Advisory Commission on Special Education Members
- David Toston, Chair
Victoria Graf, Vice Chair - Elizabeth Estes
Dawn Hamilton - Betty Lieu
April Lopez - Russell Michaud
Sarah Notch
Christine Oyakawa
Gloria Ruiz
Heather Snipes
Barbara Sorter
Jeannine Topalian - Matthew Wilkins
Student Members
- Rachael Ding
- Saran Tugsjargal
Legislative Members
- Honorable Marie Alvarado-Gil, Senate
Honorable James Gallagher, Assembly
State Board of Education
Alison Yoshimoto-Towery, Liaison
State Special Schools
Nancy Hlibok Amann, Director, State Special Schools and Services Division
California Department of Education
Executive Secretary
Rachel Heenan, Director, Special Education Division
California Department of Education
Agenda times are approximate and are provided for convenience only. Items may be re-ordered to be heard on any day of the noticed meeting or on a subsequent agenda. The order of business may be changed without notice. Every effort will be made to webcast this meeting in its entirety, but some portions may not be webcast due to logistical constraints.
Reasonable Accommodation for Any Individual With a Disability
Pursuant to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, any individual with a disability who requires reasonable accommodation to attend or participate in a meeting or function of the Advisory Commission on Special Education (ACSE), may request assistance by contacting the Special Education Division (SED), 1430 N Street, Suite 2401, Sacramento, CA, 95814; telephone, 916-445-4602; fax, 916-327-3706.
Advisory Commission on Special Education
| Meeting Schedule | Meeting Location |
|---|---|
| Wednesday, February 21, 2024 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific Time ± |
California Department of Education |
| Thursday, February 22, 2024 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Pacific Time ± |
California Department of Education 1430 N Street, Room 1101 Sacramento, California 916-445-4602 |
Advisory Commission on Special Education Meeting Logistics
Members of the public may view the meeting by live webcast, which will subsequently be archived on the ACSE Meeting Webcasts web page.
The February 21‒22, 2024, ACSE meeting will be held at the California Department of Education (CDE), at the address noted above. The CDE building will be open to the public, however capacity may be limited in order to allow for physical distancing and members of the public are strongly encouraged to wear masks.
Public Comment Guidelines
Public comment may be via email, phone, or in-person, as specified below.
The public is highly encouraged to submit written comment to the ACSE members in advance for prior consideration. In order to ensure Commissioners have time to review comments, please submit comments by noon on Friday, February 16, 2024. However, comments received after that time will be forwarded to Commission members until the day of the meeting. Comments should be submitted to the ACSE mailbox at ACSE@cde.ca.gov. The following information should be included in the body of the email: (1) commenter’s first and last name, (2) organization affiliation, (3) agenda item number or general public comment.
Phone
Public comment may also be provided by dialing the phone number and participant access code that will be provided on February 21‒22, 2024, and then following the operator’s prompts. Upon dialing in, callers will be added to a caller queue. The operator will notify callers when it is their turn to provide public comment. Public comment will be limited to one minute for each agenda item unless otherwise specified by the ACSE. Members of the public wishing to dial in for public comment should view the live-stream of the meeting. The number and access code will be provided at the start of public comment for each item.
Prior to making public comment, speakers who are watching the meeting via live webcast should make sure the volume on their computer is muted to avoid echoing or feedback during the call.
In-Person
Public comment may also be provided in-person at the ACSE meeting. However, capacity may be limited to allow for physical distancing and members of the public are strongly encouraged to wear masks. Individuals who wish to comment on a specific agenda item or provide general public comment must sign up on the public comment roster prior to public comment. Public comment will be limited to one minute for each agenda item unless otherwise specified by the ACSE.
Agenda Item Materials
Agenda item materials, including presentation materials, are available by sending a request for copies to ACSE@cde.ca.gov.
Advisory Commission on Special Education
Wednesday, February 21, 2024, 10 a.m. Pacific Time ±
California Department of Education
1430 N Street, Room 1101
Sacramento, California
Begin Meeting
10 to 10:15 a.m. Pacific Time ±
- Call to Order: Roll Call
- Salute to the American Flag
- Review of Agenda: Day One
- Review of Public Comment Options
- Communications and Announcements
- Swearing in of Commissioners
- Commissioner Protocol
Item 1
10:15 to 11 a.m.
The California Association of Resource and Special Educators (CARSplus): CARSplus is the sole statewide association dedicated to representing the unique needs of special educators and their support staff across California. Since 1981, our goals have included providing professional support, increasing public awareness of special education, addressing current issues to develop policies, and actively representing and protecting the interests of special educators in legislative and educational settings. Presenters: Lana Telles, President CARSplus, and Matthew Kabel, Former President CARSplus. (Item Type: Information, Discussion)
Item 2
11 to 11:45 a.m.
Special Education Director’s Report: An update on activities within the Special Education Division will be provided. Presenters: Sarah Neville-Morgan, Deputy Superintendent (CDE) and Rachel Heenan, Director of Special Education, (CDE). (Item Type: Information, Discussion, Action)
Lunch
11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Item 3
1 to 1:15 p.m.
General Public Comment: General public comment is invited on any matter, including items not on the agenda. The Advisory Commission on Special Education (ACSE) is precluded from discussing matters not on the agenda; however, questions may be asked by Commissioners for clarification purposes. Issues raised by the public may be referred to a future meeting agenda. Chair reserves the right to establish time limits on presentations. (Item Type: Information)
Item 4
1:15 to 2 p.m.
