APPROVED
March 20, 2013
Michelle Wolfson, CAC Chairperson Date
COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING
February 20, 2012
6:15 P.M. Networking 6:30- 8:30 P.M. Meeting
North County Regional Education Center
255 Pico Avenue, First Floor
San Marcos, CA 92069
I. Welcome and Introductions – Michelle Wolfson, CAC Chairperson
a. Meeting commenced at 6:36 p.m.
b. Exceptional Family Resource Center Parent Library will be open from 6:00 pm – 6:20 pm before each CAC meeting. The library is located near the CAC meeting entrance, please follow the signs.
c. Families and staff are encouraged to attend CAC meetings in person to participate in the discussions, ask questions, meet others, and find resources in the small interest group meetings. But for those who are just unable to attend, we are filming the meetings as a trial this year to see if that is an effective way to make the meetings accessible to more people. Prior meetings are posted. Others will be posted a few days to a week after each meeting. Link to the videos is on the NCCSE home page.
d. If you do not wish your image to be on the video, be sure to stay well away from the area to be filmed. Everyone who speaks is asked to use the microphone. This is to insure that anyone who is otherwise unable to hear can participate fully in the meeting, as well as to capture sound for filming.
II. Focus Topic: Presented by the Professional Learning Community (PLC) Preschool Students – Debbie Basom and Gayle Patterson, NCCSE Program Specialists
a. The topics covered in the Preschool PLC for the past few years include data collection, initial assessments, sharing initial assessments with families, transition from preschool to kindergarten, and gathering suggestions for professional development activities. The sharing of information and practices has helped improve and enrich services. Multidisciplinary assessment reports (one report that includes all assessments rather than separate reports from each assessor) allow families to see how all services are related to each other.
b. Tonight’s topic is preschool curriculums. Each district adopts their own curriculum. The companies that produce curriculums align them to the Preschool Foundations, which are determined by the California Department of Education. At the preschool level curriculum include literacy, math, and social skills/school readiness. For information about specific curriculum covered in the presentation, please see the recording of the CAC meeting by following the link from the NCCSE website homepage at www.nccse.org.
c. The current and future emphasis at the preschool level is projected to be continued efforts at expanded inclusive practices and expectations for outcomes based on the Preschool Foundations.
III. Program Director’s Report – Bruce Kramer, NCCSE Senior Director
a. The 2013-2014 California Governor’s budget includes a minor COLA (cost of living adjustment) for special education.
b. There may also be a small increase in special education funding based on growth in the number of special education students in California.
c. There has been a settlement of a law suit filed in 1996 asking for funding for the requirements mandated in the Hughes Bill (a California state law passed in 1996 that requires specific supports for students with behavior challenges). This may amount to about $9.00 per ADA per year for the 19 years since the Hughes Bill was passed. (ADA = Average Daily Attendance – this is the number of students who attend school each day and most education funding is based on this number. There is additional funding for each student with an IEP.) However, this settlement is not yet funded.
d. Federal Sequestration: California Special Education funding may be reduced by $60 million if the sequestration takes effect. In the past California would back fill any reduction in federal funds. There is a movement in the California Legislature to end the practice of back filling federal reductions.
IV. Approval of January 2013 Minutes – Michelle Wolfson
a. Approved and seconded with one change.
V. Distribution of 2012-2013 CAC Priorities Reports – Stephanie Rubino
a. The CAC priorities report contains the items that CAC members would most like the directors and superintendents of the 14 NCCSE school districts to take into account in planning for the next school year. Please take a few minutes to read it before the March CAC meeting, as it will be on the agenda to discuss.
b. In October of each year, CAC representatives and directors in each district meet together to plan work related to the priorities. In April they meet again to review progress on the plans and to give input on the priorities for next year. The priorities subcommittee meets once to draft the report for next year and the CAC votes to approve at the May CAC meeting.
VI. Open nominations for 2013-2014 CAC Executive Board – Michelle Wolfson
a. Nominations are due no later than May 1. Please get permission before nominating someone else. The executive committee meets one time in between CAC meetings to plan meetings and events.
b. The 2013-2014 executive board will be elected/confirmed at the May 15 CAC meeting.
VII. Excellence in Special Education Award Nominations – Julie Law-Cheeseman
a. Nomination forms are available on the website at www.nccse.org until the deadline of February 27, 2013. The awards ceremony is scheduled for May 29, 2013.
VIII. CAC Resource and Recreation Fair – Joanne Stress,
a. Recreation Resource Fair will be held in this building on Saturday, March 2 from 9:30 – 11:30. CAC reps will be needed to help agencies and recreation providers to set up and take down and to welcome families who attend.
b. Please advertise this event and much as you’re able
IX. Public Comments – Michelle Wolfson
a. There were no public comments.
X. Family Resources – Michelle Wolfson
a. Handouts provided for family resources, will also be emailed to CAC representatives and others this week.
b. The telephone number for NCCSE workshop information in Spanish is 888-797-5575.
XI. Adjourn at 7:40 p.m. – Michelle Wolfson
XII. The next CAC meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 20, 2013. The focus topic will be presented by Adapted Physical Education Teachers.
XIII. Small interest group meetings followed:
a. Community Resources
b. Community Resources in Spanish
c. IEP Questions
d. Stress Busters
e. Free technology resources
f. Informal networking