Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District Report

Special Education Review January 20, 2023 Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District Michael H. Fine Chief Executive Officer January 20, 2023 Sheila McCabe, Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District 2490 Hilborn Road Fairfield, CA 94534 Dear Assistant Superintendent McCabe, In July 2022, the Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District and the Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team (FCMAT) entered into an agreement for FCMAT to review the district’s special education program. The agreement stated that FCMAT would perform the following: 1. Review the organizational structure and staffing of the special education department in the district’s central office to determine whether administration, clerical and administrative support, program specialists, teachers on special assignment, and overall functionality are aligned with those of districts of comparable size and structure, and make recommendation for greater efficiencies, if needed. 2. Analyze staffing and caseloads for related service providers, including but not limited to speech pathologists, psychologists, occupational/physical therapists, behavior specialists, adaptive physical education, and other staff who may be related services providers, and make recommendations for improvement, if any. This final report contains the study team’s findings and recommendations. FCMAT appreciates the opportunity to serve the Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District and extends thanks to all the staff for their assistance during fieldwork. Sincerely, Michael H. Fine Chief Executive Officer Michael H. Fine • Chief Executive Officer 1300 17th Street – City Centre, Bakersfield, CA 93301-4533 • Tel. 661-636-4611 • Fax 661-636-4647 www.fcmat.org Table of Contents Table of Contents About FCMAT ..................................................................................................iii Introduction .......................................................................................................v Background ............................................................................................................................v Study and Report Guidelines ............................................................................................vi Study Team ............................................................................................................................vi Executive Summary ........................................................................................1 Findings and Recommendations................................................................2 Background and Context – Transforming Education to Improve Outcomes for Students with Disabilities ............................................2 District Organization and Structure to Support Students Who Receive Special Education Services .........................................................4 Educational Services Department Structure ................................................................4 Ways to Support the Organizational Structure ..............................................................8 Educational Services Department Staffing .......................................................10 Special Education Staffing Comparison .............................................................11 Similar Districts .....................................................................................................................11 Nearby Districts ...................................................................................................................12 Special Education Student Identification and Outcomes .............................13 District Special Education Identification Rate ..............................................................13 Disproportionality in Special Education Identification...............................................14 Outcomes for Students Who Receive Special Education Services .......................15 Special Education Annual Performance Report ..............................................17 Related Service Provider Staffing and Caseloads ..........................................19 School Psychologists .........................................................................................................19 Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District i Table of Contents Speech and Language Pathologists .............................................................................20 Adapted Physical Education Teachers .........................................................................20 Occupational Therapists ...................................................................................................21 School Nurses ......................................................................................................................21 Appendix ........................................................................................................23 Study Agreement ...............................................................................................................23 Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District ii About FCMAT About FCMAT FCMAT’s primary mission is to assist California’s local TK-14 educational agencies to identify, prevent, and resolve financial, human resources and data management challenges. FCMAT provides fiscal and data management assistance, professional development training, product development and other related school business and data services. FCMAT’s fiscal and management assistance services are used not just to help avert fiscal crisis, but to promote sound financial practices, support the training and development of chief business officials and help to create efficient organizational operations. FCMAT’s data management ser- vices are used to help local educational agencies (LEAs) meet state reporting responsibilities, improve data quality, and inform instructional program decisions. FCMAT may be requested to provide fiscal crisis or management assistance by a school district, charter school, community college, county office of education, the state superintendent of public instruction, or the Legislature. When a request or assignment is received, FCMAT assembles a study team that works closely with the LEA to define the scope of work, conduct on-site fieldwork and provide a written report with findings and recommendations to help resolve issues, overcome challenges and plan for the future. 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 FCMAT has continued to make adjustments in the types of support provided based on the changing dynamics of TK-14 LEAs and the implementation of major educational reforms. FCMAT also develops and provides numerous publications, software tools, workshops and professional learning opportunities to help LEAs operate more effectively and fulfill their fiscal oversight and data management responsibilities. The California School Information Services (CSIS) division of FCMAT assists the California Department of Education with the implementation of the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS). CSIS also hosts and maintains the Ed-Data website (www.ed-data.org) and provides technical expertise to the Ed-Data partnership: the California Department of Education, EdSource and FCMAT. FCMAT was created by Assembly Bill (AB) 1200 in 1992 to assist LEAs to meet and sustain their financial obligations. AB 107 in 1997 charged FCMAT with responsibility for CSIS and its statewide data management work. AB 1115 in 1999 codified CSIS’ mission. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District iii seidutS fo rebmuN Studies by Fiscal Year 98/99 99/00 00/01 01/02 02/03 03/04 04/05 05/06 06/07 07/08 08/09 09/10 10/11 11/12 12/13 13/14 14/15 15/16 16/17 17/18 18/19 19/20 20/21 21/22 About FCMAT AB 1200 is also a statewide plan for county offices of education and school districts to work together locally to improve fiscal procedures and accountability standards. AB 2756 (2004) provides specific responsibili- ties to FCMAT with regard to districts that have received emergency state loans. In January 2006, Senate Bill 430 (charter schools) and AB 1366 (community colleges) became law and expanded FCMAT’s services to those types of LEAs. On September 17, 2018 AB 1840 was signed into law. This legislation changed how fiscally insolvent dis- tricts are administered once an emergency appropriation has been made, shifting the former state-centric system to be more consistent with the principles of local control, and providing new responsibilities to FCMAT associated with the process. Since 1992, FCMAT has been engaged to perform more than 1,400 reviews for LEAs, including school districts, county offices of education, charter schools and community colleges. The Kern County Superintendent of Schools is the administrative agent for FCMAT. The team is led by Michael H. Fine, Chief Executive Officer, with funding derived through appropriations in the state budget and a modest fee sched- ule for charges to requesting agencies. