I’m getting the word out about California SB 1337 that will affect outside services provided by Non Public Agency/Schools. If you live in CA, then please write to your Senator and express your objection to SB 1337. There will be a vote on July 2nd so please call or fax a letter immediately and fax one to Sentor Vasconcellos @ 916 324-0283. Here is what the bill says:
BILL ANALYSIS
SB 1337 affects non-public agency (NPA) and non-public school (NPS) services
provided to many of our children. This includes any service not provided at
a public school site by a public school employee. If this bill passes, the
burden of proof will shift from the school district to parents to show that
a specific placement best meets a child’s needs. This means that in a due
process hearing, a parent must prove by a preponderance of the evidence that
neither the district, nor the county office of education, nor the SELPA has
an appropriate program or service for a child. The bottom line is: it will
be almost impossible to meet such a burden of proof and NPA/NPS services
will much less often be funded by the districts.
SB 1337 provides a legal presumption to school districts that public
programs are equal to or better than non-public programs. School districts
that want to cut back on existing NPA services and NPS placements would find
it much easier to do so. SB 1337 would give school districts a tremendous
incentive to roll back existing outside services. SB 1337 would make it very
hard for parents to resist these efforts. SB 1337 would make it extremely
difficult for parents to fight for quality non-public placements.
Existing law already prohibits hearing officers from rendering a decision
that results in a nonpublic placement unless no appropriate public education
program is available.