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MBUSD
District Goals, 2000-2001
Special Meeting - September 25, 2000
[Submitted by: Advocates for Special Kids - ASK]
ASK is pleased MBUSD has chosen to set
high goals and expectations for ALL its students (as reflected in the September
15, 2000 letter from Assistant Superintendent Kate Nelson to Elementary
Parents.) Setting such high goals and expectations will create real challenges
for the district to support the many children with special needs given the
current service delivery model of special education in MBUSD. We believe these are challenges MBUSD can and must
meet. In determining the
district’s goals for 2000-2001, we ask that the following questions be
considered:
Positive
Outcomes
1)
What are MBUSD’s goals to ensure that the majority of children who receive
special education services will have the opportunity to work toward, and
receive, a high school diploma?
2)
What are MBUSD’s goals for notifying parents of
children in special education regarding the difference between a Certificate of
Completion and a high school diploma, and how that difference will affect their
child’s future?
3)
What goals has MBUSD set to ensure that ALL students, including those identified
eligible for special education supports and accommodations, take and are
adequately prepared to take the high school exit exam (HSEE)?
Access
to Curriculum and Content
4)
What are MBUSD’s goals regarding ensuring that
content standard-based goals and objectives, based on core curriculum, are being
written into IEP’s?
5)
What are MBUSD’s goals regarding ensuring that
all students identified eligible for special education supports and
accommodations are having their curriculum appropriately modified by
appropriately trained staff to ensure access to and progress in that curriculum?
Assessment
6)
What goals has MBUSD set to ensure that ALL
students, including those identified eligible for special education supports and
accommodations, are provided the opportunity to take the STAR 9 and the high
school exit exam (HSEE)?
7)
What goals has MBUSD set to ensure that students
identified eligible for special education supports and accommodations take the
STAR 9 in a manner that will ensure their scores are standardized to show
progress or lack thereof, both on an individualized basis and a district-wide
basis?
8)
What goals has MBUSD set to develop appropriate
alternate assessments for students who cannot take the STAR 9 and HSEE? (See CDE,
SPECIAL EDge “Accountability in the Classroom,” Judy Elliott, Ph.D, Asst.
Superintendent, Long Beach Unified School District, Summer 2000, pg. 1)
Staff
Development
9)
What goals has MBUSD set for improving staff
development in relation to children with special needs, in particular the hiring
of and consultation with experts with regard to the various disabilities
children in the district present and how to support those children through
modifications and accommodations in the least restrictive environment [LRE]?
Information
Provided to Parents
10)
What goals has MBUSD set to ensure parents are
adequately informed, in conformance with IDEA, of their child’s right to an
education in the least restrictive environment and that “removal from the
regular educational environment occurs only when the nature or severity of the
disability of the child is such that education in regular classes with the use
of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily.”? [PL
105-17]
11)
What goals has MBUSD set to ensure parents are not only informed of the full
continuum of placement options available to their child with special needs, but
are informed of all programs available to students in MBUSD, including remedial
reading and math programs, AVID, etc.?
12)
What goals has MBUSD set in terms of educating and
notifying parents with children receiving special education services about the
recent changes in IDEA (IDEA97), standards-based education, the HSEE and
statewide assessments?
Community
Leadership
13)
What goals has MBUSD set for taking a responsible leadership role in informing
the school community and the community at large regarding the rights of children
with special needs to an appropriate education and the district’s obligation
and responsibility for providing same?
14)
What goals has MBUSD set for ensuring that the
inclusion of children with special needs is facilitated in all aspects of the
school community and that district policies, procedures, publications and
pronouncements take into consideration the perspective of children with special
needs and their families?
Legal
Fees
15)
What goals has MBUSD set in relation to legal fees related to special education?
In 1993-94, when Jerry Davis became MBUSD’s Superintendent, legal fees
for special education totaled $555.00. What goals has MBUSD set to halt and
reverse the increases in legal fees seen in the past half decade?
16)
What goals has MBUSD set to halt and reverse the increasing tendency toward
litigation?
We are pleased MBUSD is committed to
ensuring “that every child who enters our school system at any level not only
has access to high academic standards, but also has the means to meet or exceed
them,” as reflected in the September 15, 2000 letter from the Assistant
Superintendent, Educational Services. We
share this goal with the district - to ensure that ALL children reach their
academic potential and become life-long learners and productive citizens.
We are encouraged that MBUSD is applying these high standards to ALL
children and truly hope that ALL does mean ALL.
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