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District iv Introduction Introduction Background The Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District is located in Northern California between San Francisco and Sacramento. According to DataQuest, 20,715 K-12 students were enrolled in the district in 2021-22. The district has 30 schools, including three high schools, four middle schools, 19 elementary schools, five alternative schools, and one adult school. The district is a member of the Solano County Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA), which includes five school districts (Benicia, Dixon, Fairfield-Suisun, Travis, and Vacaville) and the Solano County Office of Education. In 2021-22, 14.96% of the district’s students were identified as English learners, and 12.24% of the district’s K-12 students were identified as requiring special education, compared to 12.65% of K-12 students statewide. In July 2022, the Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District and the Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team (FCMAT) entered into an agreement for FCMAT to conduct a review of the district’s special education program. The study agreement specifies that FCMAT will perform the following. 1. Review the organizational structure and staffing of the special education department in the district’s central office to determine whether administration, clerical and administrative support, program specialists, teachers on special assignment, and overall functionality are aligned with those of districts of comparable size and structure, and make recommendation for greater efficiencies, if needed. 2. Analyze staffing and caseloads for related service providers, including but not limited to speech pathologists, psychologists, occupational/physical therapists, behavior specialists, adaptive physical education, and other staff who may be related services providers, and make recommendations for improvement, if any. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District v Introduction Study and Report Guidelines FCMAT conducted in-person interviews on September 15 and 16, 2022 with district and school administra- tors, district clerical staff, coordinators, and related service providers. Following fieldwork, FCMAT reviewed and analyzed data and documents. This report is the result of those activities and is divided into the follow- ing sections: • Executive Summary • Background and Context – Transforming Education to Improve Outcomes for Students with Disabilities • District Organization and Structure to Support Students Receiving Special Education Services • Ways to Support the Organizational Structure • Staffing to Support Students Who Receive Special Education Services • Special Education Student Identification and Outcomes • District Special Education Identification Rate • District Outcomes for Students Who Receive Special Education Services • Related Service Provider Staffing and Caseloads FCMAT’s reports focus on systems and processes that may need improvement. Those that may be func- tioning well are generally not commented on in FCMAT’s reports. In writing its reports, FCMAT uses the Associated Press Stylebook, a comprehensive guide to usage and accepted style that emphasizes con- ciseness and clarity. In addition, this guide emphasizes plain language, discourages the use of jargon and capitalizes relatively few terms. Study Team The study team was composed of the following members: Carolynne Beno, Ed.D., CFE Nelarie Romo FCMAT Intervention Specialist FCMAT Consultant John Lotze FCMAT Technical Writer All team members reviewed the draft report to confirm accuracy and achieve consensus on the final recommendations. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District vi Executive Summary Executive Summary Approximately five years ago, the district revised its structures and systems to support students who receive special education services. The Educational Services Department’s structure is designed to pro- mote open communication, collaboration and shared responsibility between general and special educa- tion administrators in support of all students while retaining a special education department. The district’s vision is for a special education teacher to interact with his or her principal for support; the principal in turn collaborates with his or her educational services coordinator for assistance. Educational services coordina- tors may consult with the special education coordinator, a special education assistant director, the senior director, special education, or with the senior director, elementary or secondary education, depending on their support need. FCMAT believes the district’s Education Services Department is well organized and structured to support positive outcomes for students with disabilities because of its alignment with con- cepts from the 2015 ONE SYSTEM report, including that students with disabilities are general education students first, that integrated systems should be used, and that all educators have a collective responsibil- ity for all students. During interviews, staff reported a need to clarify whom to contact for support and who has decision-mak- ing responsibilities. It would benefit the district to create and distribute a document such as a matrix or decision tree to clarify the roles and responsibilities of the special education administrators, educational services coordinators and site principals so staff know whom they should contact for different types of questions or support. In addition, most staff interviewed reported their job orientation and training experi- ence was inadequate to address the needs of their position in areas such as electronic data management systems, continuum of service options for students in special education, and district and department pro- cesses and procedures. The district needs to develop a comprehensive job orientation and training plan. FCMAT conducted a survey of several unified school districts in California with enrollments and undupli- cated pupil percentages (UPP) similar to those of the district. FCMAT requested information on central office special education administrator and administrative support positions. The district employs fewer special education administrators in its central office than comparison districts (9.0 full-time equivalent posi- tions, or FTE, compared to an average of 10.52 FTE). FCMAT recommends the district hire an additional 1.0 FTE central office administrator. The district has more special education administrative support positions in the central office than comparison districts (6.0 FTE compared to 4.55 FTE). However, during interviews, the educational services coordinators expressed a need for administrative support. The district should evalu- ate how to use its present support staff in the Eductional Services Department to support the educational services coordinators. FCMAT analyzed the district’s related service provider staffing. Related services are the developmental, corrective, and other supportive services required to help a child with a disability benefit from special edu- cation (34 CFR 300.34). FCMAT found the district’s related service provider staffing adequate. The district should develop a vision and common expectations districtwide for how school psychologists and speech and language pathologists are part of one coherent system to support all students. The district should monitor speech and language pathologist, adapted physical education, occupational therapist, and school nurse caseload averages and student needs annually to determine if staffing changes are warranted. