Fresno Unified School District
CAC Meeting Minutes February 17th, 2026
Tuesday, February 17, 2026 at 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Location: Adult Transition Program, 3132 E. Fairmont Ave., Fresno, CA 93726
MINUTES
Welcome (Chair Wong) – 5:44 pm
CAC stands for the Community Advisory Committee for Special Education, a volunteer group composed predominantly of parents of children with special needs who attend school within the Fresno Unified School District. CAC is a group of parents, school personnel, and other community members who work together to ensure that children with special needs receive the best education available. CAC meets once a month to provide parents with up-to-date information on issues that impact their children, the opportunity to communicate with district administrators, and the chance to connect with other parents. CAC’s responsibilities include advising the policy and administrative entity of the district, Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA), or county office, regarding the development, amendment, and review of the Local Plan. The Local Plan describes the local policies, procedures and programs that are consistent with state laws, regulations and policies for Special Education. Fresno Unified is required by law to have a CAC.
CAC Respect Agreement: to foster a respectful, inclusive and productive environment where all members feel valued and heard.
· Respectful communication
o Listen actively and without interruption.
o Speak honestly, but with kindness and consideration.
o Avoid sarcasm, personal attacks or dismissive language.
o Endeavor to use person-first language.
· Inclusivity and equity
o Ensure all voices are heard, especially quieter ones.
o Do not talk over one another.
o Please keep comments to a three-minute maximum. We will set a timer to ensure everyone gets a chance to speak.
o Be mindful of cultural, gender and personal differences.
o Avoid assumptions; ask when unsure.
· Collaboration
o Share ideas openly and welcome feedback.
o Support others in their roles and responsibilities.
o Resolve conflicts constructively and privately when possible.
· Confidentiality and trust
o When speaking of your concerns, please do not use your student’s name or the school location. Please respect the confidentiality needs of your student.
o Respect private conversations and sensitive information.
o Build trust through transparency and consistency.
Roll Call (Secretary Aoki)
22 members were present when roll was called; quorum was met.
Agenda Approval (Chair Wong)
Motion to accept: 1st Bobette S., 2nd Patricia C. – 22 Yeas/0 Nays
Previous Meeting Minutes Approval – January 2026 (Chair Wong)
Motion to accept: 1st Steven V., 2nd Ruth R. – 22 Yeas/0 Nays
New Membership (Secretary Aoki)
None present.
Old Business (Patrick Morrison)
None.
Uniform Complaint Procedures (presented by Elizabeth Gutierrez Toledo, Ombudsperson)
Uniform Complaint Procedures (UCP) are sent every year. There will be changes coming in July 2026. Fresno Unified School District has the primary responsibility to ensure compliance with applicable federal and state laws and regulations governing educational programs. UCPs fall under the Board of Education.
UCP examples of programs and areas:
· Accommodations for pregnant and parenting pupils
· Adult education
· After school education and safety programs
· Child care and developmental programs
· Education of pupils (foster care, homeless, former juvenile court pupils, and children of military families)
· Local Control and Accountability Plans (LCAP)
· Migrant education
· Physical education and instructional minutes
· Pupil fees
· School plans for student achievement
· School safety plans
· School site councils
· State and federal career technical education and training programs
Complaints not covered by the UCP (these complaints are handled through other procedures or departments):
· Personnel complaints
· Special education
· Child nutrition programs
· Grades
· Graduation
· Student discipline
· Hiring and evaluation of staff
· Student records
Steps to resolve concerns that may lead to a UCP complaint:
· Identify your concern and the remedy (solution) you are seeking.
· Try to resolve your complaint informally (first try to resolve it at your school).
· If your concern is about a school program, ask the school for more information about the program. If you are not satisfied, call the Constituent Services Office to seek additional information.
The UCP form is free and available at all school sites, the Constituent Services Office (CSO) [2309 Tulare Street, Fresno, CA 93721; Constituent.Services@FresnoUnified.org; (559) 457-3736], and on the FUSD website in English, Spanish and Hmong (https://www.fresnounified.org/departments/board-of-education/constituent-services-office). Constituent Services can help fill out forms at the district level.
