Category Archives: Special Education

Special Olympics brings players of all abilities onto Armijo court – The Vacaville Reporter

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By Nick Sestanovich

On Friday morning, the gym at Armijo High School was an inclusive place where all students could play a game of basketball, regardless of ability.

It is one of a few events Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District, in conjunction with the Special Olympics of Northern California, puts on each year where both general education and special education students take part in the world of sports. The athletes were certainly competitive, but the goal was more about giving all students an even field to compete on.

The department also hosts soccer and track and field events, but Friday’s event was all about basketball. Special Olympians came in from four of FSUSD’s high schools — Armijo, Fairfield, Rodriguez and H. Glenn Richardson Education Complex — to shoot hoops with general education students, play other games and overall have a good time.

Source: Special Olympics brings players of all abilities onto Armijo court – The Vacaville Reporter

Sierra School of Solano County moves to Fairfield – Daily Republic

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Specialized Education Services, Inc., a a California Department of Education-approved non-public school for K-12 students who require additional educational support, is now open at 1745 Enterprise Drive in Fairfield.

Programming at Sierra School of Solano County is designed to meet the unique academic and social-emotional learning needs of each individual student.

“Starting the 2022-23 school year in a new building is an exciting milestone for our faculty, staff and students,” Jenelle Droke, director of Sierra School of Solano County, said in a statement., “Our school has a long history of supporting students with special needs. Moving closer to the Bay Area will help us to partner with additional school districts and serve even more families.”

Source: Sierra School of Solano County moves to Fairfield

Joey Travolta’s film camps for special needs students create videos for positive message campaign | Antioch Herald

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By Allen D. Payton

Director, actor and former special education teacher, Joey Travolta held his third of three film camps in Northern California, last week, for students between 18 and 24 years old with an intellectual disability, to create short videos for use by PassItOn.com for their positive message campaign in theaters, as well as on TV and billboards.

Each film will be five to seven minutes long and “every story has to have the theme of kindness or doing something good, and the thought is don’t hesitate to pass it on,” Travolta explained.

According to his Inclusion Films’ website, “over the two-week session, campers work together in small groups to develop a script, act, and shoot their film with professional support and equipment. The program encourages communication, confidence, and collaboration through acting and digital filmmaking. Stay tuned for future dates & announcements.”

Source: Joey Travolta’s film camps for special needs students create videos for positive message campaign | Antioch Herald

Second annual special needs awareness event returns Sunday – The Vacaville Reporter

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By Nick Sestanovich

Last year, as part of Vacaville People’s Forum’s efforts to host inclusive community events, the local group hosted its first special needs awareness event, “Be You,” in Andrews Park.

The event featured a parade, music, speeches by local dignitaries, and fun activities for all. It ended up drawing an audience of approximately 100.

Organizer Danielle Shea was very pleased with the turnout.

“We were very happy with it,” she said. “We had a lot of feedback from the community saying they had a lot of fun.”

Source: Second annual special needs awareness event returns Sunday – The Vacaville Reporter

FSUSD Special Olympics track and field event marks triumphant return – The Vacaville Reporter

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By Nick Sestanovich

Although the Winter Olympics and Paralympics have concluded for 2022, the time to honor athletes of all abilities never ceases.

Case in point: Thursday morning at Rodriguez High School, where the Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District once again partnered with the Special Olympics of Northern California for its annual assortment of track and field activities that give special education students a chance to participate in athletics, build physical strength and socialize with others.

What made this event especially momentous is that it was the first of its kind in three years. The most recent track and field event was 2019, and adaptive PE specialist Matt Miller said it was scheduled again for 2020, but then the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

Source: FSUSD Special Olympics track and field event marks triumphant return – The Vacaville Reporter

Special Olympics basketball event brings 4 Fairfield high schools together – The Vacaville Reporter

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By Nick Sestanovich

For special education students, every day is a reminder of the phrase “If you can dream it, you can do it.”

This goes for excelling in the same classes intended for general education students or — as Thursday at Armijo High School demonstrated — playing a game of basketball.

Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District’s adaptive PE department, in conjunction with Special Olympics Northern California, hosted its 4th annual Special Olympics high school basketball event, which brought special education students from four different district high schools together to bounce basketballs and shoot hoops with not as much emphasis on winning. There certainly was a competitive aspect, but more of a focus on having fun and building athleticism in a supportive environment. It is one of several events the adaptive PE department put on each year, including soccer, golf, bowling and track & field matches and even an annual prom.

Source: Special Olympics basketball event brings 4 Fairfield high schools together – The Vacaville Reporter

A Vaca film premiere and the tuxedo treatment for ‘neurodiversity’ – The Vacaville Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

Vacaville has seen red-carpet film premieres before, especially movies or short films made by students.