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District 1 Findings and Recommendations Background and Context – Transforming Education to Improve Outcomes for Students with Disabilities Findings and Recommendations Background and Context – Transforming Education to Improve Outcomes for Students with Disabilities Over the past two decades, educational reform movements emphasizing accountability have highlighted achievement gaps among students based on factors such as race and ethnicity, family income, language ability, and disability. Although some progress has been made in California to reduce inequities in educa- tional outcomes for these student groups, students with disabilities remain among the lowest performing subgroups. California convened a statewide special education task force in 2013 to end persistent poor outcomes for students with disabilities, including infants, toddlers, preschoolers, students in California K–12 schools and those up to age 22. The task force was to examine the complex systems for serving students with disabilities and forward recommendations to the State Board of Education, the Commission on Teacher Credentialing, and the California Department of Education (CDE). In March 2015, the task force’s report, One System: Reforming Education to Serve ALL Students, Report of California's Statewide Task Force on Special Education was published. The executive summary can be found at the following web address: https://www.casponline.org/pdfs/legislative/Executive%20Summary%20W.%20CONTACTS-1.pdf. The 2015 one system report stated: California’s current policies, including funding, credentialing, and a range of service delivery options, tend to ‘bolt on’ special education to general education. While there are certainly examples throughout the state of well-integrated models of supports, these are the excep- tions rather the norm. Our prevailing model has made it acceptable, and in some instances seem desirable, to isolate special education as a unique and separate system that parallels general education. The 2015 one system report explained the way special education operates as its own separate program disregards current research, which suggests that “inclusive practices, integrated systems, and coherence are essential to provide high-quality, cost-effective special education programs within (rather than apart from) a well-articulated system of education.” The 2015 one system report identified the following seven distinct and interconnected areas of focus to improve outcomes for students with disabilities: 1. Early Learning 2. Evidence-Based School and Classroom Practices 3. Educator Preparation and Professional Learning 4. Assessment 5. Accountability 6. Family and Student Engagement 7. Special Education Financing Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District 2 Findings and Recommendations Background and Context – Transforming Education to Improve Outcomes for Students with Disabilities Among the areas of focus and many recommendations in the 2015 one system report was the predominant theme that California’s special education system would improve if one coherent system was designed to address the needs of all students. In this one coherent system, general education and special education work together to address the needs of all students. The taskforce report explained: In a coherent system of education, all children and students with disabilities are considered general education students first; and all educators, regardless of which students they are assigned to serve, have a collective responsibility to see that all children receive the educa- tion and the supports they need to maximize their development and potential, allowing them to participate meaningfully in the nation’s economy and democracy. The 2015 one system report identified a need to transform our understanding of special education from being “a place where students go to receive more or different services, to a viewpoint that includes special education services as one of many programs of support under the umbrella of general education. In 2020, the CDE tasked WestEd with reporting on policy and system changes that have affected students with disabilities since the 2015 one system report. The 2021 WestEd report, California’s Progress Toward Achieving ONE SYSTEM: Reforming Education to Serve ALL Students, explains that the 2015 one system report was intended to create momentum and discourse in California’s efforts to reform special education. To evaluate special education reform efforts, WestEd examined the 2015 one system report’s seven focus areas and made additional recommendations in each area. WestEd concluded, “numerous improvements have been made to California’s general and special education landscapes.” Using the 2015 one system and 2021 West Ed reports as a guide, districts should focus on inclusive prac- tices, integrated systems, and coherence to develop a well-articulated system of education to support pos- itive student outcomes for all students. Districts should recognize that students who receive special educa- tion services are general education students first and should operate with the understanding that special education services are one of the many programs of support under the umbrella of general education, not a place where students go to receive more or different services. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District 3 Findings and Recommendations District Organization and Structure to Support Students Who Receive Special Education Services District Organization and Structure to Support Students Who Receive Special Education Services Educational Services Department Structure Approximately five years ago, the district revised its structures and systems to support students who receive special education services. The district’s new approach was aligned with several important themes from the 2015 one system report, including the following: • All students with disabilities are considered general education students first. • It is undesirable to isolate special education as a unique and separate system that parallels general education. In a coherent system, general education and special education work together to meet the needs of all students. • All educators have a collective responsibility to see that all children receive the education and the supports they need. • Special education services are one of the many programs of support under the umbrella of general education, not a place where students go to receive more or different services. Under the district’s revised structure, the assistant superintendent of educational services supports six administrators, each of whom is in a director role and all of whom have a shared responsibility to support all students, including students who receive special education services. Three of the directors (senior director, special education; senior director, secondary education; and senior director, elementary education) have job responsibilities that directly support students who receive special education services. The district’s Educational Services Department is organized as shown below. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District 4 Findings and Recommendations District Organization and Structure to Support Students Who Receive Special Education Services Superintendent Assistant Superintendent Administrative Educational Assistant Services Senior Director, Senior Senior Director, Director, Director, Student and Director, Director, Curriculum, English Learning Special Family Services Secondary Elementary Instruction and and Instructional Education Education Education Assessment Support Assistant Assistant Director, Director, Assistant Assistant Assistant Assistant Special Student and Director, Director, Director, Director, Education (2) Family Services Secondary Elementary Curriculum, English Learning Education Education Instruction and and Instructional Related Coordinator, Assessment Support Service Parent Coordinators Elementary Providers and Family (2) Administrators Assessment Coordinators various Engagement various Operations (2) Manager Truancy High School Coordinator Prevention and Middle Preschool Specialist School Administrators Administrator Lead Administrators on Special Administrator, Family various Coordinators Assignment H. Glenn Resource (2) Richardson Center Adult Coordinator Manager Education MTSS (2) Program Administrators Specialist, Preschool Continuation and Alternative Education Administrators Administrator on Special Assignment The Educational Services Department’s structure is designed to promote open communication, collabo- ration and shared responsibility between general and special education administrators in support of all students while retaining a special education department. The district’s Special Education Department is organized as follows. