Special Edition, Vol. 1, Issue 15

Previous Special Edition Newsletters are now accessible online. Please click here to access them.
Remember, the last day for Goalview access will be December 16. If you have any remaining Goalview questions, contact our Special Education Database Manager, Jason Gilmore, at gilmorej@sfusd.edu.
Still haven't tried out a demo our new web-based IEP system, SEIS? It's not too late! Log on to www.seis.org and type in bjones as the user name and demotest1 as the password so you can experience a preview of the site before training begins in 2012.
Do you know how to get support from our IT department? Click here to read more.
CSUEB is offering a program for authorization to teach students with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Click here to review their flyer.

SEIS Transition Update

SFUSD staff members are about to complete Phase 2 of the SEIS dataload today, which includes all student data. We have been verifying case managers and related service provider caseloads, as well as cleaning up our CASEMIS report. We're in the home stretch!

For the latest news on SEIS and SFUSD, please visit the new SEIS site at http://district.sfusd.edu/dept/sped/seis. You'll find information about training, written IEP forms, and more! If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact our SEIS Coordinator, Sarah Ashton, at ashtons@sfusd.edu.

Thank you for your patience and support during this transition!

For any SEIS related questions, please contact our SEIS Coordinator, Sarah Ashton, at ashtons@sfusd.edu.

Articles for Reflection and Professional Development

This is an ongoing section where we will provide a current and relevant research article. The goal is to promote discussion and intellectual stimulation amongst SFUSD staff, schools, and the community.

In the article Distinguishing Difference from Disability: the Common Causes of Racial/Ethnic Disproportionality in Special Education, Edward Fergus explores the common factors contirbuting to disproportionality.

Click here to read more.

Verification Review

Thank you to everyone who provided pupil service folders (brown files) for the verification review conducted by the California Department of Education (CDE). Over 100 files were requested and 70 chosen to be reivewed during the week of November 14, 2011.

Furthermore, the CDE required staff interviews related to 17 specific students IEPs. Without the flexibility and cooperation of the prinipal and staff at these sites, this portion of the process would never have been completed in the short window of time provided. The following sites are commended for their contributions to this process:

Abraham Lincoln HS
A.P. Giannini
Denman MS
Everett MS
Harvey Milk Civil Rights Academy
John O'Connell HS
Mission HS
Philip & Sala Burton HS
Raoul Wallenberg HS
Rooftop Alternative
Roosevelt MS
Sanchez ES
Sutro
Washington HS
Edgewood Adoescent Day Treament Center
Hosptial/Homebound Instruction

SFUSD has not had a verficiation review in over a decade. Thank you for your willingness to engage professionally with our CDE partners.

Addressing Disproportionality

SFUSD has received a two-year grant from the California Department of Education to explore our disproportionate number of students of color receiving special education serivces. This grant is designed to:

analyze this issue;
determine its root causes;
and form an action plan to educate our district's professionals.

Please click here to read more about the current status of this grant work.

Inclusive Schools Week (ISW)

Inclusive Schools Week for this year is December 5-9, 2011.

About Inclusive Schools Week (ISW)

San Francisco Inclusive Schools Week is an annual, district-wide, K-12 celebration of our year-round efforts to promote and build inclusive, welcoming school communities that embrace and support people of all natural and diverse abilities, sociological and cultural backgrounds.

San Francisco ISW was established by Mayoral Proclamation in 2010 in keeping with National Inclusive Schools Week, founded in 2001 and celebrated around the country the first full week of December each year. For more information about, and links and resources for, inclusion please visit our inclusive schools web page.

Participate at your school!

Around SFUSD, schools will be participating in Inclusive Schools Week at their school sites through themed library and classroom readings, ability awareness activities during PE and recess, special events, assemblies and more.

Click here for a packet of useful resources.

Sincerely,

Communications Team

Special Education Services, SFUSD

This newsletter is for SFUSD employees and community partners. If you do not have an SFUSD e-mail address and would like to receive this newsletter, please join our mailing list.

For newsletter feedback or more information, please contact us at spedfeedback@sfusd.edu.