING HARD TO, UM, TO
TRY TO ADAPT TO NEW MATH
FRAMEWORKS AND UNIVERSAL DESIGN
FOR LEARNING PRINCIPLES AND ALL
THOSE THINGS, UM AS WELL, SO I
DON'T WANNA SAY THAT THE NEW
THAT THE OLDER TEACHERS ARE NOT
DOING THEIR JOB BECAUSE
OBVIOUSLY WE CAN'T DEAL WITH
ADAM. THEY'RE AMAZING NEXT.
SLIDE. SO THE JUST WANTED TO
MAKE SURE TO POINT OUT THAT, UM,
THERE'S A PARADIGM SHIFT THAT'S
HAPPENED IN THE TEACHER
PREPARATION PROGRAMS, AND ONE OF
THEM IS THE RENAMING OF THE
CREDENTIALS AND SO MOVING FROM
MODERATE MILD TO MODERATE
DISABILITIES AND MODEST SEVERE
DISABILITIES AND HAVING THAT
CREDENTIAL SOUND LIKE SOMETHING
ABOUT A STUDENT TO CHANGING IT
TO A LEVEL OF SUPPORT NEEDS. SO
NOW WE HAVE MILD TO MODERATE
SUPPORT NEEDS AND EXTENSIVE
SUPPORT NEEDS. AND IF YOU'LL
NOTICE THE MODERATE ISN'T ON THE
EXTENSIVE SIDE BECAUSE THERE WAS
A LOT OF CONFUSION ABOUT WHO'S A
MODERATE STUDENT, AND I SUSPECT
IT'S A SPECIAL EDUCATOR. YOU
WITNESSED THAT FIRSTHAND AND
DEPENDING ON HOW SOMEONE WHAT
CATEGORY SOMEONE PUT YOU IN
REALLY DIRECTED THE PATH THAT
YOU HAD, WHETHER YOU WOULD GET A
DIPLOMA OR NOT, SO IT'S EXCITING
THAT ALL TEACHERS ARE GETTING
THE SAME TRAINING OFTENTIMES
TOGETHER AND BECAUSE THEY'RE OUT
IN THE FIELD, WORKING TOGETHER
IN CO TEACHING AND OTHER
SITUATIONS, NEXT SLIDE. AND
THOSE ARE THE, UM, THE NEW
CREDENTIAL TITLE, SO IT WENT
FROM THE OLD TO THE NEW AND, UH,
THOSE HAVE BEEN ADJUSTED. AS OF
THIS YEAR. I BELIEVE NEXT SLIDE.
AND SO WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
UM I'M A BIG BELIEVER AND I
THINK RESEARCH ALSO SUPPORT THIS
IS THAT THE PIPELINE FOR
INCLUSIVE PRACTICES AND
INCLUSIONARY? UM IDEOLOGY,
STARTING PRESCHOOL, BOTH FOR
PARENTS AND FOR, UM, THE REST OF
THE SYSTEM. AND SO IF WE CAN
START EVERY CHILD, OFTEN AN
INCLUSIVE SETTING THAN THAT, THE
POSSIBILITY AND THE RESEARCH
SPEECH TO THIS OF THEM BEING IN
AN INCLUSIVE SETTING LATER. IS
VERY MUCH HIGHER. AND THAT WE
ALSO THINK ABOUT THE AMAZING $4
BILLION INITIATIVE AND COMMUNITY
SCHOOLS AS AN INCREDIBLE
OPPORTUNITY TO SET THE
FOUNDATION OF AN EXPECTATION
THAT THOSE ARE SCHOOLS THAT
SHOULD BE INCLUSIVE BECAUSE
THEY'RE INCLUSIVE BY DESIGN. YOU
DON'T CREATE A WHOLE CHILD
SCHOOL THAT WOULDN'T BE
INCLUSIVE. IT SORT OF FEELS LIKE
A PLAN WORDS. UM WE WORKED TO,
UM, CONTINUE TO ELIMINATE THOSE
DEFICIT BASED POLICIES AND
PRACTICES AND SO THE THINGS THAT
I THINK WE'RE STILL SEEING IN
THE SYSTEM. UM, THAT THAT HURT
THE MINDSET OR THAT CONTINUE TO
PERPETUATE THE MINDSET ARE THE
SYSTEMS AND STRUCTURES THAT HAVE
NOT CAUGHT UP. AND THERE'S STILL
SOME THAT EXIST IN AND YOU ALL
HAVE BEEN DOING A REALLY NICE
JOB OF TRYING TO FIND THOSE AND
TAKE THEM AWAY AND THEN FINALLY
TO LIFT UP AND HIGHLIGHT MORE
EXAMPLES. UM DOUG REEVES SAID
THAT THERE'S TWO REASONS THAT
THAT TEACHERS. UM HMM. MAKE
CHANGE IN THEIR PRACTICE, AND
ONE IS THAT THERE'S A
PREPONDERANCE OF EVIDENCE AND
THE SECOND IS THAT THEY CAN SEE
AND VISUALIZE OTHER TEACHERS AND
HEAR FROM OTHER TEACHERS. THEY
DON'T WANT TO HEAR FROM ME OR
ANY OTHER TALKING HEAD. THEY
WANT TO SEE OTHER TEACHERS AND
BELIEVE IT FOR THEMSELVES. AND
SO HOPEFULLY IN THE FUTURE, AND
I KNOW WE'VE BEEN DOING A PRETTY
GOOD JOB OF THIS IS ENSURE THAT
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES ARE
CALLED OUT AND EVERY STATE
INITIATIVE AND I KNOW THERE'S
SOME CONTROVERSY AROUND THAT
BECAUSE THEY'VE NEVER BEEN SAYS
WELL, THEN YOU HAVE TO HAVE
EVERYONE ELSE BE CALLED OUT TO,
AND I WOULD ARGUE THAT STUDENTS
WITH DISABILITIES ARE THE LAST
GROUP THAT ARE SEGREGATED IN OUR
SYSTEM. SO THEY ARE IN A SPECIAL
CATEGORY. IN MY OPINION, UM,
BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T REALLY
ADDRESSED THAT YET. SO THERE IT
IS. AND THERE'S SOME RESOURCES
IN THERE. SHOULD YOU WANT TO
LOOK AT HIM? SO THANK YOU. THANK
YOU FOR THAT, AND WE'RE GONNA
SAVE QUESTIONS UNTIL AFTER ALL,
THREE PANELISTS, UM SO DAVID,
WELCOME. CHAIR ADDISON MEMBER
HOOVER. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THESE
IMPORTANT TOPICS AND WHAT YOU
WILL HEAR IN MY COMMENTS ARE
DEFINITELY ECHOES OF CHRISTIANS
COMMENTS IN TERMS OF THE AREAS
WHERE WE HAVE OVERCOME
CHALLENGES AND HAVE SEEN
SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS AS WELL AS
OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO CONTINUE
THE WORK GOING FORWARD. THE
INITIAL GOAL OF THE SPECIAL TASK
FORCE REPORT. ONE COHERENT
SYSTEM WHERE WE ALL RECOGNIZE
OUR COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY
FOR STUDENTS, YOU KNOW 2015 WAS
A SEEMS LIKE SEVERAL LIFETIMES
AGO. UM BUT REALLY DID BEGIN. I
BELIEVE THE FOUNDATION FOR A
NUMBER OF ACTIONS THAT HAVE
TAKEN PLACE SINCE THEN. IN TERMS
OF SHIFTING OUR MINDSETS AROUND
WHAT'S POSSIBLE WITH OUR PUBLIC
EDUCATION SYSTEM. SOME OF THE
HIGHLIGHTS THAT I WOULD SHARE
RECOGNIZING THE DIVERSE
DEMOGRAPHICS AND BACKGROUNDS OF
OUR STUDENTS IN THE STATE. UM
THE WORK OF THE IMPERIAL COUNTY
SELL PER TO EXPAND AND OUR
CAPACITY TO MEET THE NEEDS OF
MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS WHO ALSO
HAVE DISABILITIES. CALIFORNIA
BEING THE FOURTH LARGEST ECONOMY
IN THE STATE AND OUR GOAL OF
LIFE SUSTAINING WAGE. THINK OF
THE ASSETS THAT WE HAVE WITH
INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE ABLE TO
SPEAK MULTIPLE LANGUAGES AND AS
WE BUILD THE CAPACITY OF
EDUCATORS TO MEET THEIR NEEDS,
HOW THEY ARE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE
IN THE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES IN
OUR STATE. I WANT TO UNDERSCORE
THE IMPORTANCE OF EXPANDING THE
SUPPORTING INCLUSIVE PRACTICES
PROJECT ANYTIME WE HAVE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE WITH THE
SIP TEAM AND HEAR ABOUT THEIR
TRAVELS UP AND DOWN THE STATE.
WE SEE WHAT'S POSSIBLE AND A
NUMBER OF COMMUNITIES WHETHER
SMALL, RURAL, SUBURBAN AND URBAN
, THE WORK OF SHIFTING MINDSETS
AND FINDING TANGIBLE PRACTICES
THAT CAN BE IMPLEMENTED. AND
THAT HAVE AN IMPACT NOT ONLY ON
THE STUDENTS WHO ARE BEING
SERVED, BUT THE EDUCATORS
PROVIDING SERVICES AND THE
FAMILIES WHO ARE PARTNERING WITH
OUR SCHOOLS. LAST DAY, I WOULD
HIGHLIGHT THE EXPANSION OF THE
FAMILY EMPOWERMENT CENTERS TO
PROVIDE RESOURCES FOR OUR
PARENTS IN VARIOUS COMMUNITIES
AND AS WELL AS THE OPPORTUNITY
TO EXPAND THEIR SUPPORT. IN MY
EXPERIENCE, AND WE TEND TO LOOK
AT OUR STUDENTS WITH
DISABILITIES. ALSO IN A SILO AND
LOOK AT OUR PRACTICES AND OUR
SUPPORTS WITHIN SPECIAL ED AND
OUR ENTIRE STATE SYSTEM IS BASED
ON LOCAL CONTROL AND COMMUNITY
INPUT, AND SO HAVING ACCESS TO
RESOURCES, LIKE THE FAMILY
EMPOWERMENT CENTERS THAT CAN
HELP OUR FAMILIES AND CAREGIVERS
NAVIGATE OUR SYSTEMS ONLY
EMPOWERS THE WORK THAT WE CAN DO
BY UNDERSTANDING THEIR
PERSPECTIVE AT A MUCH DEEPER
WAY. THE ADVISORY COMMISSION
OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS, HAS
DEVELOPED OUR STRATEGIC PLAN AND
HAVE IDENTIFIED FIVE AREAS THAT
BUILT ON THE TASK FORCE REPORT
THAT WE BELIEVE WILL CARRY THE
WORK FORWARD FIRST IS CENTERING
STUDENT AND FAMILY VOICE
UNDERSTANDING THE LIVED
EXPERIENCES OF OUR FAMILIES.
IT'S VERY DIFFERENT TO LOOK AT
OUR DASHBOARD DATA. AND
UNDERSTAND THE YOU KNOW THE
AREAS WE NEED TO IMPROVE
OUTCOMES VERSUS SITTING DOWN
WITH A PARENT AND A STUDENT AND
UNDERSTANDING WHAT NEEDS TO
HAPPEN SOMETIMES BEGINNING AT
FOUR O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING TO
BE PREPARED FOR A 6 A.M. BUS FOR
AN HOUR LONG RIDE TO ATTEND A
SCHOOL IN THE COMMUNITY THAT'S
DIFFERENT THAN THEIR OWN, AND
THEY WANT TO BE CLEAR, NOT
CRITIQUING OUR STRUCTURE
CURRENTLY, BUT JUST RECOGNIZING
THE EXPERIENCES AND THE ASCHEN
REQUIREMENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN
OUR FAMILIES AND STUDENTS IN
PROVIDING OUR SERVICES. WE WANT
TO ENSURE THAT THE COMMUNITY
SCHOOLS INVESTMENT IS
INTENTIONAL AND EXPLICITLY
PLANNING FOR THE NEEDS OF OUR
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES. WE
BELIEVE IT'S ESSENTIAL THAT WE
ENHANCE THE ACCESS TO MENTAL
HEALTH SERVICES AND PARTNERSHIPS
WITH OUR COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH
PROVIDERS. WE WANT TO CONTINUE
EXPAND THE SUPPORT FOR INCLUSIVE
PRACTICES AND IMPORT LASTLY OR
NOT. NOT LEAST IMPROVE LITERACY
OUTCOMES FOR STUDENTS WITH
DISABILITIES, AND I JUST AGAIN
WANT TO TIE THIS TO ECONOMIC
OUTCOMES, AND THE STATE HAS
INVESTED SIGNIFICANT RESOURCES
TO IMPROVE LITERACY FOR ALL
STUDENTS AND AS CHRISTIANS SAID,
SOMETIMES OUR STUDENTS WITH
DISABILITIES TEND TO BE ADDED ON
AFTERWARDS. HOW DO WE MODIFY?
HOW DO WE APPROACH AS OPPOSED TO
INTENTIONAL PLANNING? WHICH
WOULD BENEFIT ALL STUDENTS. THE
PANDEMIC AGAIN. TASK FORCE
HAPPENED IN 2015 1 OF THE
SIGNIFICANT, MOST SIGNIFICANT
EVENTS OF ALL OF OUR LIFETIMES
THEY BELIEVE WILL BE THE
PANDEMIC THAT HIGHLIGHTED THE
BREATH OF DISPARITIES IN OUR
EDUCATIONAL SYSTEMS, AS WELL AS
OUR SOCIAL SYSTEMS AND THE LACK
OF JUSTICE FOR SOME OF OUR MOST
MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES, BUT
ALSO HIGHLIGHTED THE ABSOLUTE
NECESSITY. AND POWER OF
COMMUNITY INPUT AND FAMILY VOICE
. I THINK OF A NUMBER OF COUNTY
OFFICES AND LIAISE WHO WERE ABLE
TO BE RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS OF
OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE OF THE
CONNECTIONS THAT WERE IN PLACE
AND THE ABILITY AND WILLINGNESS
TO LISTEN TO WHAT THOSE
PRIORITIES WERE. AND SO THIS
MARKS A PIVOTAL TIME FOR US AS
WE MADE THE MOST SIGNIFICANT
INVESTMENT. I BELIEVE IN THE
STATE'S HISTORY AND COMMUNITY
SCHOOLS TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE
TRANSFORMING THE WAY WE APPROACH
EDUCATION FOR ALL OF OUR
STUDENTS TO ENSURE OUR STUDENTS
WITH DISABILITIES ARE CENTRAL TO
THOSE PLANNING EFFORTS IN
MEETING THEIR NEEDS. AND IN
CLOSING, I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT A
RECENT PRESENTATION THAT WE
HEARD AT THE ADVISORY COUNCIL
FROM THE SWIFT INSTITUTE THAT
REALLY DROVE HOME THE LEVEL OF
CHANGE THAT NEEDS TO AND SHIFT
THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IN OUR
MINDSET AND EFFORTS AS IT
RELATES TO INCLUSION. AND WHILE
WE FOCUS ON INCLUSION, WE ALSO
NEED TO MAKE PRIMARY. UH A SENSE
OF BELONGING, AND SO I'LL ASK
EVERYONE TO REFLECT ON A
SITUATION WHERE YOU WERE
INCLUDED. BUT WE'RE CERTAIN YOU
DIDN'T BELONG. THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN BEING INCLUDING INCLUDED
AND KNOWING YOU BELONG, UH, IS
OUR NORTH STAR AND OUR GOAL AND
ANTICIPATING AND IMAGINING. UM
WHAT SCHOOLS LOOK LIKE? IF ALL
STUDENTS FELT AS THOUGH THEY
BELONG AND SCHOOL ENDS AT 12TH
GRADE OR 22, YEARS OLD FOR SOME
STUDENTS, IMAGINE WHAT OUR
COMMUNITIES LOOK LIKE AFTER
EDUCATION IF EVERYONE
UNDERSTANDS THAT WE ALL BELONG
AND SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO
CONTINUING TO SUPPORT THE
CONVERSATION AND TO REACH THE
HIGHEST IDEALS OF THE WORK THAT
WAS ARTICULATED IN THE TASK
FORCE REPORT. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
JUST THAT'S PROFOUND. WHAT
YOU'RE SAYING AT THE END. I
APPRECIATE THAT. AT LEAST SOME
OF THEM IN FRONT TO YOU. AND
THEN WE'LL TAKE A MOMENT FOR
QUESTIONS. THANK YOU FOR BEING
HERE. LISA YAMASAKI. THANK YOU,
ASSEMBLY PERSON, ATIS AND, UM,
MEMBER HOOVER FOR HAVING ME
SPEAK TODAY. ABOUT THE RIGHT TO
LEARN FOR STUDENTS WITH
DISABILITIES AND SPECIFICALLY,
UM, THE RIGHTFUL PRESENCE FOR
STUDENTS WITH SIGNIFICANT
SUPPORT NEEDS TO BE INCLUDED IN
THEIR SCHOOLS. I'VE SPENT THE
MAJORITY OF MY TEACHING CAREER
DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING. UM
INCLUSIVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR
STUDENTS WITH SIGNIFICANT
SUPPORT NEEDS. I'VE WORKED AT
ALL AGE LEVELS FROM PRESCHOOL TO
JUNIOR HIGH TO HIGH SCHOOL
ELEMENTARY. AND NOW THE COLLEGE
AND UNIVERSITY LEVEL. UM I HAVE
TWO JOBS. I CURRENTLY HAVE TWO
JOBS. I AM THE ASSISTANT
TECHNOLOGY, UH, SPECIALIST FOR
YOLO COUNTY OFFICE OF ED AND I'M
ALSO INSTRUCTOR FOR THE REDWOOD
SEED PROGRAM AT UC DAVIS, WHICH
IS THE FIRST CALIFORNIA'S FIRST
FOUR YEAR, UM, INCLUSIVE PROGRAM
FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH
INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY. SO I'M
VERY FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO SEE
AND WORK WITH THE WHOLE SPECTRUM
IN MY TWO JOBS CURRENTLY.