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District 5 Findings and Recommendations District Organization and Structure to Support Students Who Receive Special Education Services Senior Director Special Education Assistant Director Special Education (2) Related Service Providers Various Coordinator Lead Administrator H. Glenn Richardson Program Specialist Preschool Job responsibilities related to supporting students who receive special education services are divided between the Educational Services Department’s three senior directors. Their roles and responsibilities related to special education are divided as follows: Job Responsibilities Related to Administrators Supervised, Special Education Evaluated and Supported Guiding program design and implementation for all students in alignment with overarching broad course of study and board policy Special education school site teacher staffing School Principals Senior Director, recommendations based on enrollment projections Educational Services Coordinator Elementary Education Facility placement of regional special education Special Education Teacher on Special Assignment programs Guiding discipline decisions for all students, including students in special education Guiding program design and implementation for all students in alignment with overarching broad course of study and board policy Special education school site teacher staffing Senior Director, School Principals recommendations based on enrollment projections Secondary Education Educational Services Coordinators (2) Facility placement of regional special education programs Guiding discipline decisions for all students, including students in special education Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District 6 Findings and Recommendations District Organization and Structure to Support Students Who Receive Special Education Services Job Responsibilities Related to Administrators Supervised, Special Education Evaluated and Supported General oversight of all special education programs Nonpublic school oversight Litigation reduction and management Special Education Assistant Director, Secondary Legal and technical support Special Education Assistant Director, Elementary Senior Director, Fee for service Special Education Coordinator Special Education Contracts Principal, H Glenn Richardson School (Special Education Regional programs School) Special education compliance / data identified Program Specialist, Preschool noncompliant (DINC) Special Education Plan Source: District information. The following positions work under the senior director, special education: • Two special education assistant directors of secondary and elementary, who perform duties such as supporting and evaluating related service provider teams, attending conten- tious IEP meetings, case managing students who attend nonpublic schools, and monitoring IEP compliance. • One special education coordinator, who performs duties such as supporting the speech language pathologist team, coordinating IEPs for students who attend private schools, and case managing students who attend nonpublic schools. • One special education program specialist, who performs duties such as supporting district preschool programs, overseeing the child find/referral process, and facilitating student tran- sitions from Part C infant/toddler services to district Part B preschool programs. The following positions work under the senior directors, elementary and secondary education: • Four educational services coordinators, who directly support students receiving special education services and perform duties such as supporting school principals, performing case and educational benefit reviews, and aiding in special education enrollment and proj- ect work. • School principals, who perform duties related to special education such as supporting the child find process, serving as administrative designee at IEP meetings, assisting with posi- tive behavior supports, making discipline decisions, addressing concerns and complaints, scheduling courses, and hiring, supervising, evaluating and scheduling special education teachers. The district’s vision is for each special education teacher to interact with his or her principal for support. In turn, each principal collaborates with his or her educational services coordinator for assistance. Educational services coordinators may consult with the special education coordinator, a special education assistant director, the senior director, special education, or the senior director, elementary or secondary education, depending on their support need. During interviews, some administrators reported a need to better understand their role and job duties. Before FCMAT’s visit, the district had identified decision making as an area needing clarification. Certain administrators had reported not fully understanding their job responsibilities; however, the district came to understand that these individuals did not recognize what decisions they could make. The district is devel- oping a decision-making matrix to clarify who makes what decisions. This is part of the special education department’s shift from a top-down vertical structure to a culture of shared responsibility for decision Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District 7 Findings and Recommendations District Organization and Structure to Support Students Who Receive Special Education Services making. As a next step, it would benefit the district to consider developing a decision tree so staff know whom to contact for support. The district may be able to add the educational services coordinators and school principals to its Special Education Administrative Responsibilities chart or adapt its decision-making matrix to meet this need. FCMAT believes the district’s education services department is well organized and structured to support positive outcomes for students with disabilities because of its alignment with concepts from the 2015 one system report. These include the concept that students with disabilities are general education students first, the use of integrated systems, and a shared belief that all educators have a collective responsibility for all students. Ways to Support the Organizational Structure In addition to clarifying whom to contact for support and decision-making responsibilities, the district will need to focus on building the capacity of staff to make informed decisions regarding special education by focusing on its job orientation and training, and ongoing professional development. Job Orientation and Training Most staff reported their job orientation and training was inadequate to address the needs of their position in areas such as electronic data management systems, continuum of service options for students in special education, and district and department processes and procedures. Certain related service provider leads reported providing support for new staff on their teams, but their efforts duplicated activities of other leads and thus did not appear to be coordinated. The district needs to develop a comprehensive job orientation and training plan that addresses at least the following areas: • The district and its Educational Services Department’s mission, vision, and all means all philosophy (meaning that all students, including those with disabilities, are treated equita- bly and are the responsibility of all staff). • The district’s organizational structure and departments, department functions, and a delin- eation of the support that different departments provide. • The Educational Services Department’s organizational structure, staffing and functions, and an explanation of the support different positions provide. • Training for staff who use electronic data management and reporting systems such as the Aeries Student Information System, the Special Education Information System (SEIS), and the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS). • An overview of the continuum of services options for special education. • Key district policies and procedures. Professional Development Staff reported having access to professional development, but several administrators indicated a need for professional development aimed at building their capacity to make informed decisions regarding spe- cial education. Professional development regarding special education laws and compliance, and training for administrative designees, was specifically requested. It would benefit the district to conduct a needs assessment annually with central office and site-based staff and prioritize professional development that Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District 8 Findings and Recommendations District Organization and Structure to Support Students Who Receive Special Education Services focuses on supporting its all means all vision. The district should continue to provide professional develop- ment in the following areas: • Universal design for learning (UDL) • Special education evidence-based practices and methods • Special education compliance with procedural and substantive free appropriate public education (FAPE) • Best practices for administrative designees • Alternative dispute resolution • Positive behavior supports Recommendations The district should: 1. Create and distribute a document such as a matrix or decision tree to clarify the roles and responsibilities of the special education administrators, educational services coordinators and school principals so staff know whom they should contact for different types of questions or support. 