Patricia C. – What changes are coming in July?
Answer – The Board still needs to approve the changes; mostly timelines and little tweaks.
Julie W. – What are the timelines for filing?
Answer – For UCP, one year from the date of finding the problem. Student fees have a different timeline, six months. Personnel issues have three months from the incident or finding out.
Question – Can you give me more clarity on unlawful discrimination?
Answer – Lawful discrimination covers all protected categories. Complaints can still be filed even if it is lawful i.e., discriminating as a whole (the district doesn’t have a program).
Question – What do I do for issues with IEPs?
Answer – That should be in with all of the IEP information.
Question – The UCP is filed, but I haven’t heard anything back.
Answer – We will contact you. Usually there’s three days to contact you to move forward or start mediation within 60 days. Once the investigator has enough information, may have to wait 40 days for the formal response by mail. Also use “Let’s Talk.” They are assigned to the right person, and that person has a timeline of 48 working hours.
Special Olympics (presented by Drew Torosian and Maddie Dick)
The Special Olympics Northern California Schools Partnership Program helps ignite friendship and belonging between students with and without disabilities. These activities educate students with the skills necessary to sustainably develop school communities that promote inclusion, acceptance, and respect for all students. The program spans Pre-K to Adult Transition schools, and includes a sports curriculum, youth leadership, and resources for educators. Fresno County has impacted 22,000 students (duplicated number). Within Fresno Unified last year, there were 45 participating schools, 10 in Unified Sports. Unified Sports offered soccer, basketball, track & field, volleyball and golf; had 664 Unified athletes and 389 Unified partners. Traditional sports offered soccer, basketball, track & field, volleyball and softball; and had 3,391 athletes from elementary school, 715 from middle school, and 3,226 from high school.
Frequently asked questions:
· Who can participate? Special Olympics athletes are children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Athletes can begin participating at age 2 with the Young Athletes Program, training at 6 and competing at 8. There is no maximum age limit for Special Olympics.
· Where can I participate? Special Olympics offers up to 11 different sports in 43 counties across Northern California.
· Are there non-sports opportunities? Schools Partnership Program, athlete leadership, health and wellness, Young Athletes Program (ages 2 to 8 years old).
· How can I get involved/support? Unified partners*, coaches*, volunteers, day-of volunteers (sign up on the calendar) *require background checks
Upcoming Central Valley Sports:
· Basketball Regional Competition: Registration is November 1-30; Competition on March 14, 2026
· Swimming Regional Competition: Registration is February 1-22; Competition is April 24, 2026
· Bocce Regional Competition: Registration is February 1-22; Competition is May 2, 2026
· Track & Field Regional Competition: Registration is February 1-22; Competition is May 2, 2026
· 2026 Summer Games: Qualify through regional competitions; Event is June 26-28, 2026
Other sports offered:
Summer: golf and softball
Fall: soccer, flag football, floor hockey
2026 Polar Plunge is a global Special Olympics fundraising tradition. Join us locally on March 21, 2026 at Millerton Lake Crow’s Nest Boat Launch.
Cathye E. – I’ve been a volunteer since 1978. For elementary students, it’s great socialization and turn-taking practice. For middle and high schoolers, it’s a great way for youth to feel accomplished and a sense of belonging, travel, and have amazing opportunities.
Cara F. – My daughter started at school as an athlete and leadership. There is always a place for them. It has opened up opportunities and travel. Unified sports taught her teamwork.
Parent – What documents do I need to provide?
Answer – At schools, any student receiving services can participate. For Special Olympics, intellectual disability needs a diagnosis.
FUSD Transportation (presented by Paul Rosencrans)
Zūm has been brought on the General Education side; everyone seems to be happy with the software. First Student goes through summer, and Zūm will take over SPED transportation starting the next school year. Zūm was contracted two years in advance; their customer service and ability to retain staff/drivers stood out. All their districts are fully staffed and great to work with.