THINKING ABOUT TODAY'S TOPIC
INSURANCE STUDENTS RIGHT TO
LEARN AND A CHANCE TO REFLECT ON
MY EXPERIENCES AND ALL THE
SCHOOLS I VISIT THROUGHOUT THE
COUNTY AS WELL AS HOW I'M
CURRENTLY SUPPORTING EDUCATORS
IN THE CLASSROOM. UM. BARRIERS
IN SOME IDEAS FOR NEXT STEPS,
SOME OF THE BARRIERS AND
CONCERNS THAT LIMIT THE ACCESS
TO LEARNING IN GENERAL EDUCATION
SETTINGS ARE WITHIN POLICIES AND
PRACTICES THAT ARE STILL THERE
AND AS WELL AS PERCEPTIONS AND
BIASES. UM. SPECIAL EDUCATION IN
GENERAL EDUCATION ARE OFTEN
PROVIDED IN SILOS AND THEY'RE
WORKING PARALLEL. OR MAYBE NOT
EVEN PARALLEL. AND MOST OF THE
TIME NOT COLLABORATIVELY.
SPECIALIZATION FOR SPECIAL
EDUCATION OR FOR SPECIAL
OCCASION TENDS TO CREATE
SEPARATION. SO ON THE SCHOOL
CAMPUS, I STILL WILL SEE
CLASSROOM SPECIAL SPECIAL
EDUCATION CLASSROOMS THAT ARE
SEGREGATED OFF TO THE SIDE, NOT
A PART OF THE WHOLE SCHOOL
COMMUNITY. AND IT JUST CREATES A
PHYSICAL ISOLATION. I ALSO SEE
THE SEPARATION IN TEACHING
CREDENTIAL PROGRAMS WHERE
GENERAL EDUCATION, SINGLE
SUBJECT AND SPECIAL EDUCATION
ARE TAKING COURSES SEPARATELY
AND THEN VIEW SITUATIONS. I'VE
SEEN THEM WHERE THEY'VE BEEN
COMBINED GENERAL EDUCATION AND
SPECIAL EDUCATION. UM TEACHER
CANDIDATES TO BE LEARNING THE
CONTENT. THAT BUILDS ON A GOOD
HABIT TO COLLABORATE BETWEEN
GENERAL EDUCATION AND SPECIAL
EDUCATION. FOR A CHILD WITH A
DISABILITY. THE SEGREGATION THE
SEPARATION STARTS EARLY. THERE
ARE LIMITED OPPORTUNITIES FOR
CHILDREN WHO RECEIVED SPECIAL
EDUCATION IF THEY'RE IDENTIFIED
AT AN INFANT AGE, A YOUNG AGE TO
GO INTO AN INCLUSIVE PRESCHOOL.
THAT THOSE THOSE LEARNING
OPPORTUNITIES. WITH THEIR NON
DISABLED PEERS ARE SO LIMITED
AND IF A PRESCHOOL STUDENT IS IN
A SPECIAL DAY CLASS THEY'RE
TYPICALLY NOT PROVIDED. A PATH
TO AN INCLUSIVE ELEMENTARY
EXPERIENCE. OR A SECONDARY. OR
POST SECONDARY EXPERIENCE. THE
ABLE ISM AND BIAS THAT AND THEY
ARE AT THE ATTITUDINAL BARRIERS
THAT, UM, BUT EDUCATION SPECIAL
EDUCATION IS A PLACE IT
CONTINUES TO INTERFERE WITH WHAT
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES HAVE
ACCESS TO IN SCHOOLS. PRESCHOOL.
TO UNIVERSITY IN COLLEGE. UM.
SPECIAL EDUCATION TEND TO FOCUS
ON THE DEFICITS RATHER THAN THE
STRENGTH OF AN INDIVIDUAL AND
LAUNCHING FROM THERE. THERE'S
STILL PERCEPTIONS OF LIMITED
COMPETENCY AND PRESUMPTIONS THAT
DISABILITIES TEND TO DRIVE A
STUDENT'S PLACEMENT. UM OFTEN,
STUDENTS NEED TO SHOW THEIR
READINESS TO BE ABLE TO
PARTICIPATE IN A GENERAL
EDUCATION CONTENT AREA. THE
THIRD BIG BEARER THAT I SEE A
LOT WITH, UM IN SCHOOLS AND WITH
THE SPECIAL EDUCATION AND
GENERAL EDUCATION TEACHERS IS
THERE IS A LACK OF DEDICATED
TIME DURING THE DAY DURING THE
WEEK DURING THE UNIT. TO
COLLABORATE AND, UM THEY NEEDED
TO BE IN THE SAME PLACES TO
COLLABORATE. MANY TIMES.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IS
SEPARATE. SPECIAL EDUCATION GOES
THERE. SOCIAL STUDIES THEIR MATH
OVER THERE. THE LACK OF THAT. UM
DEDICATED TIME FOR COLLABORATION
REALLY IMPACTS THE. LACK OF
OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS WITH
DISABILITIES TO ACCESS THEIR
GRADE LEVEL CURRICULUM. BUT ON
THE FLIP SIDE, IT SEEMS SOME
GREAT THINGS I HAVE EXPERIENCED
THAT OUR SKILLS AND STRATEGIES
AND PROCEDURES TO PROMOTE
SUCCESS FOR STUDENTS WITH
DISABILITIES IN SCHOOLS THAT ARE
NOT ALWAYS WITHIN THE EP PROCESS
THAT AREN'T REALLY OBVIOUS AND
MANDATED FOR US TO DO. UM WHEN
THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR
STAFF. TEACHERS. TO LEARN
TOGETHER AND PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT STUDENTS BENEFIT
COLLABORATIVE TEACHING
PREPARATION. UM IN SOME. IN
STATE COUNTY OFFICE OF ED'S, UM,
TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAM. I
SAW SPECIAL EDUCATION AND THIS
SPECIALIST AND GENERAL
EDUCATION. SPECIALISTS. COME
TOGETHER TO TEACH STUDENTS WHO
ARE IN THE TEACHER PREPARATION
PROGRAMS, AND THAT WAS A GREAT
OPPORTUNITY. THEY BUILT TRUST
WITH EACH OTHER AND FELT THAT
THEY COULD COMMUNICATE WHEN
DEVELOPING, UM, LESSONS AND
THEIR ACTIVITIES. IT WORKS WELL
WHEN SPECIAL EDUCATION GENERAL
EDUCATION WORK TOGETHER TO
INCORPORATE THE STRATEGIES THAT
HAVE BEEN PROVEN TO INCREASE
STUDENT OUTCOMES, AND I HAVE TO
THAT I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT TODAY
TO, UM STRATEGIES WOULD BE
IMPLEMENTING UNIVERSAL DELIGHT
DESIGNED FOR YOU LEARNING AND
USING THAT AS A FRAMEWORK WHEN
DEVELOPING LEARNING
OPPORTUNITIES FROM THE BEGINNING
IT INCREASES ACCESS FOR
ENGAGEMENT. FOR PRESIDENT, UM,
TO BE PRESENT MATERIAL TO
STUDENTS AND WITH MULTIPLE
MODALS IN MULTIPLE MODALITIES
AND GIVES A STUDENT THE
OPPORTUNITIES ALL STUDENTS THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW WHAT THEY
KNOW IN A FORM THAT THEY ARE
MOST SUCCESSFUL OR OR FEEL THAT
THERE IS A IT IS THEIR STRENGTH.
UM CO TEACHING IS ANOTHER AREA
WHERE IF TWO TEACHERS WERE
STRONG IN THE CONTENT AREA,
SPECIAL EDUCATION AND GENERAL
EDUCATION TEACHERS WORKING
TOGETHER. THEY COULD TEAM
TEACHING. THEY'RE SEEN AS EQUALS
IN THE CLASSROOM. IT'S GREAT FOR
THE TWO TEACHERS. TO DEVELOP A
RELATIONSHIP. TO BE MORE
CONNECTED TO THEIR SCHOOL AND
PROMOTING RETENTION. IT ENDS UP
BEING A WIN FOR THE STUDENTS,
WHETHER THEY BE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
LEARNERS. NEW TO THE SCHOOL
SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS. OR
THE STUDENT WHO IS SO BRIGHT
THAT THEY NEED SOMETHING MORE TO
DO ITS INCLUSIVE THROUGH THE
WHOLE SPECTRUM. IT'S IMPERATIVE
TO CREATE A SENSE OF BELONGING
IN SCHOOL SITES. BECAUSE IT
DEVELOPS A SOFT SKILLS THAT ARE
NECESSARY TO BE SUCCESSFUL. WHEN
STUDENTS ARE INCLUDED AND FEEL
THAT THEY BELONG IN THAT SITE
WITHIN THAT SCHOOL COMMUNITY, IT
PROMOTES SELF DETERMINATION AND
SELF ADVOCACY AND INCREASES
THEIR OWN MOTIVATION AND
INDEPENDENCE. UM FACILITATING
RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEERS.
GENERAL EDUCATION, SPECIAL
EDUCATION. PINK, PURPLE GREEN
BLUE. THAT MEANINGFUL
PARTICIPATION FOR THE STUDENT
WITH A DISABILITY. IT PROVIDES A
GREATER UNDERSTANDING FOR HOW WE
THAT WE ALL INTERACT IN A
COMMUNITY TOGETHER FOR THE
SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENT AS
WELL AS FOR THE GENERAL
EDUCATION STUDENT. THE
INDIVIDUALS THAT WOULD JUST
BELIEVES WHEN THEY ARE PART OF A
COMMUNITY, THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY
COLLEGE COMMUNITY OR THE WORK
COMMITTEE, AND THAT IN THE END
BEYOND IT'S A MORE ENRICHED,
ROBUST AND LOVING COMMUNITY.
STUDENTS UM, NEED STUDENTS.
SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS AND
SPECIALISTS AND FAMILIES OF
SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS NEED
THE OPPORTUNITIES TO BE INCLUDED
AND FEEL THAT THEY BELONG IN
LEADERSHIP ROLES. WHETHER IT BE
THE SCHOOLS, UM UH, SCHOOL
COUNCIL. MAYBE IT'S IN P T A.
MAYBE IT'S IN ANOTHER GROUP
THAT'S ON THE SCHOOL CAMPUS. WE
NEED TO INCREASE THE IMPORTANCE
OF THE OF THEM BELONGING ON OUR
SCHOOL CAMPUSES. AND THEN
FINALLY, MY BIGGEST SKILL THAT.
IT DOESN'T FALL INTO THE I. P IS
BUILDING MEANINGFUL AND WORKING
RELATIONSHIPS, WHETHER IT'S WITH
THE STAFF AND THE TEACHERS, THE
STUDENTS AND THE SPECIALIST WE
NEED TO TAKE TIME IN SCHOOLS TO
DEVELOP TRUST. WHEN WE TRUST
EACH OTHER, WE CAN RELY ON EACH
OTHER. WHEN WE CAN MAKE WE CAN
DEVELOP BETTER PROGRAMS, BETTER
LESSONS AND BETTER LEARNING
OPPORTUNITIES WHEN WE CREATE AND
MAKE A TAKE TIME TO DEVELOP AND
CREATE AND MAINTAIN WORKING
RELATIONSHIPS IN SCHOOLS. I HAVE
VALUE INCLUSION. IT'S A
STUDENT'S RIGHT TO LEARN. THEY
HAVE A RIGHTFUL PRESENCE TO BE
EDUCATED, HAVE, UM, HAVE ACCESS
TO LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES IN
THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS AND
I'VE BEEN FORTUNATE TO BE IN SO
MANY PEOPLE. STUDENTS LIVES TO
SEE THAT AS THEY GROW FROM
ELEMENTARY TO SECONDARY. NOW THE
UNIVERSITY UM. I HAVE SEEN THE
TRAJECTORY IF YOU WERE INCLUDED.
AT A YOUNG AGE, YOU HAVE MORE
OUTCOMES MORE POSSIBILITIES IN
YOUR ADULT LIFE. UM AND SO I UH
HUH. I THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU
TODAY ABOUT INCLUDING THE
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
LISA ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S HOOVER. DO
YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE
PANEL? YES THANK YOU. UM AND
THANK YOU AGAIN, EVERYONE. UM I
LOVE THE THEME. I THINK A LOT OF
YOU HIT ON IT ABOUT YOU KNOW,
JUST THIS IDEA OF INCLUSION
EARLY MEANS MORE INCLUSION LONG
TERM AND I THINK THAT IS
ABSOLUTELY TRUE FOR SO MANY OF
OUR STUDENTS, KRISTEN, I WANTED
TO THANK YOU. OBVIOUSLY, FOR ALL
THE WORK YOU'RE DOING IN THE
COUNTY I REPRESENT. SO YOU KNOW,
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU COMING
OVER HERE AND ADVOCATING TODAY.
