Advisory Commission on Special Education Members
- Sarah Notch, Chair
Heather Snipes, Vice Chair - Victoria Graf
- Dawn Hamilton
- Betty Lieu
April Lopez - Russell Michaud
Christine Oyakawa
Gloria Ruiz - Aubrey Scott
Barbara Sorter
- Matthew Wilkins
Student Members
- Helena Donato-Sapp
Michelle Feimer
Legislative Members
- Honorable Sasha Rene Perez, 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
Dr. 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, October 15, 2025 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pacific Time ± |
California Department of Education |
| Thursday, October 16, 2025 9 a.m. to 12:45 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 October 15‒16, 2025, 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 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, October 10, 2025. 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 October 15–16, 2025, 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.
Please use the phone number and access code provided below:
- Phone number: 717-908-1926
- Participant Access Code: 1166083#
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, October 15, 2025, 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
- Accessibility
- Review of Public Comment Options
- Communications and Announcements
Item 1
10:15 to 11 a.m.
Seating of Student Commissioners: New Student Commissioners will be introduced and sworn in. (Item Type: Information, Discussion, Action)
Item 2
11 to 11:45 a.m.
Pathways to Partnership (P2P): Members of the P2P leadership team will share an update of their Statewide System of Support initiative. Pathways to Partnership is the Special Education Resource Lead focused on Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR). An update on the goals and progress of the initiative, in its second year, will be provided. The presentation will focus on the strong collaboration with the CDE, SED Constituent Support Services Unit, including direct technical assistance P2P is providing to the field. P2P will also provide information on their established statewide Regional Implementation Lead network of ADR professionals, Communities of Practice, and Professional Learning opportunities across the state. Presenters: Veronica Coates, Assistant Superintendent, Tehama County Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) and Co-Executive Director of the P2P initiative; Joanna Della Gatta, Executive Director, Ventura County SELPA and Co-Executive Director of the P2P initiative; Aubrie Fulk, Director of Student, Family, and District Support, Tehama County SELPA and Co-Director of The P2P initiative; Stacy Alvey, Director of Family and School Collaboration, Ventura County SELPA and Co-Director of the P2P initiative; Denise Lambert, Education Programs Consultant, SED, CDE; Sharde Pickens, Staff Services Manager I, SED, CDE. (Item Type: Information, Discussion)
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 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 in a future meeting agenda. The chair reserves the right to establish time limits on presentations. (Item Type: Information)
Item 4
1:15 to 2 p.m.
Journify: Across California, special-education teams are grappling with well-documented pressures - persistent staffing shortages, mounting paperwork, and students falling behind despite educators’ best efforts. This session showcases how Journify Learning, an evidence-based Artificial Intelligence (AI) assistant built in partnership with California districts, is helping schools reclaim up to half of teachers’ time while strengthening real-time compliance and students’ outcomes tracking. Attendees will see concrete impact data from active California pilots, a brief demonstration of the platform in action, and practical recommendations for how evidence-based practices can be scaled to maximize both the efficiency and effectiveness of special education teams. Presenter: Mara Steiu, Co-founder and CEO, Journify. (Item Type: Information, Discussion)
Item 5
2 to 2:45 p.m.
High Quality Individualized Education Programs (IEPs): The High-Quality Individualized Education Programs Project (HQ IEPs), a Special Education Resource Lead, will present ASCEND: Awareness, Skills, Confidence, Exploration, Navigation, and Determination—A Self-Determination Framework, which supports California’s mission to create student-centered, strengths-based IEPs. This framework empowers students to make informed choices, advocate for themselves, and take ownership of their education, employment, and independent living. Presenters: Heather DiFede, Executive Director, HQ IEPs, Leo Mapagu, SELPA Director, Northwest SELPA, Dr. Jennifer Yales, Executive Consultant, HQ IEPs, Noreen Rodriguez-Lippincott, Program Administrator, HQ IEPs, and Dr. Hinda Nadif, Program Administrator, HQ IEPs. (Item Type: Information, Discussion)
Break
2:45 to 3 p.m.
Item 6
3 to 3:45 p.m.
CDE Annual Performance Report/State Performance Plan: The SED will present the Federal Fiscal Year 2024 Annual Performance Report (APR)/State Performance Plan (SPP), an annual submission to the Office of Special Education Programs. 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 Nora Parella, Education Research and Evaluation Consultant, Special Education Division, CDE. (Item Type: Information, Discussion, Action)
Item 7
3:45 to 4 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 in a future meeting agenda. The chair reserves the right to establish time limits on presentations. (Item Type: Information)
Adjournment
4 p.m.
Adjournment of meeting, day one.
Advisory Commission on Special Education
Thursday, October 16, 2025, 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
- Accessibility
- Review of Public Comment Options
- Communications and Announcements
Item 9
9:15 to 10 a.m.
Commissioner, 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, ASCE, Alison Yoshimoto-Towery, SBE, Nancy Hlibok Amann, Director of State Special Schools and Services Division, CDE. (Item Type: Information, Discussion)
Item 10
10 to 10:30 a.m.
Special Education Director’s Report: An update on activities within the SED will be provided. Presenter: Dr. Rachel Heenan, Director of Special Education, CDE. (Item Type: Information, Discussion)
Break
10:30 to 10:45 a.m.
Item 11
10:45 to 11:15 a.m.
Operations and Planning Committee Study Session: In accordance with the ACSE bylaws, Operations and Planning Committee will meet. Presenters: Commissioners, ACSE. (Item Type: Information, Discussion, Action)
Item 12
11:15 to 11:45 a.m.
Policy and Legislation Committee Study Session: In accordance with the ACSE bylaws, Policy and Legislation Committee will meet. Presenters: Commissioners, ACSE. (Item Type: Information, Discussion, Action)
Item 13
11:45 a.m. 12:15 p.m.
Agenda Building: Commissioners will suggest potential items for future ACSE meetings. Presenters: Commissioners, ACSE. (Item Type: Information, Discussion, Action)
Item 14
12:15 to 12:30 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 in a future meeting agenda. The chair reserves the right to establish time limits on presentations. (Item Type: Information)
Adjournment
12:30 to 12:45 p.m.
Adjournment of meeting