3 June 2025 PAUSD Board Meeting Comments
5. Consent Agenda
B. Certificated Staff – note that 11 of 28 new teacher hires are Special Educators. This continues the good news that PAUSD is prioritizing and accelerating these hires. Bad news… this implies the continuation a lot of turnover in special education.
P. Thank the board and district for formally chartering the Special Education District Advisory Committee as a Board committee.
6 A – Promise
I’m extremely concerned about the proposed metric for the Promise:
● Increase the percentage of Individualized Educational Program (IEP) goals successfully met for students with mod/severe disabilities
IEP goals are wildly diverse and, if used in this manner subject to being gamed, even unintentionally. I ask that the District and Board defer adding this metric until it can be reviewed by the SEDAC. PAUSD is already adding several metrics that will capture progress in special education against academic standards. This can wait.
https://go.boarddocs.com/ca/pausd/Board.nsf/files/DH6TMQ78121D/$file/20250603PAUSDPromiseGoals2025-26Draft(ApprovalItem).pdf
I’d also ask that the District consider focusing on reducing the number of students spending time in more segregated settings instead of increasing the number of students in more inclusive settings (thus reducing from 8.5% to 7% the number of students spending 40% or less of their time in general education). Even if this is done by the same percentage (1.5%), it is likely to have a more substantial increase in overall inclusion. Otherwise, our most disabled students may continue to be left farther behind.
And consider adding a metric in High Quality Teaching and Learning based on improving teacher and staff retention… particularly in problematic areas like special education.
7B – Proposed Budget 2025-26
Special Education expenses – it is good to see additional staffing for special education listed. I hope that additional special education teachers can be found to support co-taught classes in middle school as I understand that there was a shortfall this year and perhaps next at least at JLS.