UM, I DID WANT TO ASK YOU ONE OF
YOUR UM, BULLET POINTS WAS
TALKING ABOUT KIND OF REFORMING
THE I E P TO BE MORE PERSON
CENTERED. CAN YOU JUST TALK A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT? BECAUSE I
KNOW FOR A LOT OF FAMILIES LIKE
THE I E P IS A VERY KIND OF
CONVOLUTED AND COMPLICATED
PROCESS. SO I WAS CURIOUS WHAT
YOUR THOUGHTS WERE. SO THERE WAS
A WORKGROUP THAT HAPPENED AROUND
THIS, UM THIS I P TEMPLATE. UM
THEY CONSISTED OF LOTS OF
DIFFERENT REPRESENTATION FROM
PARENTS AND PARENTS CENTERS AND,
UM AND HIGHER ED AND ALL THESE
FOLKS AND AFTER THAT, THERE WAS
SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW DO WE
MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS BALANCING
THE COMPLIANCE ASPECTS AND
BALANCING WHAT WE WANTED TO BE
THE SPIRIT OF THE IP, WHICH IS
REALLY INDIVIDUALIZED SUPPORTS
TO HELP A STUDENT BE THE MOST
INCLUDED AND HAVE THE MOST SENSE
OF BELONGING? UM AND ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT THIS CAME FROM WAS A
RECOGNITION THAT OFTEN AND I
DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE HAD THIS
THIS EXPERIENCE AS WELL, BUT YOU
EVERYONE SITS AND YOU LOOK ON
THE WALL AT AN I P AND YOU JUST
START MARCHING THROUGH. YOU
KNOW, CHECKING THE BOXES AND
YEAH, AND IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY
FEEL GOOD. IT JUST FEELS LIKE
WE'RE DOING WE'RE MARCHING
THROUGH AND THEN UM, SO IN
THINKING ABOUT HOW TO MAKE SURE
THAT PARENTS COULD BE THE MOST
INVOLVED AS POSSIBLE AND THAT
WE'RE REALLY ACKNOWLEDGING, UM,
WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT PARENTS
BEING THE EXPERTS ABOUT THEIR
CHILDREN AND REALLY
UNDERSTANDING. UM WHAT MAKES
THEM TICK AND MAYBE SOME THINGS
THAT THEY DO AT HOME, BUT REALLY
LOOKING AT WHO ARE THEY AS A
PERSON THAT ARE THE CHILDREN
WERE TALKING ABOUT THAT THERE
ARE PEOPLE AND WHAT DO WE WANT
FOR THEM AND THEIR FUTURE AND
THEN MAPPING INTO THAT, AS
OPPOSED TO STARTING OUT, SAYING
YOU KNOW, THIS IS SHELBY. AND
THIS IS HER DISABILITY AND ALL
THESE THINGS THAT THEN YOU'RE
LIKE, WELL, THAT DIDN'T FEEL
VERY GOOD. SO THAT'S THE SPIRIT
OF THIS. UM AND THERE'S SOME
VERY PASSIONATE UM, FOLKS THAT
WHO WHO ARE WORKING ON IT RIGHT
NOW, UM, INCLUDING SOME
ADVOCATES WHO ARE REALLY
FIGHTING TO MAKE SURE THAT IT
STAYS WITH THAT SPIRIT, AND IT
DOESN'T GET BOGGED DOWN BY ONLY
COMPLIANCE. ALTHOUGH COMPLIANCE
IS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT AS
WE'RE LOOKING AT THE LEGAL
RAMIFICATIONS AROUND NOT HAVING
COMPLAINT, I BE SO THANK YOU
KNOW THAT'S REALLY HELPFUL. AND,
UM, IT'S GOOD. YOU KNOW, SOME
SOME FOLKS ARE WORKING ON THAT
AND PLEASE KEEP US UPDATED ON ON
THAT PROGRESS. UM UM, DAVID, I
DID WANT TO ASK YOU ONE QUESTION
ABOUT YOU TALKED ABOUT FAMILY
EMPOWERMENT CENTERS. UM CAN YOU
TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE
SERVICES THAT THEY'RE PROVIDING
THE FAMILIES AND PARENTS JUST SO
I HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING.
ABSOLUTELY SO FAMILY EMPOWERMENT
CENTERS ARE CHARGED TO SUPPORT
FAMILIES AND NAVIGATING THE
SYSTEM. THIS MAY BE AN INITIAL
REFERRAL TO SPECIAL EDUCATION,
AND THEY CAN PROVIDE RESOURCES
TO FAMILIES AND CAREGIVERS TO
UNDERSTAND HOW TO NAVIGATE THE
SYSTEM AS WELL AS PARTICIPATING
IN VARIOUS MEETINGS WITH
FAMILIES TO ENSURE THAT THEIR
VOICES HEARD AND THAT THEY HAVE
A COMMUNITY OF POTENTIALLY
PARENTS WITH SIMILAR NEEDS OR
VERY DIVERSE NEEDS TO NAVIGATE
THE PUBLIC PROCESS AND, YOU
KNOW, HELP THEM. MAINTAIN THEIR
VOICE THROUGH THE PROCESS, AND I
AS CHRISTIAN WAS TALKING ABOUT
PERSON CENTERED, I PS AND IF
YOU'VE BEEN IN AN IP MEETING,
THE FIRST THING WE BEGIN WITH
HERE'S A COPY OF YOUR RIGHTS AND
SO JUST RECOGNIZING THE NEED FOR
COMPLIANCE, AND I THINK OF OTHER
SITUATIONS WHERE WE START WITH
OUR RIGHTS. HIPPO IF I'M AT AN
EMERGENCY ROOM IF I'M BUYING A
HOME IF I'M ENGAGED WITH LAW
ENFORCEMENT AND SO JUST
RECOGNIZING THAT THAT IS THE
SETTING, AND WE NEED TO BE
COMPLIANT, UM, BUT AGAIN IN
FORCE, NOT ENFORCING THEM,
ACHIEVING THE SPIRIT OF THE
RELATIONSHIPS THAT ARE THERE
BECAUSE I WOULD LOVE FOR MY
DOCTOR TO BE COMPLIANT. I REALLY
WOULD LIKE HE OR HER TO CARE
ABOUT MY NEEDS AND HELP ME SOLVE
THE CHALLENGES THAT I'M
CURRENTLY FACING. AND SO THROUGH
OUR PAPERWORK AND ALSO THROUGH
OUR PREPARATION OF TEACHERS AND
NOT JUST TEACHERS AND LEADERS, I
WOULD HIGHLIGHT THE 21ST CENTURY
SCHOOL LEADERSHIP ACADEMY, WHICH
IS ALSO A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT
THAT PREPARES AND SUPPORTS
PRINCIPLES. AND SO HOW WE EQUIP
OUR LEADERS WITH THE MINDSET IN
THE LANGUAGE IN A TECHNICAL
COMPLIANCE LÀ BASED SITUATION TO
ADHERE TO THE SPIRIT OF EQUITY
AND THE INTENT OF OUR STATE.
THANK YOU. THAT'S IT FOR NOW. AS
I WAS LISTENING TO TALK ABOUT
LONGING AND JUST SORT OF HOW FAR
WE HAVE TO GO THINKING
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S HOOVER AND I'VE
GOT 78 OTHER COLLEAGUES IN THE
ASSEMBLY 40 MORE IN THE SENATE,
AND IF THERE WAS A PLACE YOU
WOULD WANT US TO PUSH, AND THIS
IS SORT OF A QUESTION FOR ALL
THREE OF YOU KNOWING THAT YOU
KNOW MORE FUNDING AS A BASELINE
NEED. SO YOU KNOW, WE'VE CLEARED
PRETEND WE HAD THAT, UM OR AT
LEAST THAT WE KNOW THAT. UM AND
THAT, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER PIECE
OF THIS IS CHANGING MINDSET. BUT
AS LEGISLATORS, IS THERE A YOU
KNOW THE BEST NEXT PLACE TO PUSH
NOW THAT SO MUCH WORK HAS
ALREADY BEEN DONE WITH THE
REPORT. OPEN IT UP TO WHOEVER
WANTS TO I THINK WITH THE RECENT
LEGISLATION FOR FUNDING FOR THE
C S, U S AND THE U. C S, UM TO
HAVE INCLUSIVE PROGRAMS, I THINK
THAT WAS IS GOING TO BE A
BENEFICIAL SOMETHING TO LOOK AT
FOR LEGIS LEGISLATURES TO SEE
THAT THIS IS WHY WE NEED YOU TO
START AND DO MORE IN THE K 12
INCLUSION OR PRE PRE PRE SCHOOL
12 INCLUSION. YOU KNOW, I WOULD
UNDERSCORE HOW LONG CHANGE TAKES
SPECIAL AT HIS ROUGHLY 48 YEARS
OLD IN OUR STATE, AND WE ARE
STILL YOU KNOW, LEARNING IT AND
WINDING AND IT'S 2023 AND WE
HAVE OUR FIRST INCLUSIVE
PROGRAMS THAT HIGHER ED 2023,
AND WE'RE INTRODUCING THE
CONCEPT OF INCLUSIVE PROGRAMS
THAT HIGHER ED AND SO
RECOGNIZING, UM, HOW MUCH WORK
NEEDS TO BE DONE AND HOW LONG
HOW LONG WE WILL BE ENGAGED IN
THIS WORK, BUT THE IMPORTANCE OF
LITTLE SHIFTS AND SO HOW WE
BEGIN CHANGING OUR LANGUAGE
AROUND STUDENTS WITH
DISABILITIES THROUGH OUR
STATUTES AND OUR EXPECTATIONS. I
THINK OF THE MOST RECENT AGAIN
ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT FUNDING
EQUITY MULTIPLIER. WHAT WE
UNDERSTAND OF OUR STUDENTS WITH
DISABILITIES. THAT'S JUST ONE
ASPECT OF THEIR IDENTITY. AND SO
THE STUDENT POPULATION WE ARE
WORKING. UH, I TO BE RESPONSIVE
TO WITH THE EQUITY MULTIPLIER
ALSO INCLUDES STUDENTS WITH
DISABILITIES AND SO IF WE ARE AS
WE ARE FOCUSED ON EQUITY, HOW
ARE WE INTENTIONAL AND EXPANSIVE
IN OUR VISION OF WHO IS INCLUDED
AND WHAT WE CAN ACHIEVE WITH THE
RESOURCES THAT WERE PROVIDING
AND TO CONTINUE TO BE EXPLICIT
AROUND. THESE ARE COMMUNITIES
AND STUDENT GROUPS THAT WE WANT
TO FOCUS ON AS THE TIP OF THE
SPEAR IN OUR WORK THAT IS
INCLUSIVE OF ALL STUDENTS. UH
TWO THINGS COME TO MIND FOR ME.
THE FIRST IS AROUND SOMETHING
THAT LISA SAID AROUND RIGHTFUL
PRESENCE, AND, UM, THAT IDEA OF,
UM, MOVING FROM THIS IDEA OF
INCLUSION WHERE YOU'RE THE HOST,
AND I'M THE GUEST AND I'M
BEGGING TO GET IN YOUR CLASSROOM
TOO. HAVING A RIGHT A RIGHT TO
BE THERE TO BEGIN WITH IS
SOMETHING THAT I THINK CAN
UNDERGIRD A LOT OF WHAT WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT. SO UM, THIS IDEA
OF TELLING PEOPLE YOU KNOW,
ASKING PEOPLE IF THEY WANT TO
INCLUDE KIDS AND HEARING THINGS
LIKE WE'RE AN INCLUSIVE SCHOOL.
IS SORT OF A PLAY ON WORDS,
BECAUSE WHAT IS THE OPPOSITE OF
AN INCLUSIVE SCHOOL THEN? AND SO
HOW DO WE? UM I DON'T KNOW IF
IT'S INCENTIVIZE. I DON'T KNOW
IF IT'S A SIMILAR EDICTS ABOUT,
UM, WHAT WE BELIEVE IS A STATE
AND WHAT AND WHAT WE EXPECT. AND
THEN WHATEVER ELSE WE HAVE
THAT'S BUILT AROUND THAT. THAT
UM THE FUNDING THAT WE PUT
TOWARDS THINGS DON'T SUPPORT
THOSE TYPES OF EFFORTS. RIGHT SO
, UM, MAYBE IT'S UH I JUST
VISITED WASHINGTON STATE. THEY
HAVE, UM THEY PAY MORE PER PUPIL
FOR KIDS WHO ARE IN INCLUSIVE
SETTINGS. THERE COULD BE SOME
REAL INCENTIVES THAT WE LOOK AT
AS A STATE THAT SIGNALS WHAT WE
BELIEVE IN. AND I THINK THAT'S
WHAT PEOPLE LOOK FOR IS WHAT ARE
THOSE SIGNALS, AND A LOT OF THEM
COME THROUGH THE FUNDING PIECE,
TO BE HONEST, SO WE CAN SAY ALL
DAY I'LL KISS YOU BE INCLUDED.
BUT DO WE REALLY BELIEVE THAT?
AND IS THAT HOW OUR FUNDING AND
OTHER MECHANISMS ARE SET UP?
WELL THANK YOU TO ALL THREE OF
YOU. WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR
TIME. THIS SPIN VERY INFORMATIVE
. I'VE CERTAINLY LEARNED A LOT
EVEN THOUGH MY HAVE DONE THIS
FOR 20 SOMETHING YEARS, SO I
VERY MUCH APPRECIATE IT AND WE
WILL WELCOME OUR SECOND PANEL ON
SERVING MULTI LINGUAL STUDENTS
WITH DISABILITIES.
AND WHILE THEY'RE GETTING
SEATED, I'LL JUST INTRODUCE OUR
PANELISTS. WE HAVE ROSA
ARMSTRONG. THE ASSISTANT TO THE
ACCESS AND EQUITY DEPARTMENT AND
MULTILINGUAL PROGRAMS FOR
PALMDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT WHO
ALSO SERVES ON THE BOARD OF
DIRECTORS FOR THE CALIFORNIA
ASSOCIATION FOR BILINGUAL
EDUCATION, AND, UM, WE MAY HAVE
HER COLLEAGUE JENNIFER BAKER,
LEGISLATIVE ADVOCATE FOR CUB. AS
WELL. AND ROSA ALTERNATE OVER TO
YOU WHEN YOU'RE READY. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH
FOR GIVING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY.
I HAVE WORKED FOR MY DISTRICT
FOR 30 YEARS. AND HAVE WORKED
WITH THE SPECIAL EDUCATION
STUDENTS, INCLUDING ENGLISH
LEARNERS FOR 25 YEARS. I WOULD
LIKE TO PROVIDE YOUR COMMITTEE
WITH A NUMBER OF THE
COMPLEXITIES STUDENTS WITH
DISABILITIES. WHO ARE ALSO
ENGLISH LEARNERS. FACE. IN ORDER
TO SET THE STAGE. I WOULD LIKE
TO OFFER SOME FACTS. NATIONALLY
ABOUT ONE INTENDS STUDENTS WHO
QUALIFY FOR A SPECIAL EDUCATION
ALSO IDENTIFY AS ENGLISH
LEARNERS. THIS NUMBERS HAVE BEEN
STEADILY INCREASING. CALIFORNIA
HAS 790 18,000, ESPECIALLY
EDUCATION AND STUDENTS, WHO ARE
ALSO ENGLISH LEARNERS.
REPRESENT. WHO ARE SORRY.
REPRESENTING APPROX
APPROXIMATELY 40% 14% OF THE
ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNER
POPULATION. THE SCHOOL DISTRICT
CURRENTLY HAS 706 SPECIAL
EDUCATION STUDENTS WHO ARE ALSO
ENGLISH LEARNERS. OF THIS
STUDENTS. 225 ARE RECEIVING MORE
THAN 50% OF THEIR GENERAL
EDUCATION IN CLASSROOMS. WE HAVE
A BROAD CATEGORY OF THE
DISABILITIES FOR ENGLISH
LEARNERS. IN PALMDALE. OUR
SYSTEM ALLOWS OUR EDUCATORS AS
WELL AS SERVICE PROVIDERS TO
MONITOR AND REPORT PROGRESS
TOWARD LINGUISTICALLY
APPROPRIATE GOALS WE HAVE
DEVELOPED TO SUPPORT LANGUAGE
ACQUISITION FOR THIS STUDENTS.
THE NATURE OF THIS ABILITY CAN
IMPACT THE SERVICES THAT ARE
PROVIDED AND CAN ALSO IMPACT
WHAT LINGUISTICALLY APPROPRIATE
GOALS ARE PROVIDED FOR A
STUDENTS. THE DISABILITY. OUR
ENGLISH LEARNERS INCLUDE. ONE
WHO IS VISUALLY IMPAIRED. TWO
WITH A TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY
212 WITH SPEECH OR LANGUAGE
IMPAIRMENTS. 238 WITH A SPECIFIC
LEARNING DISABILITY. 28 WITH
OTHER HEALTH IMPAIRMENTS. THREE
WITH ORTHOPEDIC IMPAIRMENTS.
FOUR WITH MULTIPLE DISABILITIES.
28 WITH INTELLECTUAL
DISABILITIES. SEVEN WITH HEARING
IMPAIRMENTS. FIVE WHO ARE
EMOTIONALLY DISTURBED AND 132
WITH AUTISM. WE HAVE HAD MANY
POSITIVE OUTCOMES FOR MANY OF
OUR STUDENTS. OUR DISTRICT HAS
BEEN SUCCESSFULLY IN
RECLASSIFYING MANY OF THESE
STUDENTS. UNFORTUNATELY WE ALSO
HAVE SOME CHALLENGES. ONE OF THE
BIGGEST CHALLENGES IS THE LACK.
