Readers of this blog know that in late February, SFUSD commissioned a third party audit to do a comprehensive review of the district’s Special Education services. The auditors–the Urban Special Education Leadership Collaborative–have conducted site visits, reviewed district data, and interviewed many teachers, parents, administrators and community advocates, then compiled their findings into a report. That report is due to be released to the public on September 21 at a Committee of the Whole meeting of the Board. In addition, the district will sponsor two additional meetings for interested members of the public to learn more about the auditors’ findings and the district’s plans for reform. Please spread the word about these opportunities to learn more:
- Board of Education Committee of the Whole Meeting — The auditors will present findings in person to the Board of Education on Tuesday, September 21 at 6pm in the Board Meeting Room at 555 Franklin Street; Interpretation provided.
- Community Presentation from the Auditors The auditors, Deputy Superintendent Richard Carranza and Assistant Superintendent of Special Education Services Cecelia Dodge will answer questions from the public about the report on Wednesday, September 22 at 6pm at Horace Mann Middle School, 3351 23rd St. Parking on site. Interpretation provided. Childcare is available if reserved by Sept. 20 — contact richardsona “at” sfusd.edu. For special accommodations, please contact Carol Kocivar at kocivarc “at” sfusd.edu.
- Community Advisory Committee for Special Education Board of Education Commissioner Rachel Norton (that’s me!) and Assistant Superintendent of Special Education Services Cecelia Dodge will discuss the report with members of the CAC. Thursday, September 23 at 7pm Support for Families / 1663 Mission St, 7th floor. Call 282-7494 at least one week in advance to reserve childcare.
Rachel Norton 
SFUSD is going to send out ROBO calls about the meetings to all families with a child with an IEP. (Except for those who have children attending non-public schools, who are not plugged into the calling system in the same way). If parents do not get a ROBO Call, the CAC Sped would like to know about it. (email us at: cac_specialed”@”hotmail.com)
Paper copies of the report will be available at all the announced meetings.
Ms. Dodge told me that the report will also be translated into Chinese and Spanish (not in time for the meetings this month, but hopefully soon) and that is really good news!
The tentative date for the October meeting is October 18th.
@Katy Assistant Superintendent Dodge is intending to convene a parent meeting in several weeks or a month (details as soon as they are available), as she agrees that people need time to absorb the report before being able to fully comment on it and its implications.
@Katie Russell – I know it will be available electronically, but I am not sure when. I promise I will post it as soon as I can get my hands on an electronic copy and no later than the evening of the 21st — from the meeting if I have to!
Rachel, Thanks for the announcement. Is the report going to be available electronicly? If so, any idea as to when?
This is the first I have heard about the “Community Presentation from the Auditors” on 9/22 and I am the Chair of the CAC SPED.
There’s been no communication about it, there’s very little time to get the word out to the Community, and there’s been no coordination with the CAC SPED about it. Disappointing.
I hope that the auditors will agree to gather at a later date, after people have actually had a chance to look over their audit; they will not release the audit before the Board of Education Meeting on Sept. 21st, not even to our Committee. That’s also disappointing and puzzling. We’ll need more than 1 day to study the audit to have any meaningful discussion about it. SFUSD is, once again, going through the “motions” of pretending to involve parents, and pretending to want us to be “part of the conversation.”
Does SFUSD plan to do ROBO call to families to announce this? I mean, if I haven’t heard about it until now, odds are hardly anybody else in our community has.