Patricia C. – How are routes determined?
Answer – FUSD sets routes. We look at the programs and student needs and try to match those up. We look at the length; if it’s too long, we split it up. We also look at where we’re going and how many students.
Patricia C. – What is too long?
Answer – One hour, but we’re trying to reduce it. The shorter, the better for students.
Steven V. – What is the Zūm app?
Answer – You can see the bus on the map, ETA (estimated time of arrival) – if the bus is on time or running late, when it arrives safely at school.
Parent – How do you get the app?
Answer – You can download it from the Apple Store or Google Play.
Parent – My student’s route is currently 90 minutes, with a one-hour delay if the driver is out.
Answer – Please give me the route. I’d personally like to work on it.
Julie W. – My GE Zūm isn’t working. It won’t let me sign up.
Answer – Submit a “Let’s Talk” with the specifics, and I’ll look into it.
Julie W. – How do they establish where the routes are?
Answer – Typically further than half a mile from elementary schools, and further for older students. We haven’t turned on the radius yet so there isn’t a limiting factor to which route you can ride.
Julie W. – Will the Zūm buses have Wi-Fi?
Answer – They will not as it wasn’t in the budget nor contract. Wi-Fi was first funded by a grant; the last two years it was not funded and came out of the budget. The GE buses may lose Wi-Fi, too.
Educational Partners Forum
Julie W. – Welcome to the Educational Partners Forum. This is the time to share any successes, good things, or not so good things that have happened with your students. Please be aware that we limit comments or questions to three minutes to ensure that everyone has a chance to speak if they want. We use a timer so please do not take it personally if you hear the timer beep. We do not respond to all concerns during the Educational Partners Forum. For those we don’t address, we will try to find the right person for you to talk to after the meeting. We can also help you submit any questions that cannot be answered here to “Let’s Talk” on the district website.
Patricia C. – I have been working with the Foundation for Fresno Unified Students. They have scholarships for students that are graduating and newly blind through crowd source funding.
Gloria H. – I want to have Special Olympics at school and try to connect with the community. The links on the CAC website are old; Childcare Survey dates need to be updated.
Answer – We’ll look into that.
America C. – For the students protesting, I’m glad teachers are keeping them safe. I was proud to se them as I was driving. Is there a way FUSD can help parents navigate and advocate to get CVRC services? Support in IEPs and other school documents could help get CVRC and other services.
Answer – We have Carmen and Steven from CVRC here.
Online – CDE compliance decision was that FUSD was out of compliance when the bus was late. I need clarification because the we still have a 15-minute wait limit for the nurse.
Answer – Patrick will call the parent.
Carmen T. – For CVRC, intake can assist with forms and relaying messages. I don’t have the specifics, but they get a referral letter that should have references. You can schedule an appointment to appeal and write a letter about what you see and what needs “help.”
America C. – We should qualify. I have documentation, based on diagnosis. CVRC needs better communication.
Parent – We’ve been waiting for a year for CVRC, not timely in communicating.
Answer – Call the front office and speak to the service coordinator. May need to speak to the program manager about getting a new service coordinator.
America C. – Why can’t I get emails for upper management?
Ruth R. – My child got a participation award at school. He passed the Tadpole swim class.
Gloria H. – There’s a support group on Facebook for parents. They help you fill out paperwork, vent. It’s very helpful. The Ives Torres Foundation was started in LA, but they have people here in Fresno, too.
Michael F. – Special Olympics will be at Bullard HS in two weeks; last week they were at Hoover HS. They are the best days of the year.
Parent – How much out of pocket [is Special Olympics]?
Answer – Special Olympics is free. Parents need to provide transportation for regional Special Olympics. However, you don’t get to keep the uniforms. Schools/districts cover the cost.
Announcements
Next Upcoming CAC Meeting: Tuesday, March 17, 2026 from 5:30 to 7:30 pm
Closing & Adjournment (Chair Wong) – 7:32 p.m.