Acknowledgments

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Preface

Introduction

1. Early Learning
2. Evidence-Based School and Classroom Practices
3. Educator Preparation and Professional Learning
4. Assessment
5. Accountability
6. Family and Student Engagement
7. Special Education Financing

Implementation

Conclusion

Appendix

Acknowledgments

Dr. Fred Weintraub initially co-chaired the California Statewide Task Force on Special Education. This report is dedicated to his memory. August 28, 1942–May 2, 2014.

For the leadership and support of the Task Force:

• Michael Kirst, President, State Board of Education
• Linda Darling-Hammond, Chair, California Commission on Teacher Credentialing
• Tom Torlakson, State Superintendent of Public Instruction
• Karen Stapf-Walters, Executive Director, State Board of Education
• Mary Sandy, Executive Director, California Commission on Teacher Credentialing
• Rich Zeiger, Deputy Superintendent, California Department of Education

For providing liaisons to the Task Force:

• California Department of Education
• California Commission on Teacher Credentialing California Legislature
• Department of Finance
• Legislative Analyst's Office
• State Board of Education

For chairing the Task Force:

• Carl Cohn

For providing the student perspective:

• Hyla Rachwal

For helping to develop the final summary and report:

• Daniela Sahar Berman
• Richard Colvin
• Miriam Freedman
• Mary Grady
• Tom Hehir
• Terena Mares
• Alice Parker
  
• Loriann Villanis
• Julie White
• Kristin Wright

For providing organizational support:

• San Mateo County Office of Education
  
• Sacramento County Office of Education
  
• California County Superintendents Educational Services Association
• WestEd
  
• Apple, Incorporated

The following individuals served as members of this Statewide Task Force on Special Education:

Executive Directors

• Vicki L. Barber, Retired Superintendent, El Dorado County Office of Education
  
• Maureen O’Leary Burness, Retired Assistant Superintendent, Folsom-Cordova Unified School District

Task Force Members:

• Carl Cohn, Chair, State Board of Education, Claremont Graduate University
  
• Marta Anchondo, Executive Director, Team of Advocates for Special Kids (TASK)
  
• Mark Archon, IT Specialist, Fresno County Office of Education
  
• Lucia Arias, Special Education Teacher, Los Angeles Unified School District
  
• Catherine Blakemore, Executive Director, Disability Rights California
  
• Tony Booker, Assistant Principal, Crenshaw High School
  
• Todd Brose, Superintendent, Antelope Elementary School District
  
• Mildred Browne, Education Consultant, San Francisco Unified School District, Retired Assistant Superintendent and Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) Director
  
• Cindy Chandler, Executive Director, Family SOUP
  
• Douglas Fisher, Professor, San Diego State University
  
• Tanya Golden, Teacher, ABC Unified School District
  
• Michael Gomez, Principal, Romoland Elementary School
• David Gordon, Superintendent, Sacramento County Office of Education
  
• Victoria Graf, Professor of Special Education, Loyola Marymount University
  
• Ann Halvorsen, Professor, California State University, East Bay
  
• Nancy Hurlbut, Associate Dean, Cal Poly Pomona College of Education and Integrative Studies
  
• Sara Jocham, Assistant Superintendent Special Education, Capistrano Unified Advisory Commission on Special Education
  
• Doreen Lohnes, Assistant Superintendent Support Services, Santa Ana Unified
  
• Matt Navo, Superintendent, Sanger Unified School District
  
• Sam Neustadt, Assistant Superintendent, SELPA, Solano County Office of Education
  
• Carolyn Nunes, Director of Special Education, San Diego County Office of Education
  
• Linda James Perry, Director (Retired), Head Start, Long Beach Unified School District
  
• Gina Plate, Vice Chair, Advisory Commission on Special Education
• Lihi Rosenthal, Director of Special Education, Seneca Family of Agencies
  
• Mary Samples, Assistant Superintendent SELPA, Ventura County Office of Education
  
• Patty Schetter, Project Coordinator, Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (CEDD) at the UC Davis MIND Institute
  
• Barbara Schulman, Special Education Teacher, Saddleback Valley Unified School District, Advisory Commission on Special Education
  
• Sue Shalvey, Special Education Director, Aspire Public Schools
  
• Nancy Snodgrass, Bilingual Special Education Teacher, Turlock Unified School District
• Dee Torrington, Resource Specialist, Granite Oaks Middle School, CARS+, Sacramento County Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment (BTSA)
  
• Anna Marie Villalobos, Director of Special Education, San Mateo County Office of Education
  
• Michael Watkins, Superintendent, Santa Cruz County Office of Education
  
• Rande Webster, Associate Dean, Professor of Special Education, School of Education and Counseling, Dominican University

Ex Officio Members:

• Brooks Allen, Deputy Policy Director, State Board of Education
  
• Fred Balcom, Director of Special Education, California Department of Education
  
• Teri Clark, Director of Professional Services, Commission on Teacher Credentialing
• Bob Loux, Consultant, California Commission on Teacher Credentialing
  
• Beth Rice, Education Programs Consultant, State Board of Education
  
• Erika Webb-Hughes, Federal Policy Liaison, California Department of Education
  

Legislative and State Agency Contacts:

• Susanna Cooper California State Senate
  
• Rachel Ehlers, Legislative Analyst’s Office
  
• Diana Glick, California State Assembly
  
• Lisa Mierczynski, Department of Finance
• Jill Rice, California State Assembly
  
• Rick Simpson, California State Assembly
  
• Jen Troia, California State Senate

Note: Individuals are identified in the roles that they were fulfilling at the time the Task Force work was being completed.