Advisory Commission on Special Education Members
- David Toston, Chair
Victoria Graf, Vice Chair (attending virtually 6/12 and 6/13) - Elizabeth Estes
(attending virtually 6/12 and 6/13)
Dawn Hamilton (attending virtually 6/12 and 6/13) - Betty Lieu (attending virtually 6/12 and 6/13)
April Lopez (attending virtually 6/12 and 6/13) - Russell Michaud
Sarah Notch (attending virtually 6/12 and 6/13)
Christine Oyakawa
Gloria Ruiz
Heather Snipes (attending virtually 6/12 and 6/13)
Barbara Sorter (attending virtually 6/12 and 6/13)
Jeannine Topalian (attending virtually 6/12 and 6/13) - Matthew Wilkins
Student Members
- Rachael Ding
- Saran Tugsjargal
Legislative Members
- Honorable Marie Alvarado-Gil, Senate
Honorable James Gallagher, Assembly
State Board of Education
Alison Yoshimoto-Towery, Liaison
State Special Schools
Nancy Hlibok Amann, Director, State Special Schools and Services Division
California Department of Education
Executive Secretary
Rachel Heenan, Director, Special Education Division
California Department of Education
Agenda times are approximate and are provided for convenience only. Items may be re-ordered to be heard on any day of the noticed meeting or on a subsequent agenda. The order of business may be changed without notice. Every effort will be made to webcast this meeting in its entirety, but some portions may not be webcast due to logistical constraints.
Reasonable Accommodation for Any Individual With a Disability
Pursuant to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, any individual with a disability who requires reasonable accommodation to attend or participate in a meeting or function of the Advisory Commission on Special Education (ACSE), may request assistance by contacting the Special Education Division (SED), 1430 N Street, Suite 2401, Sacramento, CA, 95814; telephone, 916-445-4602; fax, 916-327-3706.
Advisory Commission on Special Education
| Meeting Schedule | Meeting Location |
|---|---|
| Wednesday, June 12, 2024 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific Time ± |
California Department of Education |
| Thursday, June 13, 2024 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Pacific Time ± |
California Department of Education 1430 N Street, Room 1101 Sacramento, California 916-445-4602 |
Advisory Commission on Special Education Meeting Logistics
Members of the public may view the meeting by live webcast, which will subsequently be archived on the ACSE Meeting Webcasts web page.
The June 12‒13, 2024, ACSE meeting will be held at the California Department of Education (CDE), at the address noted above. The CDE building will be open to the public, however capacity may be limited to allow for physical distancing and members of the public are strongly encouraged to wear masks.
Public Comment Guidelines
Public comment may be via email, phone, or in-person, as specified below.
The public is highly encouraged to submit written comments to the ACSE members in advance for prior consideration. To ensure the Commissioners have time to review comments, please submit comments by noon on Friday, June 7, 2024. Comments received after that time will not be forwarded to Commission members until the day of the meeting. Comments should be submitted to the ACSE mailbox at ACSE@cde.ca.gov. The following information should be included in the body of the email: (1) commenter’s first and last name, (2) organization affiliation, (3) agenda item number or general public comment.
Phone
Public comment may also be provided by dialing the phone number and participant access code that will be provided on June 12th and 13th and following the operator’s prompts. Upon dialing in, callers will be added to a caller queue. The operator will notify callers when it is their turn to provide public comment. Public comment will be limited to one minute for each agenda item unless otherwise specified by the ACSE. Members of the public wishing to dial in for public comment should view the live stream of the meeting. The number and access code will be provided at the start of public comment for each item.
Prior to making a public comment, speakers who are watching the meeting via live webcast should make sure the volume on their computer is muted to avoid echoing or feedback during the call.
Please use the phone number and access code provided below:
- Phone number: 717-908-1926
- Participant Access Code: 1166083#
In-Person
Public comment may also be provided in-person at the ACSE meeting. However, capacity may be limited to allow for physical distancing and members of the public are strongly encouraged to wear masks. Individuals who wish to comment on a specific agenda item or provide general public comment must sign up on the public comment roster prior to public comment. Public comment will be limited to one minute for each agenda item unless otherwise specified by the ACSE.
Agenda Item Materials
Agenda item materials, including presentation materials, are available by sending a request for copies to ACSE@cde.ca.gov.
Advisory Commission on Special Education
Wednesday, June 12, 2024, 10 a.m. Pacific Time ±
California Department of Education
1430 N Street, Room 1101
Sacramento, California
Begin Meeting
10 to 10:15 a.m. Pacific Time ±
- Call to Order: Roll Call
- Salute to the American Flag
- Review of Agenda: Day One
- Review of Public Comment Options
- Swearing in of Commissioner
- Communications and Announcements
Item 1
10:15 to 11 a.m.
Grazer Outstanding Achievement in Learning Award: Presentation of the Grazer Outstanding Achievement in Learning (GOAL) award recipient – San Mateo Union High School District, BAY Quest Scholars. (Item Type: Information)
Item 2
11 to 11:45 a.m.
Grazer Outstanding Achievement in Learning Award: Presentation of the GOAL award recipient – Orange County Department of Education Connections Program. (Item Type: Information)
Lunch
11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Item 3
1 to 1:05 p.m.