2. Develop a comprehensive job orientation and training plan for new staff. 3. Conduct an annual needs assessment with central office and site-based staff to help create the department’s professional development plan. Ensure that professional development focuses on supporting the department’s all means all vision. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District 9 Findings and Recommendations Educational Services Department Staffing Educational Services Department Staffing The district has the following full-time equivalent (FTE) special education administrators in the central office, which includes positions such as program specialists, assistant directors, and coordinators, as shown below. Position Title Number of Positions Total FTE Senior Director, Special Education 1 1.0 Assistant Director, Special Education 2 2.0 4 (2 Secondary and 2 Coordinator of Educational Services* Elementary) 4.0 Coordinator of Special Education 1 1.0 Program Specialist, Special Education (preschool) 1 1.0 Total 9.0** Source: District data. *One of the coordinators of educational services positions is vacant and the district is using a program specialist in educational services to fill this role. **The senior directors of elementary and secondary education are not included in the total FTE of administrators who support special education in the central office. While their job responsibilities include supporting the needs of students who receive special education services, FCMAT believes these job functions fall under support for all students, including students with disabilities. The district has the following FTE administrative assistant positions that perform special education related functions in the central office. Position Title Number of Positions FTE Secretary II 2 2.0 Secretary III 1 1.0 Typist Clerk 1 1.0 Data Processing Control Clerk 1 1.0 Special Education SEIS Technician 1 1.0 Total 6.0 Source: District data. The district also employs two translators in the Educational Services Department who support special edu- cation. These positions are not being analyzed in this study because many districts contract with nonpublic agencies for these services, limiting the usefulness of comparisons. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District 10 Findings and Recommendations Special Education Staffing Comparison Special Education Staffing Comparison Similar Districts FCMAT conducted a survey of several unified school districts in California with enrollments and undupli- cated pupil percentages (UPPs) similar to those of Fairfield-Suisun. The information below summarizes responses from five districts that replied to FCMAT’s request for information about central office special education department staffing. FCMAT requested information in two areas: 1. Central office administrator positions, including positions such as directors, assistant directors, coordinators, program specialists, and teachers on special assignment. 2. Central office administrative support positions, including positions such as secretaries, administrative assistants, filing clerks, and data technicians. Comparison districts have an average of 10.52 FTE administrator positions in the central office that support special education; Fairfield-Suisun has 9.0 FTE. Comparison districts have an average of 4.55 FTE special education administrative support positions in the central office; Fairfield-Suisun has 6.0 FTE. FTE Administrator FTE Administrative Positions and Support Positions 2021-22 Census FTE-to-Enrollment and FTE-to- District Name County Name Day Enrollment* Ratio ** Enrollment Ratio** 12.6 5.0 Downey Unified Los Angeles 22,261 (1-to-1,766.75) (1-to-4,452.20) 9.0 5.0 Hayward Unified Alameda 20,546 (1-to-2,282.89) (1-to-4,109.20) 10.0 5.75 Napa Valley Unified Napa 16,793 (1-to-1,679.30) (1-to-2,920.52) 10.0 4.0 Oceanside Unified San Diego 18,671 (1-to-1,867.10) (1-to-4,667.75) 11.0 3.0 Vista Unified San Diego 22,092 (1-to-2,008.36) (1-to-7,364) Average FTE 10.52 4.55 9.0 6.0 Fairfield-Suisun Unified Solano 20,715 (1-to-2,301.67) (1-to-3,452.50) Source: *EdData - Comparisons (ed-data.org). **Informal FCMAT survey. Any variances in FTE are due to FCMAT’s interpretation of the infor- mation shared via survey. Teachers on special assignment (TOSAs) were included in administrator FTE if they were performing administrator functions in the central office. Compared to districts of similar enrollment and UPP that responded to FCMAT’s survey, the district employs fewer special education administrators in the central office (9.0 FTE compared to an average of 10.52 FTE). During interviews, many staff identified a need for an additional central office administrator. Compared to districts of similar enrollment and UPP that responded to FCMAT’s survey, the district has more special education administrative support positions in the central office (6.0 FTE compared to an aver- age of 4.55 FTE). During interviews, the educational services coordinators expressed a need for administra- tive support; they do not have an administrative support position assigned to their team. The district needs to evaluate how to use its present support staff in the Educational Services Department to support the educational services coordinators with tasks such as scheduling meetings, data entry, and clerical work. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District 11 Findings and Recommendations Special Education Staffing Comparison Nearby Districts FCMAT surveyed four additional unified school districts located in the same geographic region as the district for comparison. The information below summarizes responses from the districts that replied to FCMAT’s request for information on central office special education department staffing. These districts have an average of 8.95 FTE administrator positions in the central office that support special education; Fairfield-Suisun has 9.0 FTE. Comparison districts have an average of 5.05 FTE special educa- tion administrative support positions in the central office; Fairfield-Suisun has 6.0 FTE. Although the district was interested in learning about the central office staffing of these nearby districts, their enrollment and UPP are not similar, so they are not considered comparable. FTE Administrative FTE Administrator Support Positions and 2021-22 Census Positions and FTE to FTE to Enrollment District Name County Name Day Enrollment* Enrollment to Ratio ** Ratio** 14.0 6.0 Mt. Diablo Unified Contra Costa 29,789 (1-to-2,127.79) (1-to-4,964.83) 9.7 5.2 Vacaville Unified Solano 13,074 (1-to-1,347.84) (1-to-2,514.23) 5.6 5.0 Vallejo Unified Solano 12,717 (1-to-2,270.89) (1-to-2,543.40) 6.5 4.0 Woodland Joint Unified Yolo 9,517 (1-to-1,464.15) (1-to-2,379.25) Average 8.95 5.05 9.0 6.0 Fairfield-Suisun Unified Solano 20,715 (1-to-2,301.67) (1-to-3,452.50) Source: *EdData - Comparisons (ed-data.org). **Informal FCMAT survey. Any variances in FTE are due to FCMAT’s interpretation of the information shared via the survey. TOSAs were included in administrator FTE if they were performing administrator functions in the central office. Recommendations The district should: 1. Consider hiring an additional 1.0 FTE central office administrator. 2. Evaluate how to use its present support staff in the Educational Services Department to support the educational services coordinators. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District 12 Findings and Recommendations Special Education Student Identification and Outcomes Special Education Student Identification and Outcomes In addition to considering district staffing, it is important to evaluate whether students are properly identi- fied for special education and what their outcomes are under the district’s organization and structure. District Special Education Identification Rate From 2017-18 through 2021-22 the district’s census day enrollment declined by 824 students. 