MBUSD holds Special Education advisory committee

ACCOMODATIONS FOR ALL: On Jan. 19, MBUSD held a Special Education advisory meeting discussing Universal Design for Learning. A main topic of conversation in the meeting was its incorporation into MBUSD schools. Photo Courtesy of Lexie Blakeman

By Lexie Blakeman

Executive News Editor

The Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) convened for the first time this year over Zoom on Jan. 19.

The SEAC was created to provide support, input, and guidance in all areas of schooling affecting students with special needs.

“Within the equity study that was just completed this past October, it had recommendations related to multi-tiered systems of support,” said Katrina O’Connor, multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) coordinator. “One of the main themes of the age was universal accommodations.”

The SEAC committee, comprised of parents and district staff, works proactively in concert with the district to promote a culture of care and inclusion. Currently, the SEAC committee’s main goal is to provide feedback related to Manhattan Beach Unified School District’s (MBUSD) Special Education Top Ten Plan.

Universal Design for Learning is looking at those barriers that prevent students from having access to certain curriculum and also take into consideration the learning variability, taking into acccount the different needs of each learner and different styles of learning.

MTSS can be utilized in every student’s education, according to O’Connor. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is at Tier 1, which means it is for all learners. The pyramid narrows at Tier 2 for students that need a bit more targeted support. If students still need additional support, they can move into Tier 3.

“Being able to present it in a way that benefits all students is really important, so I’m curious what is the context that it will be rolled out in?” questioned parent representative Yea-Lan Chiang.

SEAC discussed supporting students through a structured literacy approach where they would use explicit, systematic, and sequential teaching of literacy at multiple levels while incorporating cumulative practice and ongoing review of explicitly taught concepts. The SEAC is working on programs that can better accommodate students with special needs.

“Once the programs are identified, what the specific recommendations for training are, we are going to take that information and map that out,” said Dr. Kristopher Vegas, director of special education for MBUSD. “For example, substitutes right now are really difficult to come by, and so training during the school day is really difficult right now with our staff and needs.”

The SEAC’s goal is to prepare all students to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing, highly competitive, technology-rich global society. The next meeting will take place over Zoom on Feb. 15, discussing differentiated instruction in regards to UDL. Information about the time of the meeting and Zoom information can be found on mbusd.org.