Board approves $1.9M CCES plan to reduce disproportionate special-education identification of Black students

The San Francisco Board of Education on June 22 approved a district CCES (also called CSACE) plan and budget to address the state-identified disproportionate rates at which African American students were referred to special education and disciplined.

District special-education leadership told the board the state notified SFUSD in February 2020 after identifying the district as "significantly disproportionate" for certain eligibility categories and discipline. The plan is designed to work at the general-education level to change root causes the district identified — systemic racism, cultural dissonance, trust deficits with families and disjointed behavioral and instructional supports.

Dr. Nicole Priestley and Chief of Special Education Jean Robertson framed the plan as a multi-year effort: the 2020 plan focuses on needs assessment and priority focal populations; subsequent 2021 and 2022 plans will build implementation and monitoring. The CCES budget presented to the board included just over $1.9 million intended to serve 756 students across 26 sites and to fund site-based liaisons, behavior interventionists, occupational-therapy support, coaching, family engagement and program monitoring.

District staff emphasized measurable behavioral outcomes and a phased approach. Dr. Mildred Brown, technical-assistance facilitator, described the CCES process as an "incubator" to put systems and practices in place that avert inappropriate referrals to special education. The board approved the plan and funding by roll-call vote (7 ayes). Staff said they will submit the plan to the California Department of Education for approval and return with implementation details and regular updates.