OF PROPERLY TRAINED TO ASSESS
STUDENTS TO PLACE THEM IN A
SPECIAL EDUCATION. THERE IS
OFTEN A LACK OF RESOURCES FOR
THIS TEACHERS. WE ALSO HAVE A
PROBLEM OF MISPLACING STUDENTS
IN SPECIAL EDUCATION. SOME
STUDENTS THAT HAVE BEEN PLACED
IN A SPECIAL EDUCATION. MERELY
DO NOT SPEAK ENGLISH WELL.
ADDITIONALLY OUR STATE HAS A
NUMBER OF CHILDREN THAT COME FOR
FROM INDIVIDUALS MIGRATING MANY
OF THEM ARE COMING WITH A LACK
OF FORMAL INSTRUCTION AND MAY
ALSO BE FACING TRAUMAS. WE NEED.
ENSURE WE ARE ALSO MEETING THE
EDUCATIONAL NEEDS WHILE
PROVIDING EMOTIONAL SUPPORT. TO
HELP THEM SUCCEED. I KNOW
ADDITIONAL CHALLENGE. OUR
DISTRICT FACES WHEN IT COMES TO
PROVIDING SERVICES TO OUR
ENGLISH LEARNER STUDENTS WITH
DISABILITY. IS THE LACK OF
TRANSLATION SERVICES. THIS IS A
NATIONAL PROBLEM. AS WELL AS A
CALIFORNIA PROBLEM. WHILE
FEDERAL LAW REQUIRES THE SCHOOLS
TO TAKE WHATEVER ACTION IS
NECESSARY. INCLUDING ARRANGING
FOR INTERPRETATION AND
TRANSLATION SERVICES. TO ENSURE
THAT PARENTS CAN MEANINGFUL E
PRACTICE PARTICIPATE IN THEIR
CHILD'S EDUCATION. A LACK OF
ADEQUATE FURTHER ALL FUNDING
MAKES ACHIEVING THIS GOAL.
CHALLENGING. IN CALIFORNIA.
MANDATORY TRANSLATING IS
REQUIRED ONCE 15% OF STUDENTS IN
A DISTRICT SPEAK A LANGUAGE.
GIVEN THE NUMBER OF LANGUAGES
SPOKEN IN OUR DISTRICTS ACROSS
THE STATE, MANY LANGUAGES ARE
SPOKEN IN THE SCHOOLS, BUT
TRANSLATION SERVICES ARE NOT
MANDATORY. AS REACHING THIS 15%
REQUIREMENT IS NOT A CHEAP IN
ADDITION, TO THE LACK OF
TRANSLATION AND INTERPRETER
SERVICES PROVIDED FOR ALL THE
FAMILIES WITH A SPECIAL
EDUCATION STUDENTS. WE ALSO
ENCOUNTER SITUATIONS WHERE
TRANSLATOR MAY NOT HAVE AND
ADEQUATE BACKGROUND. IN A
SPECIAL EDUCATION. MAKING IT
MORE CHALLENGING FOR PARENTS WHO
ARE NOT ENGLISH SPEAKING. TO
FULLY UNDERSTAND AND BEING FORM
OF THE SITUATION, THEIR CHILD
FACES AS WELL AS THE PROGRAM AND
SERVICE OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO
THEIR CHILD. AS OUR STATE
GRAPPLES WITH EXISTING TEACHER
SHORTAGE. IT ALSO HAS A RIPPLE
EFFECT THAT IMPACTS OUR SCHOOLS
AT THE LOCAL LEVEL. GABI.
APPRECIATE IT. THE INCLUSION OF
20 MILLION ANNUALLY FOR FIVE
YEARS TO BRING BACK THE
BILINGUAL TEACHER TEACHER
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
, WHICH USES A GROW YOUR OWN
APPROACH TO ADDRESS THE
BILINGUAL TEACHER SHORTAGE BY
ALLOWING ELIGIBLE LOCAL
EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES. TO APPLY
FOR A STATE FUNDS TO PROVIDE
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING
OPPORTUNITIES TO INCREASE THE
NUMBER OF TEACHERS. WITH THE
BILINGUAL AUTHORIZATION. ON
THEIR CREDENTIALS. DISTRICTS
SIGNIFICANTLY LACK BILINGUAL
TEACHERS. MULTIPLE LANGUAGE TO
STOP. BILINGUAL CLASSROOMS IN
LANGUAGES SUCH AS MANDARIN
ARMENIAN. VIETNAMESE AND
SPANISH, AMONG OTHERS. ENSURING
ALL THE SCHOOLS HAVE THE
NECESSARY BILINGUAL TEACHERS IS
KEY TO ADDRESSING NOT ONLY FEEL
ACADEMIC AND INSTRUCTIONAL LEAD.
NEED FOR ALL THE STUDENTS. BUT
ALSO THE TEACHER SHORTAGE. IT IS
IMPERATIVE FOR CALIFORNIA TO
MONITOR THE NUMBER OF SPECIAL
EDUCATION TEACHERS WHO HAVE
BILINGUAL AUTHORIZATIONS TO
ENSURE. WE HAVE SEEN IN OUR
DISTRICT AND ACROSS THE STATE IN
REGARD. ENGLISH LEARNERS. SOME
OF THESE BIGGEST CHALLENGES WE
HAVE SEEN IN OUR DISTRICTS AND
ACROSS THE STATE IN REGARD TO
OUR ENGLISH LEARNERS. WHO HAVE A
SPECIAL EDUCATION NEEDS ARE THAT
THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH
PROFESSIONS. THAT ARE
SPECIFICALLY TRAINED TO SERVE
THIS STUDENTS. WE LACK ADEQUATE
TRAINING AND MATERIALS TO
APPROPRIATELY ASSESSED OUR
ENGLISH LEARNERS, STUDENTS. WE
ALSO NEED TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE
BILINGUAL SPECIAL EDUCATION
TEACHERS WITH THE PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT THEY NEED TO
PROVIDING A SPECIALIZED ACADEMIC
ACADEMIC INSTRUCTION FOR ENGLISH
LEARNERS. MANY SPECIAL EDUCATION
TEACHERS. FIND THAT STAYING IN
THE PROFESSION IS CHALLENGING.
CREATING INCENTIVES AND SUPPORT
FOR THIS TEACHERS TO CONTINUE
THEIR EDUCATION AND STAY IN THIS
FIELD. IT IS IMPERATIVE STUDENT
SUCCESS. THIS SUPPORT ADDITIONAL
NEEDS TO INCLUDE CLASSROOM
SUPPORT. FURTHER. WE NEED THE
RESOURCES TO PROVIDE EDUCATION
AND TRAINING FOR FAMILIES. TO
LEARN. HOW TO SUPPORT THEIR
CHILDREN. AND WE NEED TO ENSURE
THIS SUPPORT IS COMMUNICATED IN
A FAMILY'S HOME LANGUAGE IN A
CULTURALLY COMPETENT WAY. IN
ORDER TO BETTER SERVE OUR
SPECIAL EDUCATION IS TO THIS WHO
ARE ALSO ENGLISH LEARNERS.
CALIFORNIA NEEDS TO ACCOMPLISH
THE FOLLOWING. STRUCTURE
CREDENTIAL PROGRAMS FOR TEACHERS
TO INCLUDE MORE TRAINING IN
UNDERSTANDING AND PROVIDING
SPECIALIZED ACADEMIC INSTRUCTION
TO ACCOMMODATE THE DIFFERENT
DISABILITIES. PROVIDE MORE
RESOURCES IN THE COMMUNITY TO
SUPPORT THIS IS STUDENTS.
PROVIDE MORE FUNDING. IT'S
SPECIFICALLY FOR BILINGUAL
TEACHERS. TO GO INTO A SPECIAL
EDUCATION. TRAIN MORE TEACHERS
TO PROPERLY ASSESS STUDENTS TO
BE PLACED IN A SPECIAL
EDUCATION. CONDUCT. THROUGH
ASSESSMENTS TO A THIRD CURRENTLY
IDENTIFIED THEIR SPECIFIC NEEDS
AND ABILITIES OF ENGLISH
LEARNERS IN SPECIAL EDUCATION.
TO CREATE. TAILORED
INDIVIDUALIZE EDUCATION PLANS. I
PS. RECRUIT AND TRAIN EDUCATORS
WHO ARE PROFICIENT IN BOTH THE
STUDENTS, NATIVE LANGUAGE AND
ENGLISH. AND HALF CULTURAL
COMPETENCE, COMPETENCE TO
EFFECTIVELY SUPPORT ENGLISH
LEARNERS. OFFER MOUNTAIN LINGUAL
SUPPORT SERVICES FOR PARENTS AND
GUARDIANS TO ENSURE THEY CAN
ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN THEIR
CHILD'S EDUCATION AND I BE
MEETINGS. PROMOTE COLLABORATION
AMONG GENERAL EDUCATION AND
ESPECIALLY EDUCATION TEACHERS,
AS WELL AS WITH LANGUAGE
SPECIALISTS TO ENSURE A UNIFIED
APPROACH TO SUPPORT ENGLISH
LEARNERS WITH DISABILITIES.
CONSIDER REDUCING CLASS SIZES TO
PROVIDE MORE INDIVIDUALIZED
ATTENTION AND SUPPORT FOR
ENGLISH LEARNERS IN SPECIAL
EDUCATION. INVEST. IN ON ONGOING
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR
EDUCATORS FOCUSING ON STRATEGIES
FOR TEACHING ENGLISH LEARNERS
WITH DISABILITIES EFFECTIVELY.
ENSURE. THAT ALL EDUCATIONAL
MATERIALS AND RESOURCES ARE
AVAILABLE IN BOTH. ENGLISH AND
THEY STUDENTS NATIVE LANGUAGES
TO FACILITATE LEARNING.
ENCOURAGE PARTY RENTAL
INVOLVEMENT AND ENGAGEMENT IN
THEIR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION BY
PROVIDING TRANSLATED MATERIALS,
INTERPRETERS AND OPPORTUNITIES
FOR COMMUNICATION. DEVELOP
SPECIALIZED SUPPORT PROGRAMS
THAT ADDRESS THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF
ENGLISH LEARNERS WITH
DISABILITIES. DISABILITIES SUCH
AS SPEECH THERAPY. LANGUAGE
DEVELOPMENT. AND SOCIAL
EMOTIONAL SUPPORT. IMPLEMENT A
SYSTEM FOR REGULAR DATA
COLLECTION AND EVALUATION TO
TRACK THE PROGRESS OF ENGLISH
LEARNER IN A SPECIAL EDUCATION.
MAKING NECESSARY ADJUSTMENTS TO
IMPROVE SERVICES. BELIEVES. THIS
RECOMMENDATIONS WILL PROVIDE A
MORE INCLUSIVE AT MY EFFECTIVE.
EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE FOR
ENGLISH LEARNERS CLASSIFIED AS A
SPECIAL EDUCATION. IN
CALIFORNIA. THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE MY
PERSPECTIVE ON HOW ENSURE OH,
OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS.
CAN BE SERVED. THANK YOU. ROSA
AND JENNIFER RIDE ON. IF YOU
WANTED TO ADD ANYTHING YOU'RE
WELCOME TO BUT NO PRESSURE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. JENNIFER
BAKER, LEGISLATIVE ADVOCATE FOR
THE CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION FOR
BILINGUAL EDUCATION, WHAT I
WOULD SUM UP THROUGH THE WORK
THAT WE'VE BEEN RESEARCHING TO
PREFER TESTIMONY FOR THIS
COMMITTEE. ONE OF THE BIGGEST
CHALLENGES IS REALLY THE
UNFORTUNATE MISIDENTIFICATION
BECAUSE A STUDENT DOESN'T SPEAK
A LANGUAGE. THERE ARE SO MANY
CULTURAL NUANCES. THERE ARE SO
MANY FAMILIES. WHO MAY NOT
UNDERSTAND THE EDUCATIONAL
SYSTEM TO BEGIN WITH. AND WHEN
YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THE
EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM, AND AS A
PARENT, I CAN TELL YOU AS YOU
KNOW THAT ARE YOUR PARENTS IN
THE ROOM. IT'S COMPLICATED. UM
AND IF YOU DON'T SPEAK THE
LANGUAGE, UM IT'S EVEN MORE
COMPLICATED AND SO MANY PARENTS,
UM AND MANY INDIVIDUALS AND
COMMUNITIES DON'T UNDERSTAND
THEIR ROLES, THEIR RIGHTS. UM
HOW TO ASK QUESTIONS HOW TO FIND
OUT WHAT'S GOING ON AND MANY OF
THOSE CULTURAL NUANCES CAN MAKE
IT CHALLENGING TO FIND OUT THAT
THEIR STUDENT MAY HAVE BEEN MIS
IDEA. EDIFIED. AND THEN
UNRAVELING THE LAYERS OF
ADDITIONAL COMPLEXITIES THAT ARE
PUT ON A CHILD AND THEIR FAMILY
CAN TAKE YEARS TO UNDO SO MAKING
SURE THAT AS WE'RE TRYING TO DO
THE RIGHT THING, THAT WE ALSO
DON'T DO THE WRONG THING SIMPLY
BECAUSE A STUDENT IN THEIR
FAMILY DIDN'T SPEAK THE
LANGUAGE. WELL THANK YOU TO BOTH
OF YOU ALL TURNED TO MY
COLLEAGUES AND WHAT C¢M
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S LACKEY. THANK
YOU FOR BEING HERE. UM AND JUST
IF EITHER OF YOU HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS FOR OUR PANELISTS ON
SERVING MULTI LINGUAL STUDENTS
WITH DISABILITIES. I REALLY
DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, BUT I
WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT I'M
FROM PALMDALE. RIGHT AND SO I'M
VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE
CHALLENGES THERE AND I WAS ON
THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S BOARD OF
TRUSTEES FOR SIX YEARS, AND SO
THIS IS NOT A NEW PROBLEM. BUT
IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S A VERY
COMPLEX PROBLEM. AND IT TAKES A.
COLLABORATIVE EFFORT, BUT FIRST
OF ALL, AT LEAST BY THOSE WHO
ARE MAKING GOVERNANCE DECISIONS
AND UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS
NEEDS TO BE MITIGATED AS BEST AS
POSSIBLE, BUT RESOURCES ARE
DIFFICULT. AND THAT'S ONE OF THE
REALITIES THAT WE HAVE. AND
MITIGATING THESE. THESE
CHALLENGES THAT ARE IN THIS
REGION AND I LOOK FORWARD TO
GREATER SUCCESS AS WE RECOGNIZE
THE FACT THAT WE'VE GOT
SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES. AND I
THANK YOU. I'M FAMILIAR WITH THE
BOARD OF TRUSTEES THERE. AND I
THINK THEY ALSO RECOGNIZE THIS
AND I THINK THEY HAVE A VERY
ENGAGED BOARD OF TRUSTEES. AND I
THINK THAT WHEN YOU WORK
TOGETHER, YOU CAN DO REMARKABLE
THINGS. IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE
PROBLEMS WILL DISAPPEAR, BUT I
THINK THAT THEY WILL BECOME MORE
AND MORE MANAGEABLE. SO THANK
YOU FOR COMING AND FOR BRINGING
THE THIS ISSUE TO THE STATE
LEVEL AWARENESS BECAUSE IT IS A
SIGNIFICANT ISSUE AND MIXING YOU
KNOW, LANGUAGE ISSUES WITH, UH A
DIFFERENT KIND OF EXCEPTIONALITY
IS UNFAIR. IT'S A IT'S A
DISSERVICE TO ALL INVOLVED, SO
HOPEFULLY WE CAN FIGURE THIS
OUT. AND, UH ENSURE THE SUCCESS
OF STUDENTS BECAUSE THEY DESERVE
THAT. THANK YOU, MR LUCKY.
CHARITY. I JUST SAID A COUPLE OF
QUESTIONS. NO I KNOW HOW COMMON
MISIDENTIFICATION CAN BE. AND I
WAS JUST LOOKING AT THE
STATISTICS THAT YOU ARE SHARING
THAT SAID ABOUT 14% OF THE
ENGLISH LEARNER POPULATION IN
CALIFORNIA, HAS BEEN A
IDENTIFIED AS A STUDENT WITH
SPECIAL NEEDS OR STUDENTS.
