Community Advisory Committee urges more staffing, inclusion and literacy action in SFUSD

The Community Advisory Committee (CAC) for Special Education presented its annual report and appointments to the Board of Education, urging immediate action on staffing, professional development and inclusive practices across San Francisco Unified School District.

CAC leaders described a membership of 19 (18 parents/guardians of students with disabilities) representing citywide supervisorial districts and multiple languages. The committee recommended two confirmations (Diane Poole and Leah Tinsley) and pressed the district to prioritize staffing stability, longer paraprofessional hours, accessible professional development and stronger site leadership to ensure students with disabilities are included in general education settings where appropriate.

“Literacy is a civil-rights issue,” CAC members told the board, urging rapid implementation of curriculum improvements and cross-department collaboration on early literacy and screening tools. The CAC also urged mandatory training on universal design for learning, positive behavior interventions and assistive technology for all staff, not only special education personnel.

Staff response and follow-up: Special education leaders acknowledged staffing and backlog issues and said they are coordinating with the district to prioritize training and to integrate CAC feedback into district planning and budgeting. Board members asked staff to provide a formal response and suggested scheduling a staff report back to map CAC priorities to measurable actions.

Why it matters: CAC’s recommendations affect program delivery for students with individualized education programs (IEPs). CAC members noted that staffing shortages — including teachers, paraprofessionals and related service providers — directly affect inclusion, student outcomes and staff retention.

What’s next: The board confirmed CAC appointments and requested a staff memo tying CAC priorities to district goals and timelines, and asked for continued engagement during budget and implementation planning.