22000 21539 21405 21287 21500 21000 20703 20715 20500 20000 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 Source: Enrollment by Ethnicity for Charter and Non-Charter Schools - Fairfield-Suisun Unified (CDE). The district’s special education enrollment increased by 195 students from 2017-18 through 2021-22. Source: Enrollment by Ethnicity for Charter and Non-Charter Schools - Fairfield-Suisun Unified (CDE). Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District 13 stnedutS fo rebmuN K-12 Census Day Enrollment 2600 2536 2550 2500 2432 2450 2405 2400 2341 2347 2350 2300 2250 2200 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 stnedutS fo rebmuN K-12 Special Education Enrollment Findings and Recommendations Special Education Student Identification and Outcomes The number of the district’s K-12 students who receive special education services increased by 1.37% from 2017-18 through 2021-22. 12.5 12.24 11.75 12 11.5 11.24 11.03 10.87 11 10.5 10 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 Source: Enrollment by Ethnicity for Charter and Non-Charter Schools - Fairfield-Suisun Unified (CDE). In 2021-22, 12.24% of the district’s K-12 students were identified as requiring special education services, which is slightly less than the countywide and statewide averages. 2021-22 District County State K-12 enrollment 20,715 60,492 5,892,240 K-12 enrollment of students with disabilities 2,536 7,524 745,513 Percentage 12.24% 12.44% 12.65% Source: Enrollment by Ethnicity for Charter and Non-Charter Schools – Fairfield-Suisun Unified (CDE). The district’s enrollment decline of 824 students from 2017-18 through 2021-22 and corresponding increase of 195 students receiving special education services could indicate a change in the process used to iden- tify students for special education. However, because the percentage of the district’s K-12 students who receive special education services is aligned with statewide and countywide averages, the district appears to be appropriately identifying students for special education. It would benefit the district to monitor the percentage of students who qualify for special education and provide professional development in proper special education identification as needed. Disproportionality in Special Education Identification The National Association of School Psychologists defines disproportionality as “the extent to which mem- bership in a given group affects the probability of being placed in a specific disability category.” Put simply, it is the under- or overrepresentation of racial or ethnic groups in special education. English learners are commonly overidentified for special education. In 2021-22, 14.96% of all district students were identified as English learners. Of the district’s 2,536 K-12 students in special education, 325, or 12.82%, were identi- fied as English learners. Because the percentage of English learners in special education is similar to the percentage in the district as a whole, the district does not appear to be overidentifying English learners for special education. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District 14 stnedutS fo egatnecreP Percentage of K-12 Students Recieving Special Education Services Findings and Recommendations Special Education Student Identification and Outcomes Percentage of Students Identified as English Learners All Students 14.96 85.04 Special Education Students 12.82 87.18 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% English Learner Non-English Learner Source: Enrollment by Ethnicity and Grade - Fairfield-Suisun Unified (CDE). Outcomes for Students Who Receive Special Education Services California School Dashboard California's accountability system is based on multiple measures that assess how local educational agen- cies and schools are meeting students’ needs. Performance on these state measures is reported using the California School Dashboard. For each district, student groups are classified into status and change levels based on how well they perform on five indicators: • Chronic Absence Rate – Grades K-8 • Suspension Rate – Grades K-12 • Graduation Rate – Grades 9-12 • College/Career Readiness– Grades 9-12 • Academic Performance (English Language Arts and Mathematics) – Grades 3-8, 11 Status levels (very high, high, medium, low, very low) are based on a group’s current year performance on an indicator. Change levels (increased significantly, increased, maintained, declined, declined significantly) capture how much a group’s performance changed on an indicator from the prior year. Combined status and change level data results in five color-coded performance levels for each indicator. From highest to lowest, the performance levels are blue, green, yellow, orange, and red. Revisions to the dashboard have prioritized student group metrics, which now include students with disabilities as a significant student group that requires both state and federal monitoring for compliance. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, state law suspended the reporting of state indicators on the 2020 and 2021 dashboards. The district’s 2019 performance level (color) for the population of all students in the district is compared to the performance level (color) for students with disabilities, as shown below. English learner progress was not reported on the 2019 dashboard. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District 15 Findings and Recommendations Special Education Student Identification and Outcomes English Chronic Suspension Graduation Language Absenteeism Rate Rate College/Career Arts Mathematics All Students Orange Yellow Green Orange Yellow Yellow Students with Orange Orange Red Red Orange Orange Disabilities Source: Fairfield-Suisun Unified Student Groups Report - California Accountability Model (CDE). Compared to all students in the district, students with disabilities perform similarly on the chronic absen- teeism indicator, one performance level worse (orange versus yellow) on the suspension rate and English language arts and mathematics indicators, and significantly worse on the graduation rate indicator (red versus green). The district’s lower performance for students with disabilities across many of these indicators is not unique. Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE) published a brief in 2020 about districts that were eligi- ble for differentiated assistance (DA) in 2019 based on the performance of their students with disabilities. Under California’s system of support, differentiated assistance (DA) provides supports to eligible districts to increase the performance of student groups. According to the 2020 PACE brief, for more than half of the 333 districts that were eligible for DA in 2019, eligibility was driven in part by the performance of students with disabilities. Those 187 districts were most frequently identified for DA based on the performance of students with disabilities in priority 4 (pupil achievement – English language arts and mathematics) and priority 5 (pupil engagement – graduation rate or chronic absenteeism). To help these students improve performance, the PACE 2020 brief recommends districts use their contin- uous improvement process to understand the root causes of what PACE believes are intersectional chal- lenges (that is, where more than one aspect of a student’s experience and identity affect the support he or she needs) facing students with disabilities. PACE recommends conducting a root-cause analysis and states: . . . districts should consider conducting finer grained analyses of the kinds of students facing these complex challenges—including by students’ disability type, and also by their gender, race, and ethnic background. Doing so can, for instance, shed light on disproportionate chal- lenges that can lie at the intersection of a child’s race and disability status. This more intersec- tional approach can reveal who is most in need of supports so that assistance can be tailored and targeted to improve their performance. Knowledge of how challenges play out at both the system and student levels can be critical in developing more holistic and robust strategies to promote the performance levels of students with disabilities. PACE’s intersectional approach may be particularly important for a district like Fairfield-Suisun. The dis- trict’s population of K-12 students who are African American is 13.31% as of 2021-22, which is far greater than the statewide average of 5.1%. In addition, of the 2,536 K-12 students enrolled in special education in the district in 2021-22, 489, or 19.28% (almost one in five), were African American students, who are a historically marginalized group with unique educational needs resulting from opportunity gaps driven by societal factors, including systemic and attitudinal racism. It would benefit the district to leverage its continuous improvement process as outlined in the 2020 PACE brief to understand the root causes of the intersectional challenges faced by students with disabilities, with an emphasis on how race-related societal factors combined with disability may be affecting the achieve- ment and outcomes of students with disabilities. Once the root causes are better understood, the district can make plans to improve achievement and outcomes for its students with disabilities. