The Colusa County Grand Jury this week released its findings following a six-month investigation of the Colusa County Office of Education regarding mandated special education services for students.
The Grand Jury faulted the County Office of Education and local school districts for failing to sufficiently communicate with parents of students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) as to parental rights and responsibilities – and for parents’ lack of knowledge of programs and services available.
The investigation was launched Dec. 13, 2022, when the Grand Jury met with staff from CCOE’s special education department after receiving complaints regarding multiple issues, including the lack of personnel who are in direct contact with students; bullying of students by teachers, coaches, and other students; maxed out caseloads for teachers; and the general lack of communication with parents as to how special education works.
“The frequent response given to the complainants for the understaffed situation was lack of funds. How is the county spending the money allotted to Special Education? Is it an issue of not enough money or an issue of needing to reallocate funds to hire more educators and para educators who provide direct services to the students?” the report noted.
As to bullying, the Grand Jury found that while the school districts have policies in place at each campus, they are not being followed.
The Colusa County Superintendent of Schools will have 90 days to respond to the findings and recommendations, as required by California law, but the Grand Jury also invited a response from CCOE’s Special Education director.
The Grand Jury noted that during interviews, CCOE special education administrators admitted that the lack of staffing exists, but that the lack of funding “should never be an excuse for the lack of services.”
The current caseload is 28 students with mild to moderate disabilities per teacher. A waiver can be written to increase the number of students to 32, but an additional para educator must be added.
The Grand Jury noted that with severe students, the caseload should not be above 15, but there is no contractual limit.
Special education students are allowed to transfer to a school where the caseload may be already maxed out and their IEP goes with them, the report states.
The Grand Jury, in its investigation, determined that it was unclear if the IEPs are actually being implemented, as staff stated there is “a baseline trust in each professional; a trust that each is performing their professional duty,” which left jurors wondering how staff would know or be informed of gaps in service.
The Grand Jury noted that it appeared to them that there is a lack of follow-up or accountability from the County Superintendent of Schools regarding whether IEPs are being implemented, the report stated.
One thing was clear in the Grand Jury report in that parents were generally unaware that complaints must be presented in writing, including email, for the complaints to be considered. Parents can also request an assessment and reassessment of their child at any time. Parents can also request a review of their child’s IEP. which must trigger a meeting within 30 days.
“If lodging a formal complaint bears unsatisfactory results, a parent should make a written request to engage the Dispute Resolution Process, which is the step prior to mediation,” the report noted.
The Grand Jury made a number of recommendations CCOE will have to ponder, including the need for school districts to increase visibility of the IEP program at the beginning of each school year; the need to hire more educators who are in direct contact with students; the need for superintendents and program specialists to visit sites and talk to parents, teachers, and administrators; the need for the Superintendent of Schools to ask for metrics that track requests for IEPs and scheduled meetings; the need for better communications with parents that children with physical illnesses have the right to an IEP.
The Grand Jury also recommended CCOE place a prominent link to the official complaint procedure on its website in English, Spanish, and other languages if needed, and for school districts to do the same.
The Grand Jury also recommended CCOE provide training to teachers, staff, and coaches regarding bullying. ■