Council’s concerns lead to in-depth review of procedures
SMMUSD HDQTRS On the heels of concerns being expressed by parents of special needs children and City Council members alike, school officials will begin examining procedures and conduct within the district’s special education program.
The Board of Education on Thursday pushed forward with a series of actions, instructing district staff to schedule a series of study sessions related to special education, and to prepare a memo for city staff that addresses the issues raised during a City Council meeting last month.
On May 24, the City Council voted to approve an additional $530,000 to the city’s annual contribution under the Master Facility Use Agreement with the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District, bringing the contract to a total of $7.2 million, including increases in the Consumer Price Index.
The meeting took a twist when Council subsequently decided to withhold the $530,000 for the time being, placing the money in reserves until school officials addressed two specific concerns raised by parents and certain Council members — the uneasiness over confidentiality agreements in special education and administrative positions.
When parents of special needs students have a disagreement over the development of their children’s Individualized Education Plans (IEP), district officials and the parents meet as part of a due process dispute resolution session. From the dispute resolution process, an agreement is drafted wherein a confidentiality agreement could exist.
“We know that we have some work to do,” Superintendent Dianne Talarico said on Thursday. “When people bring things to our attention, we try to act expeditiously.”
In outlining the manner in which the study sessions will be conducted, Talarico said she plans to seek the advice of her colleagues at other school districts to determine how their program reviews are conducted.
These sessions could potentially last an entire year, Talarico said.
The memo to the Santa Monica city staff is to include information relating to confidential settlement agreements, including a question and answer sheet with district statistics.
School board members lauded the recommendations on Thursday night as a step in the right direction, some believing that a program review will be necessary by an independent third party.
Transparency has been a key component of this school year, whether it’s been in education or finance, said school board member Maria Leon-Vazquez as she recommended involving the Special Education District Advisory Committee in the study sessions.
“The big thing is making sure we provide the best for all children in this district,” she said.
An independent assessment would strengthen both the administration’s credibility within the community and the City Council, said Craig Hamilton, a member of the district’s Financial Oversight Committee.
“It would be valuable for the whole process,” he said.
As part of the same discussion, the Board of Education directed staff to request that an Item be placed on the next City Council meeting, scheduled for June 12, to discuss the Master Facility Use Agreement.
“We will do right by the children and the families we serve and we’re sincere and genuine in our efforts to have this move forward,” Talarico said.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on June 9, 2007. Read the original PDF.