Score: +1
(1/0/0)
Humboldt County Grand Jury
• 2017-2018
Humboldt - We Have a Problem, But More Special Education Is Not the Answer
⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.
⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
Findings and Recommendations 9 findings
F1
The percentage of students placed into special education in Humboldt County far exceeds both the state and national norms.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1
The Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury recommends the Humboldt - Del Norte Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) initiate a comprehensive independent review of the initial and triennial Individualized Educational Plans (IEPs). This review must include analyzing assessments administered to verify eligibility criteria has been met and assessment standards followed, for all Hispanic, Native American, and foster youth, for each initial or triennial IEP completed during the 2017-18 school year. This review should be completed by December 1, 2018. (F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, F6, F9)
F2
Hispanic students are identified at a disproportionate rate as having a Specific Learning Disability and Autism and placed into special education, putting them at a lifelong disadvantage.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1
The Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury recommends the Humboldt - Del Norte Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) initiate a comprehensive independent review of the initial and triennial Individualized Educational Plans (IEPs). This review must include analyzing assessments administered to verify eligibility criteria has been met and assessment standards followed, for all Hispanic, Native American, and foster youth, for each initial or triennial IEP completed during the 2017-18 school year. This review should be completed by December 1, 2018. (F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, F6, F9)
F3
Native American children are identified at a disproportionate rate as having a Specific Learning Disability and placed into special education, putting them at a lifelong disadvantage.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1
The Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury recommends the Humboldt - Del Norte Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) initiate a comprehensive independent review of the initial and triennial Individualized Educational Plans (IEPs). This review must include analyzing assessments administered to verify eligibility criteria has been met and assessment standards followed, for all Hispanic, Native American, and foster youth, for each initial or triennial IEP completed during the 2017-18 school year. This review should be completed by December 1, 2018. (F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, F6, F9)
F4
Foster youth are identified at a disproportionate rate as having a Specific Learning Disability and placed into special education, compounding the disadvantages they already experience.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1
The Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury recommends the Humboldt - Del Norte Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) initiate a comprehensive independent review of the initial and triennial Individualized Educational Plans (IEPs). This review must include analyzing assessments administered to verify eligibility criteria has been met and assessment standards followed, for all Hispanic, Native American, and foster youth, for each initial or triennial IEP completed during the 2017-18 school year. This review should be completed by December 1, 2018. (F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, F6, F9)
F5
The disproportionate representation of Hispanic and Native American children in special education in Humboldt County may be due to unintentional bias and/or failure to follow the basic assessment standards, leading to inappropriate placement into special education.
Related Recommendations (3)
R1
The Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury recommends the Humboldt - Del Norte Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) initiate a comprehensive independent review of the initial and triennial Individualized Educational Plans (IEPs). This review must include analyzing assessments administered to verify eligibility criteria has been met and assessment standards followed, for all Hispanic, Native American, and foster youth, for each initial or triennial IEP completed during the 2017-18 school year. This review should be completed by December 1, 2018. (F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, F6, F9)
R2
The Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury recommends the Humboldt - Del Norte Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA), upon completion of R1, establish a review process to verify future assessments follow state standards for appropriate assessment practices, eligibility criteria, and proof of appropriate intervention. This process should be in place by June 1, 2019. (F5, F6, F9) 20
R5
The Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury recommends the Humboldt County Office of Education present training to all school district administrators and HCOE liaisons about special education law, ethics, purpose, and process. This training should be completed by September 1, 2018. The district administrators should then present the training to all teaching staff by December 1, 2018. (F5, F7)
F6
The disproportionate representation of foster youth in Special Education in Humboldt County may be the result of over-referral of students who have adverse environmental influences on their development, leading to inappropriate placement into special education.
Related Recommendations (2)
R1
The Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury recommends the Humboldt - Del Norte Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) initiate a comprehensive independent review of the initial and triennial Individualized Educational Plans (IEPs). This review must include analyzing assessments administered to verify eligibility criteria has been met and assessment standards followed, for all Hispanic, Native American, and foster youth, for each initial or triennial IEP completed during the 2017-18 school year. This review should be completed by December 1, 2018. (F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, F6, F9)
R2
The Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury recommends the Humboldt - Del Norte Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA), upon completion of R1, establish a review process to verify future assessments follow state standards for appropriate assessment practices, eligibility criteria, and proof of appropriate intervention. This process should be in place by June 1, 2019. (F5, F6, F9) 20
F7
Many general education teachers, special education teachers, and school administrators have limited knowledge of how to appropriately evaluate children with diverse linguistic, cultural, or environmental backgrounds, leading to overrepresentation in special education.
