Important Notice to Parents
Important notice to Parents in the Berkeley Unified School District
The California Department of Education’s (CDE) Verification Review (VR) of the Berkeley Unified School District’s special education system is scheduled for April 6th-10th. CDE staff will be in the district reviewing policies, procedures, student records, conducting interviews, and gathering further information to evaluate the district’s compliance with state and federal special education laws. CDE has confirmed that part of its review is based on complaints, comments and concerns that parents bring directly to its attention, and is committed to issuing corrective actions to remedy identified non-compliance.
To facilitate the collection of parent input, DREDF has created an online Special Education Verification Review Parent Survey. We ask that you please fill out the survey and circulate it widely.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/JG8YX2B
DREDF will compile the results of these surveys and share the information with CDE. We would like to have as many completed surveys as possible by March 11, 2015. We will however accept surveys after March 11th and continue to share the additional information with CDE. We know this is a quick turnaround, and very much appreciate your quick attention and cooperation.
We also encourage you to contact CDE directly to share your concerns. The CDE contact person for the VR is Ruby Smith, rsmith@cde.ca.gov, (916) 445-4547.
Your input in the VR process is invaluable, and we thank you in advance for your thoughtful feedback. To read more about the CDE Quality Assurance process including Verification Reviews, go to:
“Inclusion” is one of the core principles of our special education laws.
Children with disabilities should be educated in the least restrictive environment that is appropriate to meet their unique needs. Hopefully, the Task Force has considered student safety, teacher training and other supports as part of its recommendations.
According to a recent report, new recommendations from a statewide task force would have huge ramifications for LA Unified and its roughly 82,000 special education students.
The Statewide Task Force on Special Education’s report, “One System: Reforming Education to Serve all Students,” calls for a number of blockbuster moves, including a much greater integration of special education students into general education settings, major changes to teacher training and other overhauls.
The Report calls for the closing of most of LAUSD’s 15 schools and sites dedicated to special education.
The task force report also recommends increasing the availability statewide to early education for children with special ed needs, creating a “common trunk” of training for special education teachers and general education teachers and to “equalize the state’s support for special education across California by overhauling the system of special education financing.”
For more information: Please see LA School Report
We appreciate your continued support and referrals. ADAMS ESQ now has offices throughout California and Nevada to serve you. If you believe you may need legal assistance as your child transitions to the new school year, please contact us toll free at: 800-785-6713 or visit us on the web at: www.AdamsEsq.com.
— Jean Murrell Adams
“Making a difference…one child at a time.”
Disclaimer :The information and materials on the ADAMS ESQ newsletter do not represent the opinion of our attorneys, employees, clients, or any other viewers of our newsletters.Materials in the newsletter do not constitute legal advice.Although information is updated periodically, there is no guarantee that it is accurate, complete, or current.We recommend that all users seek the advice of their attorney before acting on any of the information available in this newsletter..