California Tribal Families Coalition for Students with Disabilities and Northern California Indian Development Council: The presentation will raise awareness of education disparities for Native youth in California, with a focus on Native foster youth and Native youth with disabilities. We will also discuss personal experiences and lessons learned from providing special education advocacy for Native students. Presenters: Breanna Bollig, Equal Justice Works Fellow, California Tribal Families Coalition, and Sonny Tripp, Indigenous Education Advocate, Northern California Indian Development Council. (Item Type: Information, Discussion)
Item 5
2 to 2:45 p.m.
Key2Ed: During this session, members will receive an overview of the CDE's project to inform a model network for individualized education program meeting facilitation. Presenters from Key2Ed will describe the project, provide an update on invested educational partner activities, and share feedback to date. Presenters: Theresa Nicholls, Project Manager, Robin O’Shea, Contract Manager, Cassie Velasquez, Contract Manager (Item Type: Information, Discussion)
Break
2:45 to 3 p.m.
Item 6
3 to 3:45 p.m.
The Pathways to Partnership (P2P): The P2P team will share an overview of their project within the Statewide System of Support. Pathways to Partnership is the Special Education Resource Lead (SERL) focused on Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR). Information on the project’s mission, vision, and first year progress in building capacity throughout the state with families and schools will be shared. Resources, upcoming professional development opportunities, future goals will also be reviewed. Presenter: Veronica Coates, Assistant Superintendent, Tehama County Special Education Local Plan Area and Executive Director of The Pathways to Partnership Project: SERL for ADR California Collaborative for Educational Excellence. (Item Type: Information, Discussion)
Item 7
3:45 to 4:30 p.m.
Committee Study Sessions–Grazer Outstanding Achievement in Learning and Elections: ACSE Committees will meet to: Assess progress on current projects and initiatives; Ensure their strategies and activities are aligned; and Prepare reports or agenda items to present at upcoming ACSE meetings. Presenter: Committee Chairs (ACSE). (Item Type: Information, Discussion, Action)
Item 8
4:30 to 5 p.m.
General Public Comment: General public comment is invited on any matter, including items not on the agenda. The ACSE is precluded from discussing matters not on the agenda; however, questions may be asked by Commissioners for clarification purposes. Issues raised by the public may be referred to a future meeting agenda. Chair reserves the right to establish time limits on presentations. (Item Type: Information)
Adjournment
5 p.m.
Adjournment of meeting, day one.
Advisory Commission on Special Education
Thursday, February 22, 2024, 9 a.m. Pacific Time ±
California Department of Education
1430 N Street, Room 1101
Sacramento, California
Begin Meeting
9 to 9:15 a.m. Pacific Time ±
- Call to Order: Roll Call
- Salute to the American Flag
- Review of Agenda: Day Two
- Review of Public Comment Options
- Communications and Announcements
Item 9
9:15 to 10 a.m.
Educating Each and Every Learner: Developing Inclusive Teacher Preparation Programs: This presentation will provide an overview and context for the development of inclusive teacher preparation programs including a description of the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) Common Trunk of Preparation. Presenter: Dr. Marquita Grenot-Scheyer, Professor Emeritus, California State University Long Beach, and CTC. (Item Type: Information, Discussion)
Item 10
10 to 10:30 a.m.
Commissioners, State Board of Education, and Director of State Special Schools Liaison Reports: An update from Commissioner Liaisons, State Board of Education (SBE) Liaison, and Director of State Special Schools (SSS) Liaison will be provided. Presenters: Commissioners (ACSE), Alison Yoshimoto-Towery (SBE), Nancy Hlibok Amann (SSS). (Item Type: Information, Discussion)
Item 11
10:30 to 11:45 a.m.
Committee Study Sessions (Legislative and Policy Committee, Operations and Planning Committee): ACSE Committees will meet to: Assess progress on current projects and initiatives; Ensure their strategies and activities are aligned; and Prepare reports or agenda items to present at upcoming ACSE meetings. Presenter: Committee Chairs, (ACSE). (Item Type: Information, Discussion, Action)
Lunch Break
11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Item 12
1 to 1:20 p.m.
General Public Comment: General public comment is invited on any matter, including items not on the agenda. The ACSE is precluded from discussing matters not on the agenda; however, questions may be asked by Commissioners for clarification purposes. Issues raised by the public may be referred to a future meeting agenda. Chair reserves the right to establish time limits on presentations. (Item Type: Information)
Item 13
1:20 to 2:10 p.m.
CDE Annual Performance Report (APR)/State Performance Plan (SPP) Update: The Special Education Division will present the updated Federal Fiscal Year 2022 Annual Performance Report/State Performance Plan. The APR/SPP reports on the progress of meeting yearly targets in 17 indicators, focused on improving outcomes for Students with Disabilities. Presenters: Shiyloh Duncan-Becerril, Associate Director of Special Education, (CDE) and Cindy Kazanis, Director, Analysis, Measurement, and Accountability Reporting Division, (CDE). (Item Type: Information, Discussion, Action)
Item 14
2:10 to 2:30 p.m.
ACSE Agenda Building: Commissioners will suggest potential items for future ACSE meetings. (Item Type: Information, Discussion)
Item 15
2:30 to 2:45 p.m.
General Public Comment: General public comment is invited on any matter, including items not on the agenda. The ACSE is precluded from discussing matters not on the agenda; however, questions may be asked by Commissioners for clarification purposes. Issues raised by the public may be referred to a future meeting agenda. Chair reserves the right to establish time limits on presentations. (Item Type: Information)
Adjournment
2:45 to 3 p.m.
Adjournment of meeting