SPECIAL EDUCATION EARLIER WE
HEARD THE STATEWIDE DATA IS
AROUND. 13% WHICH IS REALLY WHAT
WE WANT TO SEE RIGHT AS AS THAT
IT'S NOT HIGHER FOR ONE THAN THE
OTHER. SO I WAS ACTUALLY
ENCOURAGED BY SOME OF THESE
FIGURES. BUT THEN I ALSO KNOW
FOR FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE HOW
EASY IT IS TO MISIDENTIFY AND
I'M WONDERING IF YOU HAVE SEEN
PARTICULAR PRACTICES, OR KB AND
GENERAL HAS MODEL PRACTICES ARE
MODEL PROGRAMS THAT WE AND
FAMILIES AND PEOPLE IN THE FIELD
CAN BE POINTED TO THAT ARE, UM,
ARE INCREASING APPROPRIATE
IDENTIFICATION OF MULTI LINGUAL
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES. I
CAN SPEAK IN BEHALF OF OUR
CABBIE AND ESPECIALLY PALM
DALLAS SCHOOL DISTRICT. WE ARE
REALLY, REALLY WORKING TOWARDS
THAT GOAL. AND WE HAVE INCLUDED
THIS YEAR. THE FAMILIES. WE HAD
ALSO GIVEN SOME UH, PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT NOT ONLY FOR
TEACHERS, BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF
PARADISE CATERS. THAT CAN HELP
US WITH THIS, SO WE HAVE
INCLUDED ALL ALL OF THEM IN, UH,
IN THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
AND WE'RE ALSO WORKING TO TRY TO
EFFECTIVELY INCREASE THE AMOUNT
OF PARENT ENGAGEMENT BECAUSE
WE'RE FINDING THAT IS SUCH A KEY
TOOL THAT LEVEL OF PARENT
ENGAGEMENT AND SO WE REALLY TAKE
TO CART. THE QUESTION THAT YOU
HAVE ASKED AND WHAT WE WILL DO
IS WORK TO CHEW ON THE
CONVERSATION EVEN MORE AND BRING
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR HOW
WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO INCREASE
THAT PARENT ENGAGEMENT
SPECIFICALLY AROUND SERVING OUR
STUDENT POPULATION THAT ALSO HAS
TO DISABILITY. AND THEN, UM,
THANK YOU FOR THAT. THANK YOU
BOTH. AND I WOULD BE VERY
INTERESTED TO SEE IF THERE'S
MODEL PROGRAMS OUT THERE MODEL
PRACTICES OUT THERE. I THINK IT
WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR THE FIELD
EVEN TO HAVE YOU KNOW. I WAS
THINKING ABOUT WHAT THE LAST
PANEL SET AROUND. WE NEED TO
CONTINUE TO INCREASE OUR MODEL
PROGRAMS SO PEOPLE CAN SEE THIS
IN ACTION RATHER THAN A LIST OF
INSTRUCTIONS. THE OTHER QUESTION
I HAD IS, UM, WHAT YOU'RE SEEING
IN THE FIELD TO SOLVE THE
TRANSLATION ISSUES. SO YOU KNOW
IT USED TO BE, YOU WOULD GET IT
AND A SIBLING. TO COME INTO A
MEETING RIGHT? AND WE KIND OF
HOPEFULLY HAVE ENDED THAT
PRACTICE ACROSS THE STATE OF
USING FAMILY MEMBERS TO COME
TRANSLATE, BUT THEN, WHEN I WAS
IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, WE
TURNED TO A TELEPHONE
TRANSLATION SYSTEM. VERY VERY
EXPENSIVE, BUT THEY HAD, YOU
KNOW, 14 OR 30 LENGTH, YOU KNOW,
NUMEROUS LANGUAGES. UM AND SO
I'M JUST WONDERING WHAT ELSE
YOU'VE SEEN. I ALSO DID THE
TRAINING FOR OUR INTERPRETERS TO
MAKE SURE THEY UNDERSTOOD THE
PRACTICES THAT WERE APPROPRIATE.
UM AND THEY WEREN'T AT FLIPPING
OR GIVING THEIR OWN OPINION
DURING MEETINGS, WHICH IS A
CHALLENGE ALSO, BUT WHAT ELSE
HAVE YOU SEEN IN THE FIELD
THAT'S WORKING IN TERMS OF
INTERPRETATION AND TRANSLATION.
I'M GOING TO SPEAK IN, UH, WHERE
I WORK, WHICH IS A POPULIST
SCHOOL DISTRICT. WE UH,
CURRENTLY HAVE, UM, INTERPRETERS
IN SPANISH, AND ANOTHER TOPIC IS
THE AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE.
WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT AND WE
HAVE IN TAGALOG, HINDI. A S L
AND A S. L WE DO IT IN ENGLISH
AND SPANISH, AND, UH, AND THOSE
ARE THE MOST REQUESTED IN OUR IN
OUR DISTRICT. CONSEQUENTLY WE
OUTSOURCE SERVICES VIA
CONTRACTORS. AND THAT COULD BE
ABOUT $7000. PER I B. BUT WE ARE
TRYING TO CRANE OUR STUFF. IN
THE DIFFERENT LANGUAGES. SO WE
ARE REACHING TO, UM,
UNIVERSITIES AND WE ARE REACHING
TO, UM, THERE IS, UM AND I'M NOT
GONNA MAKE ANY ADVERTISING WITH
THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SCHOOL
OF INTERPRETATION, AND THEY ARE
REALLY HELPING US IMPROVING THAT
IN THE IMPROVED IN THAT ASPECT,
BECAUSE ESPECIALLY THE EDUCATION
IS NOT ONLY SOMEBODY THAT CAN
TRANSLATE FROM ME FROM SPANISH
VERSA, BUT YOU'D ALSO KNOW NOW
THE MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY. AND
THAT'S WHERE WE ENCOUNTERED
ENCOUNTERED THE PROBLEM. BUT WE
ARE WORKING ON IT. DO YOU WANT
TO? ABSOLUTELY I THINK SHE HIT
THE NAIL ON THE HEAD. I WAS JUST
THINKING ABOUT ALL THE TOOLS
WE'VE LEARNED DURING COVID WITH
REMOTE ACCESS. AND IF WE CAN
FIND, YOU KNOW, FOLKS WHO MAY
NOT BE SITTING IN THE ROOM THAT
MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP US AND THE
OTHER IN OTHER WAYS, BUT I WANT
TO THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING
HERE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME,
AND WE HAVE A VERY MUCH
APPRECIATE IT. WE'RE GOING TO
MOVE TO OUR FINAL PANEL, WHICH
IS SUPPORTING THE SPECIAL
EDUCATION WORKFORCE. AND AS OUR
PANELISTS ARE COMING UP AND
GOING TO TELL FOLKS WHO THEY ARE
, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ANY CHOW
WITH THE CALIFORNIA TEACHERS
ASSOCIATION. TORA DEG PARA
EDUCATOR WITH THE SACRAMENTO
COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION, AND
DR CLAXTON HENNINGS, THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND
SUPERINTENDENT FOR THE TEMECULA
VALLEY. CHARTER SCHOOL AND WE
WANT TO WELCOME ALL THREE OF
YOU. YOU HAVE ABOUT 10 MINUTES.
FOR YOUR TESTIMONY, AND WE
REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME HERE
AND, UH, ANNIE, I THINK WE'LL
START WITH YOU. GREAT. THANK YOU
SO MUCH. I THINK ANY CHAT WITH
LEGISLATIVE ADVOCATE WITH THE
CALIFORNIA TEACHERS ASSOCIATION.
UH THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME TO
SPEAK AS ASKED TO SPEAK MORE
BROADLY AND SPECIAL EDUCATION
WORKFORCE AND YOU HAVE TWO VERY
QUALIFIED EDUCATORS THAT ARE THE
ACTUAL EXPERTS THAT CAN DRAW ON
THERE. DAY TO DAY EXPERIENCE, UM
, BUT WANTED TO START GIVING YOU
A BASELINE UNDERSTANDING OF WHO
SPECIALIST TEACHERS ARE I THINK
IT WAS, UM, SPOKEN TO ON AN
EARLIER PANEL, BUT THERE'S
MULTIPLE TYPES OF CREDENTIALING.
THERE'S A MULTI SUBJECT, UM,
CREDENTIAL, WHICH IS BASICALLY
LIKE A SECOND GRADE TEACHER,
SINGLE SUBJECT THINKING LIKE A
HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER AND THEN
EDUCATION SPECIALISTS, WHICH ARE
YOUR SPECIALIST TEACHERS. UM ALL
CREDENTIALS REQUIRE, AND THIS IS
AN EXTREME SUMMARY A DEGREE FROM
AN ACCREDITED COLLEGE AND
UNIVERSITY RELEVANT COURSEWORK.
PASSAGE OF SEA BASS OR C SET, UM
, AND THE COMPLETION OF A
COMMISSION APPROVED TEACHER PREP
PROGRAM AND THEN IT WAS ALSO
TOUCHED ON BEFORE, BUT THERE'S
ALSO YOU KNOW, SPECIALISTS
WITHIN SPECIAL LET'S SPACE ON
MILD MODERATE UM, SUPPORT NEEDS
EXPENSIVE. EXTENSIVE SUPPORT
NEEDS DEAF. HARD OF HEARING
VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS AND EARLY
CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATION. UM
THIS IS ALL THEY SAY THAT
SPECIAL EDUCATORS ARE VERY MUCH
SPECIALISTS. THEY'RE
CREDENTIALING AND AUTHORIZATION
IS SPECIFICALLY FOR STUDENTS.
WITHIN THE SPECIAL EDUCATION
SPACE AND WHAT THAT ALSO MEANS.
IS THAT A SPECIAL EDUCATOR MORE
SO THAN ANY OTHER EDUCATOR OR
TASK TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY
WITH THEIR COLLEAGUES TO ENSURE
THAT SPECIALISTS, STUDENTS AND
STUDENTS WITH I P S GET THE
EDUCATION THEY NEED AND DESERVE,
WHICH WAS ALSO SPOKEN TO IN AN
EARLIER PANEL. UM WHAT WAS ALSO
SAID WAS THAT CO TEACHING WAS AN
EXTREMELY HAS BEEN AN EXTREMELY
SUCCESSFUL MODEL. UM BUT WANT TO
TOUCH ON THE POINTS THAT IT DOES
REQUIRE BUY IN FROM BOTH SPECIAL
AND GENERAL HAD TEACHERS AND FOR
THEM TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY TO
ENSURE STUDENT SUCCESS REQUIRES,
YOU KNOW BANDWIDTH GRACE
FLEXIBILITY TO BE ABLE TO
COLLABORATE AND CHANGE LESSON
PLANS AND THIS BAND WITH COMES
WITH ADDITIONAL TIME TO PREP.
MEETING TO WORK WITH A SPECIAL
EDUCATOR, AND A LOT OF OUR LOCAL
UNIONS HAVE SUCCESSFULLY
BARGAINED ADDITIONAL LESSON
PLANNING TIMES TO ENSURE
COLLABORATION AND CO TEACHING.
UM AND IT'S SHOWN THAT IT HELPS
NOT ONLY STUDENTS WITH PIPES,
BUT ALL STUDENTS. UNFORTUNATELY
THIS ISN'T A LUXURY THAT ALL
EDUCATORS ARE AFFORDED. IT
REQUIRES A LOT OF RESOURCES TO
ENSURE ITS SUCCESS. UM AND
TEACHER SHORTAGE AND COVID HAS
IMPACTED OUR ABILITY TO DO THIS.
EDUCATORS ARE ALREADY ACUTELY
AWARE OF THEIR LIMITED TIME AND
ARE ASKED FOR FLEXIBILITIES. ONE
SCHOOLS WENT FULL REMOTE. UM AND
EDUCATORS ARE STRUGGLING TO
MANAGE WORKLOAD. AND BECAUSE OF
THAT, VERY FEW EDUCATORS ARE
VOLUNTEERING TO CO TEACH. BUT IF
DISTRICTS WERE PLANNING ON
OFFERING, YOU KNOW MORE TIME OR
COLLABORATION, TÌM UM, DURING
WORK SCHEDULE, I THINK MORE
EDUCATORS WOULD BE MORE WILLING
TO ADOPT THESE CO TEACHING
MODELS. UM AND I JUST BROUGHT
THIS UP BUT WANTED TO MOVE
TOWARDS TEACHER SHORTAGE. SO WE
TALKED ABOUT THIS A LOT IN THE
LEGISLATURE. WE HEAR ABOUT IT IN
THE NEWS. UM BUT THERE'S A VERY
ACUTE TEACHER SHORTAGE. UM, AND
THIS IS BOTH THE SUPPLY AND
DEMAND ISSUE. UM THERE'S AN A. C
D. C HAS THE ANNUAL REPORT THAT
THEY PREPARE ON TEACHER SUPPLY,
THE MOST RECENT ONE BEING
RELEASED ON APRIL, UM THIS APRIL
THIS PAST YEAR ON 2021 22
TEACHERS SUPPLY UM, THAT CTC HAS
REPORTED THAT THERE HAS BEEN A
DECREASE IN NEW CREDENTIALS
DURING FISCAL YEAR 2122 AFTER A
SEVEN YEAR INCREASE, AND THERE
WERE NEARLY 2 20,000 NEW
TEACHING CREDENTIALS, UM, ISSUED
IN 2021, BUT ONLY 16.5000 ISSUED
IN 2122, WHICH WAS EVEN BELOW
2017 NUMBERS. UM WHEN THIS IS
DISAGGREGATED, UM THERE ARE
THERE WERE ONLY 4000 EDUCATION
SPECIALIST CREDENTIAL, UM,
ISSUED IN 21 OR 2021 3600 ISSUED
IN 2122 ON THE DEMAND SIDE. THE
SAME STUDY SHOWED THAT, UM,
ESTIMATED TEACHER HIRES REPORTED
IN, UM SCHOOL DISTRICTS. THERE
WAS A HUGE DROP DURING COVID
VERY OBVIOUSLY, UM, AND ARE NOW
BUMPING BACK TO PRE HIRING. UM
TO PRE COVID LEVELS. UM OF THE
22,000 TEACHERS HEARD IN THE
2223 SCHOOL YEAR. UM, 4000 OF
THEM ARE SPECIAL EDUCATORS. SO
THAT WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION
AND A LOT OF DATA, BUT I THINK
THAT TAKE AWAY THAT I WANT TO
HIGHLIGHT IS THAT THERE HAS BEEN
A DROP IN SUPPLY OF EDUCATORS,
AND THERE'S ONLY A VERY FINITE
AMOUNT SPECIFICALLY OF SPECIAL
EDUCATORS. THERE WERE 3.6000
EDUCATION SPECIALIST
CREDENTIALS. ISSUED LAST YEAR,
BUT THERE WERE 4.2000 SPOTS
FILLED WHICH MEANS THAT THERE IS
DEFINITELY DEFINITELY A SUPPLY
AND DEMAND ISSUE. UM LIKE I SAID
ON, UM ON SET, THERE'S A LOT
THAT'S THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF
DISCOURSE ON TEACHER SHORTAGE,
AND THE LEGISLATURE CAN PROBABLY
DO MANY, MANY HEARINGS ON THAT,
BUT WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT CT
DID DO OUR OWN INTERNAL SURVEY
OF OUR MEMBERSHIP. LAST YEAR AND
FOUND THAT FOUR OF 10 TEACHERS
WERE EXPLORING LEAVING THE
CLASSROOM IN 20% OF THOSE OF
TEACHERS THAT THEY WERE LEAVING
THE CLASSROOM IN THE NEXT THREE
YEARS. AMOUNT AMONG THE FACTORS
THAT WERE CITED WERE BURNOUT,
POLITICAL ATTACKS ON TEACHERS
WORKLOAD AND PAY SPECIFICALLY
FOR SPECIAL EDUCATORS. IN
ADDITION TO THE CO TEACHING
EXAMPLE FEEDBACK THAT I'VE
GOTTEN FROM MY MEMBERS INCLUDE
LACK OF SUPPORT IN THE CLASSROOM
AND RESOURCES FOR ONGOING
TRAINING WORKLOAD ISSUES,
WHETHER THAT BE CLASS SIZE OR
CASELOADS, UM AND THEN FUNDING
AND LITIGATION, WHICH KIND OF
GOES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ISSUE,
RIGHT? UM THERE'S LIMITED
FUNDING, WHICH YOU'VE ALREADY
SPOKEN TO TOWARDS SPECIAL ED.