But Thursday night at the Sunrise Event Center likely will be the first such local event to celebrate neurodiversity, with the release of the short film made this summer by young adults at the Solano County Office of Education’s Inclusion Films camp.

Just in time for the annual American revelry that is Halloween, the showing and livestreaming of “Tales from the Grave” begins at 6 p.m. at the 620 Orange Drive venue and anywhere where wi-fi access is available. To watch it live, visit https://www.solanocoe.net/scoefilmcamp.

Source: A Vaca film premiere and the tuxedo treatment for ‘neurodiversity’ – The Vacaville Reporter

Red carpet premiere celebrates neurodiversity – Daily Republic

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The Solano County Office of Education invites the community to celebrate neurodiversity at the red-carpet film premiere for the short film, “Tales from the Grave.”

The premiere will begin at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Sun Rise Event Center, 620 Orange Drive.

The young adults who helped make the film will arrive in limousines, dressed in gowns and tuxedos for a walk down the red carpet. More than 300 Solano community members will be joining the celebration in person. The event will also be broadcast live for those who prefer to view from home.

Source: Red carpet premiere celebrates neurodiversity

Nearly half of money for high-needs students not getting to their schools, analysis finds – The Vacaville Reporter

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By John Fensterwald, EdSource

Diverting funds intended for California’s high-needs students for other spending “dampens” the potential to significantly close the achievement gap between high-poverty and low-poverty students, new research from the Public Policy Institute of California has found.

School districts on average are directing only 55 cents of every dollar of extra funding from the Local Control Funding Formula to the schools that high-needs students who generate the money attend, research fellow Julien Lafortune concluded in a policy brief and full report.

Lafortune examined school-level financial data reported to the state for all districts with more than 250 students and with more than 10 schools. He was able to do the research using federally mandated school-level data available for the first time.

Source: Nearly half of money for high-needs students not getting to their schools, analysis finds – The Vacaville Reporter

How California plans to deter costly special education disputes – Times-Herald

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By Carolyn Jones, EdSource

The threatened deluge of post-pandemic special education litigation may be averted — or at least minimized— by a new initiative in California encouraging parents and schools to resolve disputes before heading to court.

The state budget, signed Friday by Gov. Gavin Newsom, sets aside $100 million for resolving special education conflicts between parents and school districts, which escalated during remote learning.

The money will go toward outreach, such as brochures, meetings and presentations, to help parents and school staff understand the rights outlined in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the federal law that requires districts to educate students of all abilities. The goal is to improve communication and build trust between parents and schools, so conflicts can be resolved quickly and more easily.

Source: How California plans to deter costly special education disputes – Times-Herald

Parade celebrates Solano Adult Transition Program graduates – Daily Republic

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Graduates of the Solano County Office of Education Adult Transition Program are throwing a parade Monday.

The program serves 18- to 22-year-old students with intellectual disabilities and/or autism who have received a certificate of completion from high school and have significant needs for support as they transition to adulthood, according to a press release.

The program serves the Solano Special Education Local Plan Area, which includes the Benicia, Dixon, Fairfield-Suisun, Travis and Vacaville school districts.

Source: Parade celebrates Solano Adult Transition Program graduates

Schools can prioritize reopenings for students with disabilities | Education Dive

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By Kara Arundel

In explaining why schools cannot phase-in in-person learning options based on a student’s “race, color or national origin,” OCR said such preferences would violate Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. However, schools may be required under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to provide in-person services to certain students with disabilities so those students can receive a “free appropriate public education.”

The nine-page Q&A document also emphasized that schools must still accept harassment complaints and investigate the allegations under the new Title IX rule, which went into effect Aug. 14 even if schools are only offering distance learning. Schools are not allowed to have blanket policies that prohibit new complaints from being submitted and accepted or to pause investigations and proceedings.

Source: Ed Dept: Schools can prioritize reopenings for students with disabilities | Education Dive

New Special Education Director Named – Year 2020 (CA Dept of Education)

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State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond announced today that he has appointed Heather Calomese as the new Director of the Special Education Division at the California Department of Education (CDE).

The Special Education Division provides information and resources to serve the unique needs of individuals with disabilities so that each person will meet or exceed high standards of achievement in academic and non-academic skills. As schools continue virtual learning in the weeks ahead, Calomese will support CDE’s efforts to provide assistance to schools and engage families and educators in ways that ensure the unique needs of students with disabilities are met.

Source: New Special Education Director Named – Year 2020 (CA Dept of Education)

Why special education funding will be more equitable under new state law – The Reporter

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By Carolyn Jones, EdSource

California’s method of funding special education will become streamlined and a little more equitable, thanks to a provision in the recently passed state budget.

The 2020-21 budget fixes a decades-old quirk in the funding formula that had left vast differences between school districts in how much money schools received to educate special education students.

