La Canada Unified details special-education inclusion, PBIS rollout and new literacy assessment

At its State of the District event, La Canada Unified leaders outlined student-support initiatives including special education inclusion strategies, a districtwide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports rollout and a new reading assessment.

Ana Iswan, who identified herself as the district’s Educational Services lead, said the district trained TK–3 teachers in the science of reading and will implement the DIBELS assessment in August 2024. “We successfully trained the district’s TK to third grade teachers…we also trained them on a new reading assessment DIBELS which will be officially implemented in August 2024,” she said.

Dr Derk Eori, executive director for special education and psychological services, described an inclusion-focused approach that starts at preschool with a 50/50 ratio of students with disabilities and neurotypical peers and continues through K–12 with supports pushed into general education classrooms. He also described the Workability program, saying it partners with local businesses to provide employment experiences for students with disabilities and named several community partners.

Dr Amy Kier said the district’s PBIS implementation has been rolled out at all sites this year and that schools will continue expanding PBIS practices in 2024–25. Karen Hurley (executive director of programs and services) summarized ELD programming, Title III-supported supplemental services and state assessment windows that are currently underway through May.

Taken together, presenters said these efforts reflect a coordinated emphasis on literacy, social-emotional supports and transitions that aim to increase access to inclusive general-education experiences and postsecondary options.

Next steps: the district will present its drafted 2024–27 Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) at upcoming governing-board meetings in June and continue community engagement on program implementation.