BUT THEN LAWSUITS ARE ALSO
TAKING MONEY AWAY FROM STUDENT
SUPPORT AND TEACHER TRAINING. UM
AND I SAY NO TO THAT, YOU KNOW,
WHILE WHILE THERE IS LITIGATION,
THE STUDENTS THE I P THAT IS
BEING LITIGATED. THAT STUDENT
ISN'T BEING SERVED AS WELL. SO
THERE'S JUST A LOT OF ISSUES
WITHIN THAT SPACE. AND THEN I
THINK THE LAST POINT THAT THEY
BROUGHT UP WITH JUST A LACK OF
COLLABORATION. UM, WITH WITH AND
FROM SCHOOL DISTRICTS ON ALL
THESE ABOVE ISSUES. I THINK IT
WAS SPOKEN ON, UM, PREVIOUS
PANELS AS WELL. YOU KNOW THERE
THERE'S A DIRE WANT TO SERVE
THESE STUDENTS, AND THERE'S A
LOT OF CHANGE HAPPENING. UM BUT
A LOT OF INPUT ASKED OF TEACHERS
AND SPECIFICALLY A SPECIAL
EDUCATORS. UM SPECIAL EDUCATORS
OF CANARY IN THE COAL MINE AND
OFTEN SEEING AND SPEAKING OUT
FIRST ON ISSUES IN THE CLASSROOM
SINCE THEY FEEL THE PINCH MOST
ACUTELY BUT ARE OFTEN OVERLOOKED
BECAUSE THERE ARE MUCH SMALLER
SUBSET OF THE EDUCATOR
POPULATION. UM AND ONE LAST
POINT ABOUT HOW THE LEGISLATURE
CAN HELP. I THINK THAT THE
LEGISLATURE HAS SHOWN AND
DEMONSTRATED EAGERNESS TO
ADDRESS BROAD ISSUES WITHIN
EDUCATION, BUT OFTEN MUCH LIKE
WITHIN MY OWN MEMBERSHIP.
SPECIAL EDUCATION IS OVERLOOKED
OR MISUNDERSTOOD. UM EITHER LAWS
DON'T ASK FOR INPUT SPECIFICALLY
FROM STUDENT POPULATIONS AND
FROM TEACHERS THAT SERVE THE
STUDENT POPULATIONS OR THERE'S
PIECEMEAL LEGISLATION. WORKING
TO ADDRESS SPECIFIC NEEDS OF
VARIOUS SUBGROUPS WITHIN OUR
SPECIAL ED SPACE ON THIS CREATES
FURTHER DISPARITIES AND
INCREASED COST PRESSURES IN
IMPLEMENTATION BURDENS ON OUR
EDUCATION SYSTEM. I ASKED THAT
WHEN WE DO FORM LEGISLATION THAT
WE ASKED FOR INPUT FROM STUDENTS
OF COLOR STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY
NEEDS ON HOW STUDENTS LGBT
STUDENTS YELL STUDENTS. UM AND
TEACHERS THAT SERVE THOSE
POPULATIONS WHEN CREATING POLICY
TO LOOK AT TO ADDRESS ISSUES AND
IN INADEQUATE IN EQUITIES. MORE
BROADLY WITHIN OUR EDUCATION
POLICY, IT'S SHOWN TIME AND
AGAIN THAT WHEN WE UPLIFT ALL
THESE STUDENT POPULATIONS THAT
UPLIFTS ALL OUR STUDENT
POPULATIONS, UM I APPRECIATE
THAT THERE IS NOW A SPECIALIST
STUDENT TEACHER WITHIN THE
LEGISLATURE AND LOOK FORWARD TO
CONTINUED CONVERSATIONS WITH
YOU. AND WITH THE COMMITTEE ON
HOW TO BEST SUPPORT OUR TEACHERS
AND STUDENTS ON THIS VERY
CRITICAL MOMENT. THANK YOU FOR
YOUR TIME. DO YOU HAVE A FORMER
TEACHER. I'M SITTING RIGHT HERE.
I APOLOGIZE, MR LACKEY. BUT VERY
, VERY HAPPY FOR BOTH OF YOU
GUYS TO BE, YOU KNOW, WITHIN
THIS SPACE AND HELPING ME AND US
IN THIS VERY IMPORTANT TIME,
WE'LL SAY FIRST TO ARRIVE TO THE
HEARING. YEAH UM, THANK YOU SO
MUCH ANY AND LET'S MOVE ON TO
TARA. HELLO UM MY NAME IS TARA
DEG. I AM A PARENT EDUCATOR FOR
SACRAMENTO COUNTY OFFICE OF ED
OR SCHOOL. WE AND HAVE BEEN
WORKING THERE SINCE ABOUT 2014.
I CURRENTLY WORK WITH STUDENTS
WITH THE MOST SIGNIFICANT NEEDS
RANGING FROM MEDICAL TO
BEHAVIORAL NEEDS, AND I HAVE THE
JOY OF TEACHING MIDDLE SCHOOL. I
STARTED DOING THIS WORK IN MY
TWENTIES AND INSTANTLY FELL IN
LOVE WITH BOTH THE POPULATION
THAT WE SERVE IN THE DISTRICT I
WORK FOR, AND I'M ALSO THE
CURRENT CHAPTER PRESIDENT FROM
MY LOCAL UNION FOR CSC, A I'M
HERE TODAY TO DISCUSS SOME OF
THE SUCCESSES AND CHALLENGES
THAT I HAVE SEEN IN MY
EXPERIENCE IN THE CLASSROOM. AND
I BELIEVE THERE'S BEEN MANY OF
BOTH. WE RECENTLY NEGOTIATED AND
EXPANDED BOTH OURS AND SALARIES
OF THOSE WORKING IN THE
CLASSROOM, AND THIS HAS BEEN
MONUMENTAL FOR US FOR IT ALLOWS
US TIME TO COLLABORATE WITH NOT
JUST OUR TEACHERS, PRINCIPALS
BUT ALSO OUR SPEECH THERAPISTS
AND PT AND OT UM, WHEN I FIRST
BEGAN MY WORK WITH SCHOOL, WE
ARE PAID WORK. TIME WAS THE
MINUTE THE STUDENTS ARRIVED TO
THE MINUTE THEY LEFT. AND WE
DIDN'T GET ANY TIME TO
COLLABORATE WITH THE OTHER STAFF
MEMBERS WHO ARE SO IMPORTANT TO
THE SUCCESS OF EACH STUDENT.
EXTENDING THE HOURS AND
COMPENSATION HAS HELPED US TAKE
A WHOLE CHILD APPROACH TO OUR
TEACHING, AND WE RECEIVED MORE
IN DEPTH PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT ON HOW TO COPE WITH
EMOTIONAL NEEDS, BEHAVIOR
MANAGEMENT AND SO MUCH MORE.
WHAT WE HAVE HAD AN INCREASE IN
THIS TRAINING. I FEEL THERE'S
STILL MORE TO BE DONE AND
APPROVED UPON THE DAY TO DAY
ACTIVITIES OF REPAIR EDUCATOR
ARE EXTENSIVE AND EVER CHANGING.
I START THE DAY, UH, PREPARING
BREAKFAST WAS RARE IS FROM
STUDENT TO STUDENT. SOME
STUDENTS. I NEED TO PLEAD OTHERS
. I NEED TO BLEND THEIR FOOD UP
OR CUT IT UP. I AM RESPONSIBLE
FOR ADMINISTERING MEDICATION. UM
AS EITHER VIA A PILL OR LIQUIDS
TAKEN IN THE G TUBE. EACH YEAR.
WE HAVE TO REVIEW THE TRAINING
ON THESE PROCEDURES THAT IS
GIVEN BY OUR SCHOOL NURSES. I
ALSO MANAGED BEHAVIOR NEEDS
TOILET NG AND PROVIDE 1 TO 1.
GROUP INSTRUCTION. AND THAT
TAKES UP A GREAT PORTION OF MY
DAY. THE DAY OFTEN DOES NOT END
WHEN THE BELL RINGS AND MANY
TIMES BUSSES RUN LATE. PARENTS
ARE STUCK IN TRAFFIC OR AN
EMERGENCY BATHROOM VISIT
REQUIRES US TO STAY LATE TO
CONTINUE THE CARE AND SAFETY OF
OUR STUDENTS. AT SCHOOL. WE EACH
CLASSROOM DOES HAVE AN ANNUAL
BUDGET FOR THE PURCHASE OF
ADAPTIVE EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES
TO HELP WITH OUR CURRICULUM AND
COMMUNICATION. THIS HAS BEEN A
GREAT HELP TO US TO KEEP OUR
STUDENTS ENGAGED AS WELL AS
SUPPORT THEIR UNIQUE NEEDS. BUT
WE COULD ALWAYS USE MORE.
THERE'S ALWAYS UPGRADES THAT
WOULD GREATLY BENEFIT OUR
STUDENTS. WE ALSO ASSIST IN
STANDARDIZED TESTING OF OUR
STUDENTS AFTER THE TESTING IS
NOT APPLICABLE BEFORE MOST OF
OUR STUDENT POPULATION. WELL THE
TESTING MATERIALS HAVE IMPROVED.
IT'S STILL NOT SUITABLE FOR THE
POPULATION. I WORK WITH. SOME OF
THESE STUDENTS ARE NONVERBAL.
HAS SEVEN F ECON COGNITIVE
DISABILITIES AND CANNOT OPERATE
A COMPUTER AND IT PREVENTS THEM
FROM UNDERSTANDING AND TAKING
THESE TESTS. THEY ARE DISTRACTED
OR THE MATERIALS OVERLY
COMPLICATED OR DOESN'T QUITE
MATCH THE CURRICULUM THAT WE 
THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. IT'S ALSO
BECOME CLEAR THAT MORE
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IS
NEEDED AS WE'VE FALLEN BEHIND
AND UNDERSTANDING NEW CLASSROOM
MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES. WHY WE'VE
BEEN MOVING IN THE RIGHT
DIRECTION. I FEEL THAT IT'S NOT
ENOUGH FOR WHAT WE DEAL WITH. I
HAVE RECENTLY RETURNED TO THE
CLASSROOM AFTER BEING OUT ON AN
INJURY FOR ALMOST THREE MONTHS.
THIS INJURY I FELT COULD HAVE
BEEN AVOIDED. HAD WE HAD THE
STAFF THAT WERE MORE TRAINED.
THE MAKEUP OF MY CURRENT
CLASSROOM STAFF IS MOSTLY
CONTRACTED EMPLOYEES. I AM THE
ONLY SCHOOL REPAIR A IN MY
CLASSROOM. UM THE CONTRACTOR'S
STAFF DO NOT RECEIVE THE SAME
LEVEL OF TRAINING AS I DO. SOME
OF MY TRAINING INCLUDES CPR,
PROACT AND CP I WHILE DISTRICTS
HAVE BEEN GETTING BETTER AT
SUPPLYING US WITH MORE TRAINING,
IT DOES NOT HELP IF THE CONTRACT
OF STAFF DO NOT HAVE THE SAME
LEVEL OR STANDARDS OF TRAINING
WHILE I APPRECIATE THERE IS
SOMEONE IN THE ROOM. UH IT
DOESN'T HELP AS MUCH AS YOU
THINK IT WOULD. BECAUSE OF
BECAUSE STAFF FOR JOBS THAT ARE
CONTRACTED OUT DON'T HAVE THE
TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE THAT
THAT I HAVE. WE REALLY NEED MORE
PERMANENT STAFF. CONTRACTING
STAFF ARE PAID SIGNIFICANTLY
MORE THAN MYSELF OR MY
COWORKERS. BUT THEY ARE
RESPONSIBLE TO THEIR EMPLOYER
AND NOT TO THE DISTRICT. THEY
AREN'T COMMITTED TO THIS
PROFESSION, AND MANY OF THEM
AREN'T COMMITTED TO THE
CHILDREN. THEY SERVE WHILE
TEMPORARY FILLING AND OPENING IN
ONE OF OUR CLASSROOMS. WE HAVE
THE CONTRACT PARA EDUCATORS
BECAUSE WE ARE CURRENTLY FACED
WITH NUMEROUS STAFF VACANCIES.
WHEN THE STAFF IS INJURED OR
SICK. THERE'S NO ONE TO COVER
THESE POSITIONS, BUT OUR
STUDENTS ARE ENTITLED TO THE
EDDIE EDUCATION AND NEED
PROPERLY TRAINED STAFF. THEY
DEPEND ON CONSISTENCY AND
ROUTINE TO BE ABLE TO FOCUS,
LEARN AND GROW. AND LET'S BE
CLEAR THEIR RECRUITMENT AND
RETENTION HAS BEEN A MAJOR
CHALLENGE FOR US BECAUSE THE
WAGES PAID TO PEOPLE WHO WORK IN
OUR POSITIONS ARE COMPARABLE TO
THE WAGES PAID IN FAST FOOD
WORKERS. OUR JOBS ARE LESS
FLEXIBLE AND THE HIRING
REQUIREMENTS MEANS OFTEN TAKES
MONTHS TO GET GOING TO GET
THROUGH THE HIRING PROCESS. ALSO
FOR MANY REASONS, IVE DESCRIBED
PEOPLE ARE LEAVING THE
PROFESSION IN DROVES. DURING OUR
MOST RECENT NEGOTIATIONS, WE
CONDUCTED A SALARY STUDY AND
FOUND MOST PARA EDUCATORS ARE
BELOW A LIVING ROOM WAGE FOR THE
AREA. THE AVERAGE COST OF RENT
FOR BASIC APARTMENT IN
SACRAMENTO IS MORE THAN I MAKE
IN A MONTH. I LIVE IN THE US
CITY AN AND WORK, NOT ONE BUT
FOUR JOBS TO MAKE ENDS MEET
BECAUSE MY CAREER PATH DOES NOT
ALLOW ME TO WORK JUST ONE JOB.
WHEN THE PRICE OF GAS GOES UP MY
ABILITY TO PAY MY OTHER BILLS
GOES DOWN AND I WOULD LOVE TO
LIVE CLOSER TO MY WORK. BUT I
CAN'T AFFORD TO DO SO. WITH ALL
THAT I HAVE PRESENTED TODAY. I
WANT YOU TO KNOW THIS. THE
PARENTS, EDUCATORS I KNOW AND
WORK ARE EXCEPTIONAL PEOPLE WHO
CARE ABOUT OUR STUDENTS. WE WORK
INCREDIBLY HARD AND PHYSICALLY
AND EMOTIONALLY CHALLENGING
ENVIRONMENTS. WE TAKE EVERY
OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD THE SKILLS
AND TECHNIQUES. WE NEED TO BE
SUCCESSFUL IN OUR CLASSROOMS AND
MOST OF ALL, WE WANT OUR
STUDENTS TO THRIVE AND SUCCEED.
WHAT WE ARE ASKING FOR IS BETTER
PAY BENEFITS, WORKING CONDITIONS
AND TRAINING THAT BENEFITS BOTH
STAFF AND STUDENTS. SO THIS
WOULD TAKING ON THIS WORK
DOESN'T COME WITH A VOW OF
POVERTY. WHAT WE NEEDED TO
RESPECT AND RECOGNITION THAT
TAKING BETTER CARE OF US AND OUR
CLASSROOMS IS THE KEY TO GETTING
BETTER CARE FOR OUR YOUNG
PEOPLE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU,
TARA, AND WE'LL MOVE ON TO DR
CLAXTON HENNINGS. WELCOME THANK
YOU. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME
TO SPEAK. THIS AFTERNOON. I
BEGAN MY EARLY CAREER AS A
PEDIATRIC NEUROPSYCHOLOGIST
DOING BOTH CLINICAL AND TEACHING
AND RESEARCH WORK IN THAT FIELD,
WHICH CERTAINLY LAID THE PATH
FOR MY WORK LATER ON WITH
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AS I
TRANSITIONED INTO WORKING THE K
12 ENVIRONMENT. I SPENT THE LAST
NINE YEARS IN SPECIAL EDUCATION
ADMINISTRATION, AND SO THAT'S
REALLY THE LENS THAT I'M GOING
TO BE SPEAKING FROM TODAY. UM I
HAVE BEEN THE DIRECTOR OF MENTAL
HEALTH AND PSYCHOLOGICAL
SERVICES FOR LARGE SCHOOL
DISTRICT IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
COORDINATOR OF SULFA AND MOST
RECENTLY, THE SENIOR DIRECTOR OF
SPECIAL EDUCATION AND DESERT
SANDS UNIFIED PRIOR TO TAKING MY
CURRENT POSITION. SO REALLY
COMING AT IT FROM A LENS OF A
LONG TIME OF WORKING WITH
SPECIAL EDUCATION AND REALLY
TRYING TO STAFF AND SERVE OUR
STUDENTS FROM THAT
ADMINISTRATIVE PERSPECTIVE. AS
YOU'VE HEARD MANY SUCCESSES
TODAY AND SERVING OUR STUDENTS,
PERHAPS THE GREATEST BARRIERS AN
ADMINISTRATOR TO CONTINUING TO
PROMOTE THE ACADEMIC AND
PERSONAL SUCCESSES OF THE
STUDENTS IS ONGOING STAFFING
CHALLENGES FACED BY TRADITIONAL
PUBLIC SCHOOLS, CHARTER SCHOOLS
AND ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION SITES.
