Independent Monitor
In December 2005, the federal court announced the appointment of Frederick Weintraub as the new Independent Monitor. He succeeds Mr. Carl Cohn who now serves as Superintendent for the San Diego City Schools. Mr. Weintraub has an extensive background in special education spanning over 35 years. For most of that time, he served in various senior executive positions at the Council for Exceptional Children in Washington, DC. Mr. Weintraub is a leading authority on special education policy and administration. He played a major role in drafting Public Law 94-142, the precursor to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). From 1997-2000, he served as monitor and then Special Advisor to the Superintendent of Schools in San Diego, overseeing the implementation of a state and federal corrective action plan and other education matters.
Monitoring Activities and Responsibilities
As mandated by the Modified Consent Decree, one of the central tasks of the Office is monitoring the District’s progress with the agreed-upon outcomes. This requires our office to monitor the District’s data systems to verify the accuracy of the District’s data. Through accurate data we are able to monitor the progress of individual outcomes.
As part of our monitoring efforts, we periodically meet with the Parents’ Council, District representatives and counsel for the Plaintiffs. The Parent Council meeting is held one evening a month, on the second Monday of every month, to discuss progress and ongoing activities related to the Modified Consent Decree.
Our office also engages in conducting scientific studies to contribute to the development of new outcomes and to verify existing outcomes. We also conduct school site visits, and meet with local school staff and interested members of the community.
Additional responsibilities and activities include:
* Monitoring the District’s commitment to improve facility accessibility for students with special needs.
* Approval of the District’s Annual Plan which outlines short-term objectives and action steps designed to achieve the outcomes by June 30, 2006.
* Conducting an Annual Hearing to hear from parents and other interested persons about the District’s compliance with special education laws.
* Providing a written report to the Superintendent and Board of Education concerning the progress and effectiveness of the implementation of the terms and conditions of the Modified Consent Decree.
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
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