Special Education Program Implementation Update Susan B. Mitchell Director of Special Education February 10, 2009.

Special Education Program Implementation

Update

Susan B. Mitchell

Director of Special Education

February 10, 2009

Purpose of Presentation

Provide an update on Special Education programs and services

Review Special Education costs Provide an update on recommendations from

Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team report completed in August 2006

Program Recommendations for 2009-2010 school year

Special Education History Prior to 1975 (Special

Education not required) 100,000+ students out of

school Federal Law created due to

several lawsuits Public Law P.L. 94-142 (1975)

Free and Appropriate Public Education

Child Find Provision Reauthorization 1997 -

Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) 1997 Individually designed services Participate and make progress in

General Education Accountability

Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (known as IDEA 2004) Focus on Accountability Focus on Improving

educational results and functional outcomes

Emphasis on reading, math and science with heightened responsibilities for general and special education collaboration

Scientifically researched strategies and Response to Intervention (RtI)

Numbers/Percentages Served

California Basic Educational Data System (CBEDS)

(K-22)

K-22

Pupil

Count

0-22 Total Pupil

Count

Special Education

% K-22

Alameda

2006-0710,260 936 1,089 9.12%

Alameda

2007-0810,315 1,000 1,134 9.69%

Alameda

2008-0910,183 1,017 1,151 9.99%

High Cost Disabilities, 3-22

Emotional disturbance (ED)

% of

Pupil

Count

Autism % of Pupil count

Low Incidence

% of Pupil Count

Alameda

2006-07

45 4.13% 86 7.60% 28 2.57%

Alameda

2007-08

68 6.00% 94 8.29% 56 4.94%

Alameda

2008-09

70 6.08% 106 9.21% 54 4.69%

What are the costs?(07-08)

Total Special Education Revenue: $8,132,263 Base Revenue: $1,861,510 Total Revenue: $9,993,773

Expenditures ($15,449,224)

General Fund Contribution $5,455,451

General Fund % of Expenditures 35.31% (of $15,449,224)

08-09 Anticipated General Fund Contribution Increase

$1,862,321 Increase Why?

Lack of available personnel Contracted Speech Therapists Contracted Behavioral Support Services New teachers requiring on-going support

Increased complexity of student needs Autism and Emotional Disturbance Increase in paraprofessional support

Increase in cost for transportation services

Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team (FCMAT) Report

Team visited and interviewed District in April 2006 Report completed in August 2006 121 recommendations

Program Efficiency and Delivery Staffing Non-Public Schools / Non-Public Agency Costs Transportation Legal Accounting Processes Special Education Local Plan Agency Reorganization

Progress to Date:

Areas Yes No In Progress Items

Program Efficiency & Delivery

26 8 10 44

Staffing 12 3 3 18Non-Public Schools/

Non-Public Agencies20 6 11 37

Transportation 5 2 2 9

Legal 3 1 1 5

Accounting Processes 5 5

Reorganization 3 3

Total 74 20 27 121

Program Efficiency & Delivery

Progress to Date: Continuum of Special Education Programs

Resource Specialist Programs & Related Services Mild/Moderate and Moderate/Severe Special Day Classes Counseling Enriched Classes (CEC) (3rd-12th grades) Continuum of Autism Programs

Inclusion (K-12) BRIDGE Program (K-8) Elementary Autism Supported Inclusion (EASI) Intensive Special Day Class (Preschool-8th grade)

Program Efficiency & Delivery

Progress to Date: One-to-One Instructional Assistance

Specialized Health Care

Medi-Cal and Medi-Cal Administrative Activities (MAA) Billing

Program & Efficiency

Next Steps: 2009-2010

Build the infrastructure of existing programs 2009-2010 to 2010-2011

Expansion of existing programs Counseling Enriched Classes Intensive needs autism high school class

2009-2010 to 2011-2012 Develop new district programs

Center-Based early intervention program Expansion of services for 18-22 year olds

Staffing

Progress to Date: August 2008-New Lead Speech/Language

Therapist job position September 2008:

4 - District Speech Therapists 8 - Non-Public Agency Speech Therapists

January 2009 4 - Additional District Speech Therapists, replacing

Non-Public Agency staff

Staffing Progress to Date:

New Special Education Teachers Require mentoring, training and staff development

Behavior Specialist Job posted and in process of interviewing

School Psychologists High workload to meet assessment, behavioral and counseling demands

Occupational Therapists Two District Occupational Therapists Additional positions provided by Non-Public Agency

Special Education Nurse Provided by Non-Public Agency

Staffing

Next Steps: Recruit and Hire:

District Speech Therapists Highly Qualified Special Education Teachers Additional School Psychologist Additional Occupational Therapist District Special Education Nurse

Continue to provide mentoring, training and staff development

Non-Public Schools &Non-Public Agencies

2008-2009 Costs

Non-Public Schools- $1,436,900 Projected increase- $150,000

Non-Public Agencies - $840,800 Projected increase- $285,000

Non-Public Schools

Progress to Date: Slight decline in number

of students but cost per student has increased

Next Steps: Review all placements to

determine which students are ready to return to district programs

School Year # of Students

2007-2008 42

2008-2009 40

High Cost Non-Public Agency Services

Progress to Date: High Costs continue for the following Non-Public

Agency Services: Behavioral Support Services

Provide training to staff Provide behavioral support to classes Develop functional analysis assessments Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA)

Occupational Therapy Services

Non-Public School and Non-Public Agency Costs

Next Steps: Continuum of District Special Education Programs to reduce

number of students placed in Non-Public Schools: Autism Emotional Disturbance Moderate/Severe Disabilities

District Special Education positions to reduce dependency on Non-Public Agencies: Hire behavior specialist Additional psychologist Additional occupational therapist Special Education Nurse

Transportation

Progress to Date: New transportation company Cost- $1.4M

Next Steps: Reduce costs Consolidate routes Explore options

AUSD Special Education

Provide students Free and Appropriate Public Education in the Least Restrictive Environment

Compliance Highly Qualified Staff Partnership with General Education Partnership with Parents Fiscal Responsibility

Summary How do we build the infrastructure of existing

programs? Hire District staff to reduce dependency on Non-Public

Agencies Speech Therapists Behavior Specialist Additional Psychologist Additional Occupational Therapist Half-time District Special Education Nurse

Cost Neutral because District is currently paying Non-Public Agencies for these services that support our existing programs.

Questions?