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District 16 Findings and Recommendations Special Education Annual Performance Report Special Education Annual Performance Report The Special Education Annual Performance Report Measures are reports published by the CDE to dis- tribute educational data about students with disabilities. These reports are required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 United States Code 1416(b)(2)(C)(ii) and 34 Code of Federal Regulations 300.602). Districts are evaluated based on 14 indicators, for which the target is met or not met. The district’s Local Level Annual Performance Report 2020–21 is shown below. No. Indicator Rate Target Target Met? 1 Graduation Rate 57.47% >90.0% No 2 Dropout Rate 25.17% ≤11% No 3 Assessment: ELA Participation N/A N/A N/A 3 Assessment: Math Participation Rate N/A N/A N/A 3 Assessment: ELA Achievement Rate N/A N/A N/A 3 Assessment: Math Achievement Rate N/A N/A N/A 4a Discipline (>10 days) Rate 0.33 <2.18 Yes 4b Discipline (>10 days) Areas Disproportionate * 0 0 Yes 5a LRE Rate: In Regular Class more than 80% 65.23% ≥58% Yes 5b LRE Rate: In Regular Class less than 40% 14.37% ≤19.5% Yes 5c LRE Rate: Separate Schools 2.70% ≤2.9% Yes 6a Preschool LRE: Regular Program 50.25% >39% Yes 6b Preschool LRE: Separate Class 36.45% <33% No 6c Preschool LRE: Home 3.94% <3.5% No 7a Positive Socio-Emotional Skills Substantially Increased 69.70% >85.2% No Positive Socio-Emotional Skills Functioning within age 7a expectations 61.40% >76% No 7b Acquisition of Knowledge/Skills Substantially Increased 53.57% >76% No Acquisition of Knowledge/Skills Functioning within age 7b expectations 54.55% >76% No 7c Use of Appropriate Behaviors Substantially Increased 71.43% >76% No Use of Appropriate Behaviors Functioning within age 7c expectations 58.93% >76% No 8 Parent Involvement Rate 99.61% >95.0% Yes 9 Overall Disproportionality Areas 0 0 YES 10 Disproportionality by Disability Areas 0 0 YES 11 Rate of Eligibility Determined within 60 days 100.00% 100% Yes 12 Rate of Part C to Part B Students with Timely IEPs 96.36% 100% No 13 Rate of Students with Transition Goals/Services 91.33% 100% No 14a Rate of Post School Outcomes: Higher Education 30.00% >55.0% No 14b Competitive Employment or Higher Education 61.54% >7504% No 14c Any Employment or Education 90.00% >87.0% Yes Source: Annual Performance Report Measures - Data Collection & Reporting (CDE). The CDE explains that performance on these indicators should not be viewed as the sole determinants of the quality of a district’s special education program but can help districts examine their programs and prioritize focus areas. One focus area identified by both the dashboard and the above performance report Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District 17 Findings and Recommendations Special Education Annual Performance Report is the district’s graduation rate for students with disabilities. According to the annual performance report, students with disabilities had a graduation rate of 57.47%, which is far below the target of 90%. FCMAT does not believe the district’s organizational structure is a root cause of the low graduation rate for stu- dents with disabilities. Rather, the district’s structure places a shared responsibility for special education student outcomes, such as graduation rate, on general and special education. It would benefit the district to use its continuous improvement process to identify root causes of the low graduation rate for students with disabilities and implement plans to address them. The district’s annual performance report can help the district prioritize areas of focus for its improvement efforts annually. Recommendations The district should: 1. Monitor the percentage of students who qualify for special education, and provide professional development in proper identification of students for special education as needed. 2. Use its continuous improvement process to understand the root causes of the intersectional challenges faced by students with disabilities, with an emphasis on how race-related societal factors combined with disability may affect the achievement and outcomes of students with disabilities. Focus on the graduation rate for students with disabilities. 3. Continue to use the annual performance report and dashboard to prioritize areas of focus for its improvement efforts for students with disabilities annually. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District 18 Findings and Recommendations Related Service Provider Staffing and Caseloads Related Service Provider Staffing and Caseloads Related services are the developmental, corrective and other supportive services required to help a child with a disability benefit from special education (34 CFR 300.34). These services are written into an IEP and include but are not limited to psychological services, speech and language therapy, adapted physical edu- cation, and occupational therapy. Staff indicated that the district uses either district staff or contracted ser- vices to provide all related services for its students according to the needs outlined in each student’s IEP. It is a best practice for a district to analyze regularly whether its related service provider staffing ratios are aligned with industry standards. FCMAT uses the following industry standards when analyzing related ser- vice provider staffing. Industry Standard Provider Type Provider-to-Student Ratio School Psychologist 1-to-977 Speech and Language Pathologist (Preschool) 1-to-40 Speech and Language Pathologist (ages 5-22) 1-to-55 Adapted PE Teacher 1-to-45-55 Physical Therapist 1-to-45-55 Occupational Therapist 1-to-45-55 Vision and Orientation/Mobility 1-to-10-30 Deaf/Hard of Hearing 1-to-15-25 Nurse 1-to-2,274 Source: Industry standards, and Education Codes 56441.7(a) and 56363.3. Many related services providers interviewed indicated they do not know how the district determines provid- er-to-student staffing ratios. The district needs to share its criteria with related service providers. School Psychologists The district has 31.0 FTE school psychologist positions. District documents identified 2.0 of the 31.0 FTE as providing services solely for preschool students. Documents and interviews with staff indicate the roles and responsibilities for school psychologist positions generally comply with state and professional standards. The district employs or contracts for mental health clinicians and has a behavior support team that helps school psychologists accomplish their duties. The district has 9.0 FTE mental health clinician positions. The district has 10.0 FTE behaviorist positions, which include 7.0 FTE board certified behavior analysts (BCBAs) and 3.0 FTE behavior intervention specialists. The district does not have a staffing ratio in its contract for school psychologists. In 2021-22, the district’s average caseload for the 29.0 FTE K-12 school psychologist was 714.31 students per 1.0 FTE. Compared to the industry standard of 977 students per 1.0 FTE school psychologist, the district is adequately staffed, at 7.8 FTE higher than the industry standard. FCMAT does not believe reducing school psychologist staffing would be of benefit for at least two reasons. First, during interviews, staff consistently reported increased mental health and social emotional support needs districtwide, which school psychologists and other posi- tions are helping address. Second, school psychologists serve important roles in the vision of one coherent system to support all students in the district. Examples of these roles include supporting the student study team process, response to intervention and instruction, multitiered systems of support, and crisis response. Staff