School District to Host Special Ed Fall Forum

• Emphasis Placed on Collaboration

BY SUZANNE GULDIMANN

The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District has announced that it will be introducing a series of “major special education initiatives” within the next month to address special education in the district, according to a press release.
SMMUSD interim Superintendent Tim Cuneo described this project, known as the SMMUSD Special Education Collaborative, as a partnership between the district’s Special Education District Advisory Committee and the SMMUSD PTA Council Special Education Committee.
The initiatives have been created in response to the results of the March 2008 independent evaluation of the district’s special ed program by the consulting firm, Lou Barber and Associates.
“I see such potential in this district to provide superb Special Education services in a truly collaborative fashion. It is my mission, along with the firm commitment by our board of education, to do just that,” Cuneo stated.
The collaborative includes the new special education services parent handbook developed by SEDAC in response to the Barber Report. The handbook will debut at the Special Education Fall Forum in Santa Monica, on Nov. 15.
“The Parent Handbook is designed to help parents and/or guardians of children with a disability work effectively and collaboratively with the District and their school, and to help them support their child’s effort to complete his or her school program in order to be prepared for adult life. It also provides information about families’ rights and responsibilities to better prepare all participants to work together effectively to assist students,” a press release stated.
The handbook will cover subjects such as criteria for eligibility, types of disabilities and services, assessments, frequently asked questions and—as a boon not only to parents but to lay persons and journalists—a guide to deciphering the bewildering alphabet soup of special education acronyms.
“The handbook is going to be a wonderful resource for our parents,” Cuneo told the Malibu Surfside News. We’re inviting all special education parents, and general education parents, too, if they would like to attend.”
The event “will provide information and support to parents and staff in an informal, social setting. It is intended to be ‘a time for sharing information and resources for families with children who receive special education services,’” according to a press release.
Cuneo explained to The News that the forum will involve “breakout sessions” based on the grade levels of the children to show parents how to use the handbook and “navigate” the sometimes complicated special education system.
The Fall Forum will take place at John Adams Middle School, 2425 16th Street, in Santa Monica, between 8 a.m. and noon. Malibu parents are welcome and encouraged to attend.