LAUSD Candidate Fidencio Gallardo on Special Education

“Allowing parents, teachers, and other staff to have a greater say in making decisions, even [if] their say goes against District practices, will bring better results for individual students.”

– BD5 Candidate Fidencio Gallardo

Fidencio Gallardo is running for the seat currently held by the retiring Jackie Goldberg in LAUSD’s Board District 5. As part of my ongoing Candidate Forum series, Griego was asked five questions about Special Education. For the introduction to this subject along with answers from other candidates, please see the article LAUSD Candidate Forum: Special Education.

The following are the candidate's responses, printed exactly how she provided them with the exception of some minor formatting edits:

• Question 1: If you were on the Board, would you sponsor and work for the passage of the proposed "Improving Special Education Within the LAUSD" resolution? YES

I would sponsor and work for the passage of such a resolution. Of course, I would do additional research and may add some edits, but the spirit of the resolution is exactly where we need to move with Special Education.

Special Education services must be tailored to each individual student's needs. Services look different in every school, in every classroom, with every child. We must move away from the District's "one size fits all" approach. Allowing parents, teachers, and other staff to have a greater say in making decisions, even their say goes against District practices, will bring better results for individual students.

• Question 2: Have you signed the petition supporting the proposed "Improving Special Education Within the LAUSD" resolution? YES

I signed the petition because the District must do better to serve and support students who receive Special Education services. Tailoring services to each student's needs is the only way to help students reach their greatest potential.

• Question 3: Federal funding to provide Special Education services is based on the size of the total student body, not the number of students receiving services. Therefore, charter schools benefit financially by discouraging the enrollment of these students as they receive the same amount of funding without having to pay the costs of providing the services. Not surprisingly, the data shows that charter schools as a whole enroll a smaller percentage of children with Special Education needs than their public school counterparts. As a Board Member would you look for ways to recoup the costs from charter schools that have below-average enrollment of students with Special Education needs? YES

Charter schools shouldn't be a corporation making money off of our education system, yet they always find ways to profit without doing their part in serving our communities. Charter schools books should be fully transparent and audited often. When it comes to enrolling children with special needs, they are NOT pulling their weight and need to be held accountable. This type of discrimination is not only unethical, but is also a method for them to make more money. As a Board Member I will look for ways to recoup the costs from charter schools that have below-average enrollment of students with Special Education needs.

• Question 4: Will you have a member of your staff dedicated to supporting families with Special Education needs? YES

As a teacher on Jackie Goldberg's staff, our team saw the value of having real teacher experience in the room when making decisions that affect teachers. Not only would I have staffers that families and educators can go to, but I would make certain that I have a person with experience in Special Education to support stakeholders and help develop policy.

• Question 5: As a Board member will you ensure that the Community Advisory Committee (CAC) is able to act independently of District staff so that it can provide you with feedback that is truly reflective of what the Special Education community is experiencing? YES

The independence of the Community Advisory Committee will produce more honest opinions which the School Board members need in order to make the best decisions for our students.

• Do you have any other thoughts that you would like to express about this subject?

I just want to reiterate that we must move away from the District's "one size fits all" approach. Special Education services must be tailored to the needs of individual students.

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Carl Petersen is a parent advocate for public education, particularly for students with special education needs, who serves as the Education Chair for the Northridge East Neighborhood Council. As a Green Party candidate in LAUSD’s District 2 School Board race, he was endorsed by Network for Public Education (NPE) Action. Dr. Diane Ravitch has called him “a valiant fighter for public schools in Los Angeles.” For links to his blogs, please visit www.ChangeTheLAUSD.com. Opinions are his own.