indicated that school psychologists support many of these areas but noted variances from school to Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District 19 Findings and Recommendations Related Service Provider Staffing and Caseloads school. The district needs to develop a vision and common expectations districtwide for how school psy- chologists are part of one coherent system to support all students in the district. District Staffing Above 2021-22 Total Caseload (+)/Below (-) Industry Provider No. of FTE Caseload* Average Industry Standard Standard K-12th Grade School Psychologists 29.0 20,715 714.31 1-to-977 +7.8 Source: District provided data and industry standards. *Enrollment by Ethnicity for Charter and Non-Charter Schools - Fairfield-Suisun Unified (CDE). Speech and Language Pathologists Education Code Section 56363.3 establishes a maximum caseload of 55 students for speech and language pathologists (SLPs) who serve students ages five to 22, and Education Code Section 56441.7(a) estab- lishes a maximum preschool caseload of 40 students. District SLPs are part of the Fairfield-Suisun Unified Teachers bargaining unit, and its agreement with the district matches SLP caseloads to those given in Education Code Sections 56441.7(a) and 56363.3. District data shows 36.5 FTE SLP positions and 1.0 FTE speech language pathology assistant (SLPA). Of these, 25.1 FTE serve K-12 students, 8.4 FTE serve pre- school students, and 3.0 FTE serve a mixture of preschool through grade 12 students. FCMAT included the 3.0 FTE SLPs who serve both preschool and K-12 students in the preschool maximum staffing calculation. At the time of FCMAT’s fieldwork, the district’s average caseload for its 25.1 FTE K-12 SLPs was 34.10 students per 1.0 FTE. Compared to the industry standard of 55 students per 1.0 FTE SLP, the district is adequately staffed, at 9.54 FTE more than the industry standard. The district’s average caseload for the 11.4 FTE preschool SLPs is 32.89 students per 1.0 FTE. Compared to the industry standard of 40 students per 1.0 FTE preschool SLP, the district is adequately staffed, at 2.02 FTE more than the industry standard. FCMAT does not believe changing SLP staffing would be beneficial at this time; however, the district could benefit from monitoring caseload averages and student needs annually to determine if staffing changes are warranted. It would also benefit the district to develop expectations for how SLPs support the vision of one coherent system to support all students. Examples include supporting the student study team process and providing classwide language push-in support and social skills groups. District Staffing Total Caseload Education Code Above (+)/Below (-) Provider No. of FTE Caseload Average* Maximum Ratio Ed Code Speech and Language Pathologist (ages 5-22) 25.1 856 34.10 1-to-55 +9.54 Speech and Language Pathologist (Preschool) 11.4 375 32.89 1-to-40 +2.02 Source: District data, Education Codes 56441.7(a) and 56363.3. *Caseload averages were calculated using the total number of eligible students who receive and speech and language service as indicated in their IEPs. Adapted Physical Education Teachers The district has 5.0 FTE adapted physical education teacher positions. Article 37 of the Fairfield-Suisun Unified Teacher’s Agreement stipulates a districtwide average caseload ratio of 1-to-55 for adapted physi- cal education teachers. At the time of FCMAT’s visit, the district’s average caseload for the 5.0 FTE adapted Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District 20 Findings and Recommendations Related Service Provider Staffing and Caseloads physical education teachers was 30.4 students per 1.0 FTE. Compared to the district staffing ratio and upper end of the industry standard range (55 students per 1.0 FTE adapted physical education teacher), the district is adequately staffed, at 2.76 FTE more than the industry standard and bargaining agreement ratio. Compared to the lower end of the industry standard range (45 students per 1.0 FTE adapted physical edu- cation teacher), the district is still adequately staffed, at 1.62 FTE more than the industry standard. FCMAT does not believe the district needs to change adapted physical education staffing; however, it would be beneficial to monitor caseload averages and student needs annually to determine if staffing changes are warranted. District Staffing 2022-23 Total Caseload Above (+)/Below (-) Provider No. of FTE Caseload Average* Industry Standard Industry Standard** Adapted Physical Education Teachers 5.0 152 30.4 1-to-45-55 +2.24 Source: District data and industry standards. *Caseload averages were calculated using the total number of eligible students who receive an adapted physical education service in their IEP. **The 1-to-55 industry standard was used because it is consistent with Article 37 of the Fairfield-Suisun Unified Teacher’s Agreement. Occupational Therapists The district has 11.0 FTE occupational therapist (OT) positions and 3.0 FTE certified occupational therapist assistants (COTAs). The district does not have a caseload ratio in its contract for occupational therapists. At the time of FCMAT’s fieldwork, the district’s average caseload for its 11.0 FTE occupational therapists was 40.91 students per 1.0 FTE. Compared to the upper end of the industry standard range (55 students per 1.0 FTE occupational therapist), the district is adequately staffed, at 2.82 FTE more than the industry standard. Compared to the lower end of the industry standard range (45 students per 1.0 FTE occupational therapist), the district is still adequately staffed, at 1.00 FTE more than the industry standard. FCMAT does not believe the district needs to change occupational therapist staffing; however, it would be beneficial to monitor caseload averages and student needs annually to determine if staffing changes are warranted. District Staffing 2022-23 Total Caseload Above (+)/Below (-) Provider No. of FTE Caseload Average* Industry Standard Industry Standard** Occupational Therapists 11.0 450 40.91 1-to-45-55 +2.82 Source: District data and industry standards. *Caseload averages were calculated using the total number of eligible students who receive occupational therapy service as indicated on their IEP. **The 1-to-55 industry standard was used. School Nurses The district has 10.0 FTE school nurse positions. The district does not have a staffing ratio in its contract for school nurses. In 2021-22, the district’s average caseload for the 10.0 FTE school nurses was 2,071.5 students per 1.0 FTE. Compared to the industry standard of 2,274 students per 1.0 FTE school nurse, the district was adequately staffed, with 0.89 FTE more than the industry standard. FCMAT does not believe reducing school nurse staffing at this time would be beneficial; however, it is a best practice to monitor caseload averages and student needs annually to determine if staffing changes are warranted. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District 21 Findings and Recommendations Related Service Provider Staffing and Caseloads District Staffing 2021-22 Total Caseload Above (+)/Below (-) Provider No. of FTE Caseload* Average Industry Standard Industry Standard K-12th Grade School Nurses 10.0 20,715 2,071.5 1-to-2,274 +0.89 Source: District data and industry standards. *Enrollment by Ethnicity for Charter and Non-Charter Schools - Fairfield-Suisun Unified (CDE). Recommendations The district should: 1. Regularly analyze whether related service provider staffing ratios are aligned with current laws and industry standards and meet district needs. 2. Share the criteria used to determine staffing and caseload size with related service providers. 3. Develop a districtwide vision and common expectations for how school psychologists and speech and language pathologists are part of one coherent system to support all students. 4. Monitor speech and language pathologist, adapted physical education, occupational therapist, and school nurse caseload averages and student needs annually to determine if staffing changes are warranted. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District 22 Appendix Appendix Study Agreement Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District 23 Appendix Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District 24 Appendix Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District 25 Appendix Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District 26 Appendix Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District 27 Appendix 7/1/22 Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District 28