General Public Comment: General public comment is invited on any matter, including items not on the agenda. The ACSE is precluded from discussing matters not on the agenda; however, questions may be asked by Commissioners for clarification purposes. Issues raised by the public may be referred to in a future meeting agenda. The chair reserves the right to establish time limits on presentations. (Item Type: Information)
Item 4
1:05 to 1:50 p.m.
Multilingual Students with Exceptional Needs (Project MuSE): The Imperial County Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA), Improving Outcomes for Multilingual Students with Exceptional Needs is a special education resource lead within the Statewide System of Support. Current statewide data indicates that 25% of students with disabilities are also English Learners. Project MuSE is charged with providing support and services to local educational agencies (LEAs), SELPAs, county offices of education (COEs), Charters, and other state agencies looking to build their capacity to ensure equitable and inclusive services for dually identified students. The Project MuSE team will present an overview of the grant goals, outcomes, and activities designed to support educational partners statewide. Presenters: Christina Zavala, Sr. Director, Imperial County SELPA; Vanessa Lopez, Project MuSE Coordinator and Lupita Olguin-Rubio, Project MuSE Coordinator. (Item Type: Information, Discussion)
Item 5
1:50 to 2:35 p.m.
Annual Election of Officers: The Commission will hold the annual election of officers for 2024–25. The Election committee will propose bylaw amendments to the term of officers. (Item type: Information, Discussion, Action)
Break
2:35 to 2:50 p.m.
Item 6
2:50 to 3:35 p.m.
Nonpublic Schools Study Update: Nonpublic schools and agencies enhance the ability of local educational agencies to meet the diverse needs of students with exceptional needs and provide a continuum of placements and services. In 2023, CDE contracted with WestEd, as authorized by the legislature, to conduct an examination of nonpublic school placements and the use of nonpublic agencies including patterns in nonpublic school placement within California and compared to other states, the placement process, and the education certification, monitoring and oversight activities for nonpublic schools and agencies at both the state and local levels. WestEd will provide an update on the study and solicit reactions from commissioners to some initial conclusions and potential recommendations. A final report on the study will be published by September 30, 2024. Presenter: Sara Doutre, Senior Project Director, WestEd. (Item type: Information, Discussion)
Item 7
3:35 to 4:35 p.m.
Committee Study Sessions and ACSE Agenda Building (Operational and Planning Committee): Presenters: Commissioners In accordance with ACSE bylaws, Operations and Planning, Policy and Legislation committees will meet. (Item Type: Information, Discussion, Action)
Item 8
4:35 to 4:55 p.m.
General Public Comment: General public comment is invited on any matter, including items not on the agenda. The ACSE is precluded from discussing matters not on the agenda; however, questions may be asked by Commissioners for clarification purposes. Issues raised by the public may be referred to in a future meeting agenda. The chair reserves the right to establish time limits on presentations. (Item Type: Information)
Adjournment
5 p.m.
Adjournment of meeting, day one.
Advisory Commission on Special Education
Thursday, June 13, 2024, 9 a.m. Pacific Time ±
California Department of Education
1430 N Street, Room 1101
Sacramento, California
Begin Meeting
9 to 9:15 a.m. Pacific Time ±
- Call to Order: Roll Call
- Salute to the American Flag
- Review of Agenda: Day Two
- Review of Public Comment Options
- Communications and Announcements
Item 9
9:15 to 10 a.m.
ACSE Recognition Award Planning: Commissioners will discuss 2024–25 recognition award process. (Item Type: Information, Discussion, Action)
Item 10
10 to 10:45 a.m.
California Dyslexia Initiative: This presentation will provide information on dyslexia policy and guidance in California, including the California Dyslexia Initiative, and an overview of Senate Bill 114, K–2 Screening for Reading Difficulties, Including Risk of Dyslexia. Presenter: Tami Wilson, Project Lead California Dyslexia Initiative. (Item Type: Information, Discussion)
Break
10:45 to 11 a.m.
Item 11
11 to 11:20 a.m.
Commissioners, State Board of Education, and Director of State Special Schools Liaison Reports: An update from Commissioner Liaisons, State Board of Education (SBE) Liaison, and Director of State Special Schools (SSS) Liaison will be provided. Presenters: Commissioners (ASCE), Alison Yoshimoto-Towery (SBE), Nancy Hlibok Amann (SSS). (Item Type: Information, Discussion)
Item 12
11:20 to 11:40 a.m.
Special Education Director’s Report: An update on activities within the Special Education Division will be provided. Presenter: Rachel Heenan, Director of Special Education, (CDE). (Item Type: Information, Discussion)
Item 13
11:40 a.m. to 12 p.m.
General Public Comment: General public comment is invited on any matter, including items not on the agenda. The ACSE is precluded from discussing matters not on the agenda; however, questions may be asked by Commissioners for clarification purposes. Issues raised by the public may be referred to in a future meeting agenda. The chair reserves the right to establish time limits on presentations. (Item Type: Information)
Adjournment
12 to 12:05 p.m.
Adjournment of meeting