Related Recommendations (1)
R5
The Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury recommends the Humboldt County Office of Education present training to all school district administrators and HCOE liaisons about special education law, ethics, purpose, and process. This training should be completed by September 1, 2018. The district administrators should then present the training to all teaching staff by December 1, 2018. (F5, F7)
F8
Social workers, foster parents, and court-appointed special advocates may advise parents to circumvent the referral process, leading to inappropriate placement of some children into special education.
Related Recommendations (3)
R4
The Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury recommends the Humboldt-Del Norte Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) present training to Child Welfare Services social workers, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), and foster parents regarding special education law, ethics, purpose, and referral and assessment processes. This training should be scheduled by September 1, 2018 for the 2018-2019 school year and offered annually thereafter to all new hires. (F8)
R6
The Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury recommends Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services mandate biennial attendance by all staff with direct youth contact at the Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) trainings to be offered regarding special education law, ethics, purpose, and process. This initial training should be completed by December 1, 2018. (F8)
R7
The Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury recommends the Humboldt County Board of Directors of the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), review and update their handbook and training materials to include the most current information regarding special education law, ethics, purpose, and process. The handbook and training materials should be revised by December 1, 2018. (F8)
F9
Without a staff regularly trained in non-biased assessment practices, the misidentification of children within special education may continue to increase, leading to a shift of funds from special education to general education and possible intervention by the Office of Civil Rights.
Related Recommendations (3)
R1
The Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury recommends the Humboldt - Del Norte Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) initiate a comprehensive independent review of the initial and triennial Individualized Educational Plans (IEPs). This review must include analyzing assessments administered to verify eligibility criteria has been met and assessment standards followed, for all Hispanic, Native American, and foster youth, for each initial or triennial IEP completed during the 2017-18 school year. This review should be completed by December 1, 2018. (F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, F6, F9)
R2
The Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury recommends the Humboldt - Del Norte Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA), upon completion of R1, establish a review process to verify future assessments follow state standards for appropriate assessment practices, eligibility criteria, and proof of appropriate intervention. This process should be in place by June 1, 2019. (F5, F6, F9) 20
R3
The Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury recommends the Humboldt County Office of Education and the Humboldt-Del Norte Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) form a minimum of two assessment teams trained in non-biased assessment practices to offer team training to all county schools. These teams should each consist of an administrator, resource specialist, school psychologist, school nurse, and speech-language pathologist. These teams should be formed and trained by December 1, 2018. (F9)
Conclusions 1
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CL1 Page 19During the course of this investigation the HCCGJ learned many things about our special education system, the first and foremost is we do have a problem in Humboldt County. Too many children of Native and Hispanic heritage who may not have disabilities are being placed into special education programs. Foster youth are overrepresented in high numbers within special education programs. There are intervention strategies to keep children in the general education programs but there is a mindset by educators and other professionals to bypass this part of the process. There seems to be a lack of understanding about the importance of ruling out cultural, linguistic, and environmental factors when making decisions about children's educational needs. Many educators the HCCGJ interviewed mentioned there was limited knowledge of second language development and culturally appropriate educational strategies. A lack of understanding also exists regarding the long term ramifications of placing into special education children who do not need to be there. Too much emphasis is placed on removing children from general education classrooms and not enough on keeping them there, even though placement in the Least Restrictive Environment has been upheld by the courts. Special education laws are clear but not universally followed by all county schools. There are knowledgeable educational professionals who offer training about special education, culturally appropriate teaching, English language development, and strategies for teaching children of poverty. Not enough staff working with youth in the public schools attend these trainings but they need to do so. All of these factors combine to indicate Humboldt County does not need "more special education," but rather, more intervention. 19
Agency Responses 1
Government agencies' official responses to this report's findings and recommendations. Click on a response to see the structured breakdown.
No Responses Found 3
Government entities assigned to respond to this report. No response documents have been linked in our database.
County of Humboldt
Agency
Northern Humboldt Union High School District
School District