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