The old formula, created in the late 1970s and last updated in the early 2000s, based funding on how many students a district had overall, not just its number of students in special education. The result was that some districts received up to $800 extra per student per year to educate students in special education, while others received as little as $500.

Source: Why special education funding will be more equitable under new state law – The Reporter

Special Education Teachers a New Focus for Betsy DeVos Voucher Push – Education Week

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By Andrew Ujifusa

After years of frustration in her attempts to expand education choice, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos is picking up steam.

Fresh evidence that DeVos is continuing her push to prioritize choice with federal funds can be found in the April 24 edition of the Federal Register. That’s where the U.S. Department of Education announced a new proposed grant priority for its Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. The priority would affect State Personnel Development Grants that help train those working in special education.

Source: Special Education Teachers a New Focus for Betsy DeVos Voucher Push – Politics K-12 – Education Week

Remote Learning for English Learners and Special Needs Students during COVID-19 – Public Policy Institute of California

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For California’s most vulnerable students, including 1.2 million English Learners (EL) and over 700,000 students with special educational needs, remote learning in the wake of COVID-19 presents particular challenges. As districts across the state roll out distance learning plans to minimize disruption to K–12 students, educators must find alternate ways to meet all student needs.

English Learners and special education students typically require more in-person support, such as occupational and speech therapy, in their daily learning than students in general. Educators are struggling to devise and implement plans to address these requirements remotely. Access to internet and devices is one area of concern, but so is providing intensive learning experiences that can stand in for in-person services.

Most EL and special education students live in large urban areas with access to broadband, and school districts in these counties, such as in the Bay Area and coastal counties in Southern California, may be able to partner with philanthropy and technology providers to supplement households currently without broadband access. Rural areas, however, may not have the same supports.

Source: Remote Learning for English Learners and Special Needs Students during COVID-19 – Public Policy Institute of California

Vacaville shop a business lesson for students – The Reporter

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By Kimberly K. Fu

Sparkling jewelry, potted plants in cute containers, wood-backed string art and more are just some of the cool and eclectic finds at “This and That,” a pop-up store at McBride Senior Center in Vacaville.

Even cooler are the folks behind the store — Solano County Office of Education Adult Program staff and students.

The program is all about teaching special education students skills that will help them in life outside of school.

As part of their micro-enterprise projects, the students craft items in class to sell in the shop, advised Clarissa Tuttle, SCOE program administrator for Special Education.

Source: Vacaville shop a business lesson for students – The Reporter

Special education in California in need of overhaul, researchers say – The Reporter

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By Carolyn Jones

Special education in California should be overhauled to focus on the individual needs of students, with better training for teachers, more streamlined services and improved screening for the youngest children, according to a compilation of reports released today.

Those were some of the recommendations proposed in “Special Education: Organizing Schools to Serve Students with Disabilities in California,” a package of 13 reports and a summary produced by Policy Analysis for California Education, a nonpartisan research and policy organization led by faculty from UC Berkeley, UCLA, University of Southern California and Stanford University.

“By almost every indicator you look at, special education in California is in dire need of improvement,” said Heather Hough, PACE’s executive director. “We need to rethink the way we organize schools, so students with disabilities are at the center and not at the fringes.”

Source: Special education in California in need of overhaul, researchers say – The Reporter

Adapted physical education students bowl for joy, thanks to Joy – Daily Republic

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By Amy Maginnis-Honey

Middle and high school students from the Fairfield-Suisun School District wasted no time seeking strikes and spares at the annual Adapted Physical Education bowling event.

More than 160 of them filled the bowling alley lanes at Stars. Pizza, soda and other treats were served to the bowlers, all with varying levels of skills.

Shirley Cavasos was accompanied by 30 young people from Rodriguez High School, Green Valley Middle School and Oakbrook Elementary.

Source: Adapted physical education students bowl for joy, thanks to Joy

17-year-old boy with nonverbal autism blogs to reach others like him – Daily Republic

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By Tribune Content Agency

A few years ago, Mitchell Robins wasn’t able to tell anyone precisely what he was thinking. He lost the ability to speak when he was 4 and relied primarily on a system of pictures and limited sign language to tell his parents and caregivers what he wanted to eat or when he felt sick or how he wanted to spend his time. Then his parents realized he could spell.

Now Mitchell, 17, communicates deliberately, pointing letter by letter to a board that displays the alphabet. Ask him a question and his expression will flit between deep concentration and a jovial grin as he slowly spells his answer. Mitchell, who has autism and is nonverbal, said using spelling-based communication has changed his life.

“It changed everything because I could get my wants and needs met,” he spelled during a recent interview at his home in Highland Park, Ill., curled up in a couch corner while one of his therapists held the board at his eye level. “I am very happy people are finally figuring out how to reach people like me because it is a human rights issue we need to solve.”

Source: 17-year-old boy with nonverbal autism blogs to reach others like him: ‘People need to stop underestimating us’