Dear Superintendent Jones and Assistant Superintendent Pedroza:
The 2019 – 2022 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between Seattle Public Schools and Seattle Education Association Certified Non-Supervisory Employees outlines the creation of and membership in a Special Education Task Force. (See Article IX, Para. 5 on P. 92.)
According to the agreement, SEA is to appoint Task Force members from its own membership. The District is tasked with selecting membership from building administrators, family representatives and leaders from the Special Education Department.
- Please provide the membership of this Task Force in 2019, 2020 and 2021, including family representatives and the organizations they represent.
The contract between the District and SEA was completed on Nov. 8, 2019. According to the agreement, the Task Force was to meet monthly, create tools for PreK-21 placement, monitor and review data and reports provided by SPS, and report out at least three times a year to the community (SPS and SEA) on work being done in the Task Force.
- Please provide all meeting dates and meeting minutes of the Special Education Task Force between November 8, 2019 and September 13, 2021.
- Please provide any upcoming meeting dates and locations of the Special Education Task Force.
- Please provide any tools created by the Task Force for PreK-21 placement between Nov. 8, 2019 and September 13, 2021.
- Please provide any data and/or reports SPS has brought to the Task Force, including but not limited to student numbers, demographics, population shifts, current schools with services provided, capacity of buildings, staff turnover, vacant certified and classified special education positions, and work on corrective action plans.
- Please provide copies of any and all reports made to the community, SPS and SEA on work being done in the Task Force.
In addition, the contract directs that the Task Force review and make recommendations on the District’s efforts to implement, monitor, and improve the Full Continuum of Services; the Special Education Professional Development Plan, including the use of a racial equity analysis tool; and any other topics the Task Force agrees is necessary to discuss and consider.
- Please provide any recommendations made by the Task Force on the Full Continuum of Services, the Special Education Professional Development Plan and any other topics the Task Force deemed necessary to discuss and consider.
Most importantly, the Contract directs the Task Force to make recommendations to the Joint Bargaining Team no later than May 1, 2021.
- Please provide copies of any Task Force recommendations made to the Joint Bargaining Team.
The Special Education Parent Teacher Student Association Board and our members look forward to a prompt reply to our request.
Respectfully