I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO
HIGHLIGHT THE OVERWHELMING
CHALLENGES FACING ADMINISTRATORS
AS THEY ATTEMPT TO RECRUIT,
RETAIN AND MENTOR CERTIFICATED
AND CLASSIFIED PERSONNEL WHICH
SERVE AND SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS.
TO PROVIDE SOME CONTEXT. IT IS
IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT MANY
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
REQUIRE SUPPORTS AND SERVICES
FROM NUMEROUS HIGHLY SPECIALIZED
SERVICE PROVIDERS, INCLUDING
SPEECH AND LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST,
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST, PHYSICAL
THERAPIST, MENTAL HEALTH
THERAPISTS, PSYCHOLOGISTS AND
SCHOOL NURSES, HOWEVER, RARELY
CAN A LOCAL EDUCATION AGENCY
HIRE ALL OF THESE SPECIALIZED
PERSONNEL TO MEET THE SERVICES
REQUIREMENTS IN EVERY STUDENT'S
INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PLAN.
FOR THE MINUTES STRAIGHTER.
THERE ARE SEVERAL MECHANISMS,
WHICH SEEMED TO EXACERBATE THE
GAP BETWEEN STUDENTS NEEDS AND
STAFFING. FIRST HAVING BEEN
FORMERLY A COLLEGE PROFESSOR,
AND THEN SEEING IT ON THIS END,
RECENT COLLEGE GRADUATES AND
INDIVIDUALS ENTERING THE
WORKFORCE OVER THE PAST 8 TO 10
YEARS SEEMED TO BE SEEKING
SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND THEIR
WORK ENVIRONMENTS THEY DESIRE.
FLEXIBILITY MAXIMIZING TIME OFF,
OFFERING OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK
REMOTELY, AND NOTABLY THE
PRIORITIES OF MANY OF YOUNG
ADULTS ENTERING THE EDUCATION
WORKFORCE ARE DIFFERENT THAN
GENERATIONS, WHICH CAME BEFORE
THEM. HISTORICALLY INDIVIDUALS
ENTERED THE FIELD OF EDUCATION,
AS DID MY PARENTS AND PLAN TO
STAY THERE FOR 35, OR 40 YEARS.
NOW WHAT WE SEE IS THAT FULLY
FUNDED MEDICAL BENEFITS, JOB
SECURITY, RETIREMENT AND
PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITY ARE NOT
NECESSARILY THE PRIORITIES OF
MANY OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE
ENTERING THE PROFESSION. AS AN
ADMINISTRATOR. I PERSONALLY BEEN
APART OF RECRUITMENT TEAMS,
WHICH TRAVEL THROUGHOUT
CALIFORNIA AND THE UNITED STATES
ATTEMPTING TO RECRUIT QUALIFIED
STAFF BACK TO MY DISTRICT. THE
LACK OF INTEREST AND TRADITIONAL
EDUCATION JOBS, BOTH IN
CALIFORNIA AND ACROSS THE
COUNTRY IS STAGGERING. EVEN WHEN
THERE IS AN INTEREST THE NUMBER
OF HIGHER EDUCATION PROGRAMS
TARGETED AT PREPARING
SPECIALISTS FOR THE FIELD OF
EDUCATION IS MINIMAL. FOR
EXAMPLE, THERE ARE ONLY FIVE
SCHOOL NURSE CREDENTIALING
PROGRAMS IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA. TO A NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA, ONE IN CENTRAL
CALIFORNIA AND TWO IN SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA. AND YET WE ARE
CHRONICALLY SHORT OF SCHOOL
NURSES AND MANY NURSES DO NOT
EVEN REALIZE THAT THIS IS AN
EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY. UM,
EMPLOYMENT FOR THEM. EVEN WITH
FULL EMPLOYMENT ROSTERS, CHRONIC
ABSENTEEISM AND NOT IS NOT JUST
AN ISSUE CHARACTERIZING STUDENTS
IN OUR STATE, BUT THE EDUCATION
WORKFORCE. I WAS THINKING AS
TARA TARA WAS TALKING THAT, FOR
EXAMPLE, PARENT EDUCATORS
PROVIDE SUCH A VALUABLE 1 TO 1
SUPPORT FOR OUR STUDENTS WITH
SIGNIFICANT DISABILITIES AND
MEDICAL NEEDS. HOWEVER THEY ARE
ALSO A GROUP OF EMPLOYEES THAT
ARE MOST LIKELY TO HAVE
INCONSISTENT ATTENDANCE FROM
MANY OTHER REASONS THAT ARE
REFERENCED BEFORE YOU, BUT ALSO
BECAUSE OF THE MANY
OPPORTUNITIES THAT THEY ARE
OFFERED OUTSIDE OF THE FIELD OF
EDUCATION. FINALLY AS IT RELATES
TO CLASSIFIED STAFF. I WOULD BE
REMISS TO FAIL TO MENTION THAT
THE INCREASED MINIMUM WAGE MAKES
IT DIFFICULT FOR SCHOOL
DISTRICTS TO COMPETE FOR
CLASSIFIED STAFF WITH OTHER
INDUSTRIES. L E. A S NEEDED
GREATER RESOURCES TO OFFER MORE
COMPETITIVE SALARIES TO RECRUIT
AND RETAIN HIGHLY QUALIFIED
STAFF. SHIFTING FOCUS. I WANT TO
TAKE A MOMENT TO DISCUSS OUR
SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS.
IDENTIFYING AND RETAINING HIGHLY
QUALIFIED SPECIAL EDUCATION
TEACHERS IS AN INSURMOUNTABLE
OBSTACLE FACING PERSONNEL
DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE STATE.
FURTHERMORE WHEN CANDIDATES ARE
HIRED MANY OR NOT PREPARED FOR
THE INCREDIBLE LEGAL PROFESSORS
INVOLVED IN SIMPLY WRITING AN
INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PLAN
AND MANAGING STUDENTS WITH
SIGNIFICANT NEEDS. THIS LEADS TO
HIGH LEVELS OF BURNOUT AND POOR
RETENTION OF NEW TEACHERS,
ALTHOUGH INCLUSIVE PRACTICES ARE
IN FACT INCREASING AND SPREADING
THROUGHOUT THE STATE FOR
INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES,
MANY SPED TEACHERS EXPRESSED
THAT THEY STILL FIND THEMSELVES
MARGINALIZED ON THEIR SCHOOL
CAMPUSES. HOWEVER PERHAPS THE
MOST DETRIMENTAL FORCE IMPACTING
THE RETENTION OF TEACHERS, AND
FOR THAT MATTER, SPECIAL
EDUCATION ADMINISTRATORS IS THE
HIGHLY LITIGIOUS ENVIRONMENT
PLAGUING THE PRACTICE OF SPECIAL
EDUCATION IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA INSTEAD OF A FOCUS ON
BUILDING AND MAINTAINING HIGH
QUALITY PROGRAMS FOR STUDENTS,
WE ARE OFTEN FOCUSED ON
PREVENTING AND MANAGING
LITIGATION. THE ENVIRONMENT CAN
OFTEN BECOME VERY HOSTILE TOWARD
TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS, AND
IN SOME CASES, WE ARE EVEN
EXPERIENCING THREATS OF PHYSICAL
VIOLENCE UPON OURSELVES AND OUR
STAFF. DESPITE GREAT STRIDES IN
THE ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE,
RESOLUTION AND PARENT ENGAGEMENT
IN THE PROCESS, THESE TYPES OF
INTERACTIONS CAUSE INTENSE
EMOTIONAL DISTRESS TO EMPLOYEES
AND CREATE IT BEST DISENGAGEMENT
FROM WORK AND AT WORST EMPLOYEES
WHO WANT TO LEAVE THE PROFESSION
OR TRANSFER TO NON SPECIAL
EDUCATION ROLES WITHIN THE FIELD
OF EDUCATION. DEVELOPING SENIOR
LEVEL. SPECIAL EDUCATION
ADMINISTRATORS IS CHALLENGING
WHEN THEIR COMPENSATION DOES NOT
REFLECT THE EMOTIONAL AND
PSYCHOLOGICAL TOLL OF THE JOB
AND IS OFTEN OUTPACED BY NON
ADMINISTRATIVE CERTIFICATED
POSITIONS. IN SUMMARY RELIEF IS
NEEDED TO ADDRESS NUISANCE
LAWSUITS AND SPECIAL EDUCATION
PROTECT EDUCATION STAFF FROM THE
ABUSE BOLSTER THE ABILITY TO
RECRUIT AND RETAIN STAFF AND
OPEN ADDITIONAL TRAINING
PROGRAMS FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION
DISCIPLINES AS A WHOLE.
FURTHERMORE TRAINING PROGRAMS
SHOULD BE TARGETED TOWARDS ON
THE JOB SKILLS SUCH AS WRITING
AND I E P OR MANAGING BEHAVIOR
IN A CLASSROOM RATHER THAN
PASSING HIGHT STAKES TEST, WHICH
INSTEAD OF SERVING AS
GATEKEEPERS SERVE AS A BARRIER
TO INDIVIDUALS ENTERING THE
FIELD OF SPECIAL EDUCATION.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH TO
THE THREE OF YOU. I WANNA
SPECIFICALLY THANK TARA BECAUSE
I TAUGHT MIDDLE SCHOOL TAKES US
IT TAKES A SPECIAL PERSON TO
SPEND TIME IN MIDDLE SCHOOL. BUT
ALSO I COULDN'T HAVE RUN MY
CLASSROOM OR OUR SPECIAL
EDUCATION DEPARTMENT WITHOUT THE
PARIS WHO WERE THERE AND JUST OF
COURSE, APPRECIATE THAT TEACHERS
AND THE ADMINISTRATORS. IT'S
THAT TEAM THAT MAKES THIS WORK
IS SUPER HARD, BUT IT'S HAVING
MEANT TEAM ON CAMPUS THAT MAKES
IT POSSIBLE AND SO ON. TO
APPRECIATE EVERYONE WHO IS HERE
TODAY. I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF
QUESTIONS. I THINK, YOU KNOW,
TOP OF MIND. A COUPLE OF YOU
TALKED ABOUT LITIGATION. UM AND
DR PAXTON HENNINGS. YOU JUST
MENTIONED SOME THINGS THAT HAVE
BEEN HELPFUL, BUT REALLY, FOR
ALL THREE OF YOU ARE THERE
PIECES YOU SEE THAT THE
LEGISLATURE COULD DO TO HELP CUT
DOWN ON THE ON LITIGATION. I
THINK IT'S VERY ESSENCE, TORT
REFORM IS GOING TO BE VERY
IMPORTANT TO THAT PROCESS. IT IS
VERY REWARDING. UM FOR
ATTORNEYS, UM. TO ENGAGE, UM IN
SPECIAL EDUCATION LITIGATION
BECAUSE SCHOOL DISTRICTS AS THEY
ARE TRYING TO, UM, PRACTICE, UM
RISK MANAGEMENT AND TRYING TO
PRACTICE AND BALANCE THE TIME
THAT WE ARE SPENDING IN
LITIGATION. UM OFTENTIMES FIND
THEMSELVES SETTLING CASES AND
WHEN WE SETTLE THOSE CASES,
OFTENTIMES WE PUT OURSELVES IN
MORE SEVERE STAFFING SHORTAGES
BECAUSE OFTEN THE DEMANDS UM
THAT WE SETTLE FOR WHETHER WE
BELIEVE THEY ARE LEGITIMATE OR
NOT, AND CERTAINLY THAT PROCESS
IS APPARENT RIGHT. IT'S AN
IMPORTANT PART OF THE PARENT
PROCESS. BUT WHAT ENDS UP
HAPPENING ULTIMATELY IS WE END
UP WITH SETTLEMENT AGREEMENTS
WITH PARENTS THAT DEMAND
HUNDREDS OF HOURS OF SERVICES
THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OF SERVICES
FOR WHICH WE DON'T HAVE THE
STAFF OFTENTIMES TO PROVIDE
THOSE SERVICES TO BEGIN WITH,
AND THEN WE HAVE THE BURDEN
MOVING FORWARD AGAIN PROVIDING
THOSE SERVICES. WE ALSO OFTEN
FIND THAT WE SPEND HOURS IN THE
ROOM MANAGING LITIGATION INSTEAD
OF ACTUALLY OUT MENTORING
TEACHERS AND BEING IN CLASSROOMS
AND MAKING TWEAKS TO PROGRAMS TO
BETTER THAN FOR STUDENTS, AND SO
I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
HAS TO HAPPEN FROM A LEGISLATIVE
PERSPECTIVE IS IT CANNOT BE
INHERENTLY REWARDING TO FILE
AGAINST SCHOOL DISTRICTS. UM
PARTICULARLY FRIVOLOUS MANNER.
ANYTHING TO ADD. FROM MY
INTERVIEW. OKAY UM AND THEN THE
OTHER PIECE. I WAS WONDERING IF
EACH OF YOU COULD ELABORATE ON
HIS JUST THAT RECRUITMENT AND
RETENTION YOU MENTIONED PACE,
NOT ENOUGH. BENEFITS AREN'T
ENOUGH. UH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A
NUMBER OF THINGS THAT ARE
HAPPENING IN THE FIELD, AND IT
JUST DOESN'T SEEM TO BE ENOUGH.
SO WHAT ELSE? WHAT ELSE IS THERE
THAT YOU SEE? THAT WOULD BE
HELPFUL. AND FOR ALL THREE OF
YOU KNOW, ANNIE, YOU DIDN'T SAY
PLAY IS NOT ACH. SO I'M NOT
GONNA LAY THAT ONE ON YOUR
SHOULDERS BUT WOULD LOVE TO HEAR
FROM ALL OF YOU. WHAT ELSE CAN
WE DO ON THE TEACHER'S SIDE AND
THE PARA EDUCATOR SIDE ON
RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION? I
THINK WE ALL THREE OF US POINTED
OUT ON TEACHER TRAINING, RIGHT?
I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE
THE SUPPORT TO MAKE SURE THAT
TEACHERS ARE, UM PREPARED GOING
INTO THE WORKFORCE AND THEN
ALSO, UM, SUPPORTED WHILE YOU
KNOW, WITH WITH WITH TOOLS TO
MANAGE THEIR CLASSROOMS, I THINK
WE ALL TOUCHED ON THAT BIT. UM
AND I THINK, UM, GOING OFF OF
YOUR PREVIOUS 0.2 AND ABOUT
LITIGATION. IT'S JUST, UM AND
WHAT I HAD SAID ABOUT JUST
PRESSURE WITHIN THE CLASSROOM,
AND I THINK THAT THERE THERE
NEEDS TO BE A WAY TO TAKE SOME
OF THE ANXIETY, YOU KNOW. FROM
PARENTS FROM THE DISTRICT FROM
THE PUBLIC OFF OF TEACHERS, AND
HOW CAN WE BEST SUPPORT TEACHERS
AND MAKE SURE THAT IT ISN'T A
SCARY PROFESSION TO BE IN A
CLASSROOM? RIGHT UM, SCHOOL
BOARD MEETINGS LOOK SCARY
CLASSROOMS LOOKS SCARY. WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT VIOLENCE IN
SCHOOLS, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO
ALSO LIKE FOCUS ON THE POSITIVE
ASPECTS WHEN RECRUITING TEACHERS
AS WELL, INSTEAD OF JUST HOW HOW
HARD AND DIFFICULT AND TERRIBLE
IT IS TO BE A TEACHER. I WOULD
LOVE TO SEE US. CONSIDER AND
REALLY LOOK AT THE PRACTICAL
ASPECTS OF OUR TRAINING PROGRAM.
