Meeting stresses collaboration on special ed programs

By Sylvie Belmond Acorn Staff Writer

About 10 percent of the 3,711 students in the Oak Park Unified School District (OPUSD) have special needs. From remedial math or reading needs to custom physical and developmental accommodations, the students depend on the special education programs offered within the district to succeed.

At a recent Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) meeting, OPUSD Superintendent Anthony Knight and a team of special education administrators indicated the district is equipped to serve everyone.

SEAC provides a forum at which staff administrators and parents at OPUSD can discuss issues and recommend actions regarding special educational programs and services in the district.

The meeting’s theme was collaboration. To succeed, parents, staff, teachers and administrators must communicate and work together, said the panel.

Cathy Skiba, director of Pupil Services, shared the upcoming special education goals for the 2004-2005 school year.

Parents at the meeting were invited to learn about the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) process through workshops offered in Ventura County. The parents were asked for feedback regarding special education workshops that should be offered at the district.

OPUSD also provides training opportunities to its staff.

"There is a lot of emphasis on staff development," said Knight, reassuring parents that the special education intervention programs are a high priority in the school district.

"Our students who perform below grade level benchmarks require appropriate scaffolding and support," said a flyer distributed by Knight at the meeting.

In an effort to assist students with mild reading disabilities, OPUSD recently implemented a Read 180 program, which combines computer drills and personalized instruction for students in grades six through nine.

The district has plans to organize several Ability Awareness Fairs throughout the year to promote sensitivity and understanding among all students at a young age. At the fairs, students take part in activities that simulate what it’s like to be disabled.

Another concern for parents at the meeting was inclusion. Although many schools have been educating students with disabilities in inclusive settings, families often feel they still have to fight to get their children into general education classes.

The panel at the meeting reassured the parents that students at OPUSD are immersed as much as possible. However, they said, there are times when a student needs to be placed in a remedial class because a teacher may not be able to accommodate all the needs of that student and serve all the others in the class at the same time.

"The district aspires to immerse special education students into general education classes," said Knight to the dozen of parents who attended the first SEAC meeting of the school year.

But how the district pays for special education services can also cause friction, Knight said.

While OPUSD’s student population is declining because Oak Park is built out, state funds allotted to the district will also be cut since school districts receive money on a per-pupil basis.

"This is going to be a trend that will strain financial resources," said Knight, adding that a group of Oak Park volunteers formed the Oak Park Education Foundation to make up for the expected financial shortages throughout Oak Park Unified.

The Education Foundation held its first meeting last Monday. It’s a nonprofit organization that plans to enrich the educational experience of students, faculty and administration, primarily by providing additional resources to support selected programs and activities that would in turn have a positive impact on the students of Oak Park.

The Oak Park Education Foundation will devise ways to raise funds without impacting existing fundraising organizations like the PTAs and PFCs, Knight said.