Pasadena Unified Board Postpones Final Approval of Community Special Education Committee

Special Education once again took center stage at the PUSD Board meeting Thursday as the Board voted 6 in favor, with one absent, to approve a motion postponing final approval of the 31 current members of the Community Advisory Committee (CAC) to Special Education.

According to the PUSD staff report, the CAC is part of the Special Education Local Plan for the Pasadena Area (SELPA).

Members work on behalf of students with disabilities—parents/guardians of students with disabilities, special education staff, general education staff, agency representatives, and community members—and are responsible to the Board of Education and the Pasadena SELPA administration. Committee responsibilities also include advising the policy and administrative entity of the district, SELPA, or county office, regarding the development, amendment and review of the Local Plan.

All of the current members of the Committee are parents of Special Education Students.

PUSD Superintendent Dr. Brian McDonald asked at the outset of the discussion that the vote be postponed in order to allow the current membership to select a representative group to develop new bylaws, as well as a mission and vision statement, before being formally approved.

Board member Kimberly Kenne initially responded to McDonald by saying that she wanted the Committee membership approved immediately, so that the committee might formally begin its work. But McDonald said, “We need to strengthen the Committee’s relationship with the Board first.”

PUSD Board President Patrick Cahalan agreed with McDonald, and noted that “Without a structure, committees like these can go south.”

Cahalan then suggested a compromise motion that would schedule a Committee presentation before the PUSD board on January 31, 2021. In the interim, the CAC would meet to develop the requested new bylaws, mission statement and vision statement. Saying that he is experienced in writing bylaws for similar commissions, Cahalan said he would serve as the PUSD Board liaison for the Committee as they worked on the objectives.

A list of the current membership is available here.