SO AGAIN, HAVING WORKED IN
HIGHER ED, MUCH OF WHAT WE SPEND
OUR TIME ON IS THEORETICAL
INFORMATION, WHICH IS IMPORTANT
AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE THAT
CONTEXT. BUT I HAVE SAT IN A
ROOM WHERE YOU WERE TRYING TO
TRAIN A BRAND NEW TEACHER ON HOW
TO WRITE AN I P AND WATCHED A
BRAND NEW TEACHER WALKED OUT OF
THAT ROOM AND SAY, I CAN'T DO
THIS BECAUSE THAT'S THE FIRST
TIME THEY'VE EVER BEEN EXPOSED
TO AN I P AND I THINK IT'S
REALLY IMPORTANT TO THINK ABOUT
HOW DO WE OFFER PRACTICAL SKILLS
ALONG WITH THE THEORETICAL
SKILLS THAT UNDERLIE THE
PROFESSION? SO THAT WHEN THEY
WALK INTO THAT FIRST DAY OF
ORIENTATION WEREN'T THIS WE'RE
NOT SURPRISING THEM WHEN THEY
WALK INTO THE ROOM, AND THEY
HAVE THAT FIRST DIFFICULT
STUDENT RIGHT? THAT YOU KNOW,
WANTS TO SPEND THEIR DAY UNDER
THE DESK, RIGHT? THAT'S NOT THE
FIRST TIME THAT THEY'VE HAD AND
RUN THAT SCENARIO. UM HI. ALSO
REALLY BELIEVE THAT, UM, ONE OF
THE THINGS THAT WE CAN CERTAINLY
DO AS IT RELATES TO PARENT
EDUCATORS. THERE'S CERTAINLY
MANY ISSUES HERE AS WE TALK
ABOUT REALLY THE BROAD SPECTRUM
OF STAFFING ACROSS SPECIAL
EDUCATION, BUT I THINK ONE OF
THE THINGS THAT I WOULD LOVE TO
SEE US CREATIVELY DO IS CREATE
CAREER PATHWAYS, PARTICULARLY
FOR PARA EDUCATORS. WHEN WE LOOK
AT OUR COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM
WHEN WE LOOK AT A NUMBER OF OUR
SYSTEMS, A LOT OF OUR PARENTS
EDUCATORS THAT COME INTO IT.
HAVE DEGREES OR TRAINING IN OUR
COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM OR EVEN
BACHELOR'S DEGREES. THAT REALLY
HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE
FIELD OF EDUCATION OR THE WORK
THEY'RE GOING TO DO SO THEY'RE
COMING IN WITH A STRONG
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND, BUT IT
IS NOT NECESSARILY RELATED TO
THE WORK THAT THEY WILL BE FACED
WITH WHEN THEY WALK INTO THAT
CLASSROOM, AND I THINK A
CREATIVE WAY TO ADDRESS THAT
WOULD REALLY BE TO BE ABLE TO
CREATE CAREER PATHWAYS WHERE WE
HAVE PEOPLE LIKE TARA THAT HAS
IDENTIFIED THAT AS KIND OF THEIR
LIFE'S WORK. OKAY, HERE'S A
PATHWAY IN AMERICAN. IS, UM, BY
WHICH TO DO THAT. I HAVE TO
AGREE WITH BOTH OF THEM. UM AND
ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT I
FIGHT WITH IN MY CLASSROOM IS
YOU'RE JUST A PAIR OF EDUCATOR.
AND IT'S A PHRASE THAT I HATE
WHETHER BURNING PASSION AND I
GET IT FROM BOOK PARENTS,
ADMINISTRATORS AND SO ON. BUT I
THINK HAVING A MORE INCLUSIVE
TEAM IN THE CLASSROOM AND
BUILDING UPON THOSE
RELATIONSHIPS WILL HELP IMPROVE.
UM AND MAINLY THE TRAINING. ADD.
RIGHT NOW. HE'S GETTING A LOT
BETTER ABOUT IT. WE HAVE MORE
INCLUSIVE TRAINING AND WE ARE
GETTING THE SAME TRAINING. OUR
TEACHERS ARE GETTING. AND WE'RE
LEARNING ABOUT STATES AND WE'RE
LEARNING ABOUT HOW THESE
PROGRAMS WORK TO BUILD.
OURSELVES UP, AND WE HAVE A
PROGRAM TO HELP US BECOME
TEACHERS. UM, BUT I WOULD LIKE
TO SEE MORE. WELL THANK YOU TO
THE THREE OF YOU VERY MUCH
APPRECIATE. WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON
TO PUBLIC COMMENT. UM AND SO
WHILE WE'RE TRANSITIONING, WANT
TO THANK EVERYBODY WHO GAVE
PUBLIC TESTIMONY TODAY? UM
EXCUSE ME. I WANT TO THANK
EVERYBODY WHO CAME AND SHARE
THEIR OWN TESTIMONY. ALL OF OUR
PANELISTS TODAY. AND IF THERE
ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
THAT WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE,
WE'RE GOING TO MAKE OUR WAY TO
THIS MICROPHONE. UM AND MAYBE
WE'LL KEEP PUBLIC COMMENT ABOUT
THREE MINUTES EACH. I DON'T SEE
TOO MANY PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE
BUT WANT TO BE MINDFUL OF
EVERYONE'S TIME.
AND IF THERE'S OTHER FOLKS,
YOU'RE WELCOME TO SORT OF LINER.
HI THERE. MY NAME IS STEPHANIE
COLEMAN AND I'VE BEEN IN
EDUCATION FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS
SERVED AS AN ED SPECIALIST FOR
MORE THAN 15 YEARS, AND, UM,
I'VE SERVED IN LOTS OF DIFFERENT
ROLES AS AN IT SPECIALIST AND
WORKED AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL.
I'VE ALSO TAUGHT AT THE COLLEGE
LEVEL AT SEX DATE AND WHAT I'VE
LEARNED OVER MANY YEARS. IS THAT
WORDS MATTER? UM PROBABLY THE
MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT I'VE
LEARNED IS WORDS MATTER THE
WORDS THAT WE USE MATTER
STUDENTS ARE NOT SPECIAL
EDUCATION DEPENDS. IT'S WHO ALSO
HAVE DISABILITIES. AND THIS GETS
CONFUSED. AND AS THIS GETS
CONFUSED, WE BEGIN TO LOSE SIGHT
OF THINGS. WE LOSE SIGHT OF
PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING ELSE
THEIR STUDENTS, THEREFORE, THEY
SHOULD BE TAUGHT AS STUDENTS. WE
SHOULD EXPECT THAT ALL STUDENTS
SHOULD BE TAUGHT WITH BEST FIRST
INSTRUCTION AMONGST THEIR SAME
AGE PEERS LEARNING THE SAME
STANDARDS ALIGNED CURRICULUM IF
THEY NEED SUPPORTS, THEY NEED
SUPPORT, JUST LIKE ANY OTHER
STUDENT WHO WOULD NEED SUPPORT.
AND IF THEY HAPPEN TO HAVE A
DISABILITY, THEN WE WILL SUPPORT
THOSE NEEDS BECAUSE THEY HAVE A
DISABILITY. BUT THERE ARE A
STUDENT WHO HAS A DISABILITY. WE
DON'T HAVE SPECIAL EDUCATION
TEACHERS BECAUSE WE DON'T TEACH
SPECIAL EDUCATION. WE HAVE
EDUCATION SPECIALISTS WHO
PROVIDE SUPPORT AND SERVICES
NEEDED BY STUDENTS WHO HAPPENED
TO HAVE DISABILITIES. THEY HAVE
EXCEPTIONALITY AND NEEDS
SUPPORTS AND SERVICES IN ORDER
TO THRIVE. SPECIAL EDUCATION IN
ITSELF IS KIND OF A MISNOMER. IT
DENOTES A SEPARATE FORM OF
EDUCATION FOR A SEPARATE GROUP
OF STUDENTS. THIS MOTHERING
IDEOLOGY. IT'S DETRIMENTAL TO
THE HARD WORK THAT GENERATIONS
OF PEOPLE HAVE DONE TO BREAK
DOWN BARRIERS THAT IMPACT THE
ACCESS FOR EACH AND EVERY
STUDENT. TO HAVE MEANINGFUL
INCLUSIVITY AND BELONGING.
BELONGING IN THEIR HOME SCHOOL
ENVIRONMENT IN COMMUNITIES THAT
KNOW AND CARE ABOUT THEM, AND
THAT THEY FEEL LIKE THEY ARE
TRULY AN IMPORTANT PART OF AND
IF WE ARE TO TRULY MOVE FORWARD
FOR RIGHTFUL PRESENCE LIKE WE
HEARD ABOUT TODAY. WE MUST
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE WORDS THAT
WE USE THE WORDS IN LEGISLATION
THE WORDS THAT WE SAY THE WORDS
THAT WE HAVE OTHER PEOPLE HERE
AND SPEAK. THAT THOSE WORDS HAVE
MEANING AND THOSE BELIEFS
UNDERPIN ALL THE THINGS THAT
MATTER, AND THEY MATTER TO
STUDENTS AND STUDENTS ARE FIRST
AND FOREMOST STUDENTS. THERE
JUST HAPPENED IN THIS CASE TO
HAVE DISABILITIES. AND THE OLD
LADY WITH THE ACTUAL PAPER.
THANK YOU FOR GIVING US THIS
TIME. I'M DR OVEN STEAMER. I'M
THE DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER FOR
EXCELLENCE AND DEVELOPMENTAL
DISABILITIES AT THE MINE
INSTITUTE AT U. C. DAVIS AND I
WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS MY SUPPORT
FOR THE CALIFORNIA AUTISM,
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING AND
INFORMATION NETWORK. CAPTAIN I'M
NOT A MEMBER OF CAPTAIN, BUT I
HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO STUDY THE
SCALE UP OF SPECIAL EDUCATION,
AUTISM. PRACTICES AND CAPTAIN'S
ROLE IN THAT THROUGH FUNDING
FROM THE FEDERAL DEPARTMENT OF
EDUCATION. THEY FUNDED US
BECAUSE CAPTAIN IS A MODEL
PROGRAM FOR OTHER STATES, AND
THEY WANTED TO SEE HOW IT
WORKED. SO WE CONDUCTED A STUDY
PRE PANDEMIC, BEGINNING WITH
SELF DIRECTORS DOWN TO
PARAPROFESSIONALS AND TEACHERS,
AND, UM. WE SURVEYED OVER 2500
EDUCATORS, INCLUDING 1500 DRUG
SERVICE PROVIDERS ABOUT THE
READINESS OF THEIR DISTRICT
SUPPERS AND SCHOOLS FOR
PROVIDING AUTISM PRACTICES. WE
GATHERED MORE DETAILED
INFORMATION FROM ABOUT 250
TEACHERS ABOUT THEIR USE OF
EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE IN THE
CLASSROOM. AND ABOUT HALF OF
THEM HAD BEEN TRAINED BY CAPTAIN
. WE COMPARED THOSE TWO TEACHERS
AND PARAPROFESSIONALS WHO HAD
NOT HAD THAT OPPORTUNITY. THOSE
TRAINED BY CAPTAIN REPORTED
BETTER QUALITY. AUTISM
CLASSROOMS, HIRE EVIDENCE BASED
PRACTICE KNOWLEDGE AND FELT MORE
COMPETENT USING THOSE PRACTICES.
THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR TRAINING,
OTHERS AND TALKING WITH PARENTS
ABOUT THEIR CHILD SERVICES. WE
ALSO LEARNED THAT PROVIDERS
TRAINED BY CAPTAIN HAD HIGHER
FIDELITY TO THEIR PRACTICES,
WHICH MEANS THEY USE THE
EVIDENCE BASED STRATEGIES WITH
HIGHER QUALITY. THIS IS
IMPORTANT BECAUSE RESEARCH TELLS
US THAT THAT FIDELITY IS RELATED
TO STUDENT OUTCOMES. TREAT
TEACHERS TRAINED BY CAPTAIN ALSO
USED THESE PRACTICES MORE
CONSISTENTLY WITH MORE STUDENTS,
BOTH WITH AND WITHOUT AUTISM.
QUALITY INDICATORS LIKE THESE
MEAN THAT MORE STUDENTS WERE
GETTING HIGHER QUALITIES
SERVICES WHEN THEIR PROVIDERS
WERE TRAINED BY CAPTAIN
ADDITIONALLY GREATER
IMPLEMENTATION SUPPORT IN A
DISTRICT PREDICTED HIGHER
AUTISTIC STUDENT ACADEMIC
OUTCOMES AND WAS RELATED TO
LOWER SCHOOL DISTRICT SUSPENSION
RATES, ESPECIALLY IN HIGH
POVERTY DISTRICTS, WHICH MEANS
THAT TRAINING FROM CAPTAIN MAY
HELP AMELIORATE SOME OF THE
DISPARITIES WE SEE IN STUDENT
OUTCOMES. CAPTAIN FUNDING WAS
NOT RENEWED BY THE CALIFORNIA
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION THIS
PAST YEAR. SO I WORRY THAT THE
IMPACT OF THE NETWORK IS BEING
MINIMIZED. SO I'D LIKE YOU TO
CONSIDER THE ONGOING SUPPORT OF
THIS CALIFORNIA RESOURCE. THANK
YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS
LISA YOUNG AND I'M WITH THE
PLASTER COUNTY SELF ALSO
SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF CAPTAIN
AS PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED. AUTISM
IS THE FASTEST GROWING
DISABILITY CONDITION IMPACTING
CHILDREN, UM, ONE IN 20 CHILDREN
IN CALIFORNIA, SO EDUCATORS NEED
TO KNOW HOW TO AFFECT MOST
EFFECTIVELY SUPPORT. THESE
STUDENTS USED EVIDENCE BASED
PRACTICES LIKE VISUAL SUPPORTS
OR MODELING OR PURE BASED
LEARNING. UM AS I'M SURE YOU
IMPLEMENTED IN YOUR CLASSROOM.
AND SO WE KNOW THAT CAPTAIN IS A
NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED MODEL
THAT'S HERE IN CALIFORNIA TO
SUPPORT THIS EFFORT, BUT AGAIN,
NOT RENEWED FOR FUNDING. AH WE
WORRY THAT THE IMPACT IS BEING
MINIMIZED AND THEN THE MOMENTUM
THAT WE'VE BEEN BUILDING TO WORK
WITH FELLOW SCHOOL DISTRICTS AS
WHAT WILL LAPSE. UM YOUR SUPPORT
WOULD MEAN THAT EDUCATORS AND
STUDENTS THAT THEY SERVE WOULD
CONTINUE TO BENEFIT FROM THESE
EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICES,
DISSEMINATING THROUGH CAPTAIN
THE GOAL, RESULTING IN INCREASED
COMMUNITY INCLUSION JOB
OPPORTUNITIES, WHICH FOR MOVING
TOWARDS GREATER INCLUSION
OPPORTUNITIES, BOTH IN THE
SCHOOL DISTRICT AND WITHOUT UM
AND FULFILLED LIVES FOR OUR
CHILDREN'S YOUNG PEOPLE WITH
AUTISM AND ALSO IMPACTS WHEN
TEACHERS FEEL AFFECTIVE. IT
REDUCES BURNOUT. AND THEN WE'RE
LIKELY TO STAY IN THE FIELD. SO
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE
CONSIDERATION. IS THERE ANYBODY
ELSE THAT WANTED TO GIVE
TESTIMONY? THANK YOU. EVERYONE
IN THIS ROOM HAS SPOKEN, UM SO I
WANNA THANK YOU. I WANT TO THANK
OUR STAFF FOR BEING HERE AND
THANK ALL OF YOU FOR COMING AND
WE'RE GONNA CONCLUDE OUR HEARING
AND ADJOURNED. SO THANK YOU SO
MUCH.