Community Advisory Committee for Special Education Meeting

Tuesday, November 18, 2025 at 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm

Location: Adult Transition Program, 3132 E. Fairmont Ave., Fresno, CA 93726

MINUTES

Welcome (Chair Wong) – 5:41 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 identify the needs of students with special needs in our district and advises the district on issues relating to special education.  CAC works to provide information to parents and also listens to parents’ concerns.  CAC’s ultimate purpose is to participate in a partnership with the school district that enhances the education of each child with special needs.  Fresno Unified is required by law to have a CAC.

CAC Respect Agreement:

·       Recognize and respect differences of perspective and style of the CAC among members, staff, students, parents/guardians and the community.

·       Act with dignity and understand the implications of demeanor and behavior.

·       When speaking of your concerns, please do not use your student’s name or the school location.  Please respect the confidentiality and needs of your student.

Roll Call (Secretary Aoki)

15 members were present; quorum was met.

Agenda Approval (Chair Wong)

Motion to accept: 1^st Steven V., 2^nd Ruth R. – 15 Yeas/0 Nays

Previous Meeting Minutes Approval (Chair Wong)

September 16, 2025 - Motion to accept: 1^st Ruth R., 2^nd Steven V. – 15 Yeas/0 Nays

October 21, 2025 - Motion to accept: 1^st Cara F., 2^nd Ruth R. – 15 Yeas/0 Nays

New Membership (Secretary Aoki)

America Cabrales, Martha Haro, Bobette Smith, Yajaira Velazquez were present.

Motion to accept: 1^st Patricia C., 2^nd Steven V. – 15 Yeas/0 Nays.

Old Business (Patrick Morrison)

No old business.  Concerns from last month were addressed individually.

Zūm Transportation Services (presented by Sarah Spinner, Zūm Management)

Some General Education buses have started using Zūm technology this year.  Next year Zūm will be taking over for First Student. 

Zūm is a woman-founded and -led company, created to provide safe and reliable access and modernize transportation.  They create a better experience with an on-time average of 98%, 4.9 out of 5-star parent rating (over one million ratings; parents can rate after each ride), an accident rate of 0.001%, and zero driver shortage.  Zūm uses a student-focused model and is an employee-centered company.

For the FUSD partnership, Zūm has purchased a new fleet of buses with air conditioning with a confirmed delivery of April-June 2026.  Buses will meet all district, state and federal requirements. 

Zūm has an end-to-end cloud-based tech program, which will be used by the whole district.  The driver app gives the driver turn-by-turn directions and necessary student safety information (e.g. medical concerns, etc.).  The parent/student app allows real-time bus tracking, AI-powered ETA notifications, ride cancellations so the driver can skip the stop.  The school/district dashboard shows routing and analytics.

All drivers are required to complete training including SPED Safe.

Q: My student has a shorter bus ride in the morning and a longer bus ride in the afternoon.

A: Routing is currently done by the district.  We will work with the district and support with analysis.  We strive to keep bus rides within 45 minutes, one hour at most.  Once there is data to pull and report, can determine if it is the student’s route, a traffic delay, etc.

Q: One time a substitute driver tried to drop off a different student at my house (the student was nonverbal).

A: The driver app has a picture of each student along with information like: student is nonverbal.

Q: For foster families, how do you protect privacy?

A: There is multifactor authentication to access the app.  The app only includes information necessary for transport.  No one has access to the portal.

Q: Will existing First Student drivers be recruited to work for Zūm?

A: Our intention is to hire existing drivers and hire more.  120 applied in July; there is another recruitment tomorrow.

Q: If a student has asthma, can we request for them to be dropped off first?

A: The district does routing; we will accommodate per the district.

Q: Can grandparents have access to the portal?

A: Yes.

Q: My student rides in a First Student van, not a bus.  Will they be in a bus next year?

A: Not sure, it will be up to the district.

Q: How do we ask about illness/safety/medical information?

A: Need to ask district.  The Individualized Education Program (IEP) should have information on medical concerns.

Q: Will the buses have Wi-Fi?

A: No, it hasn’t been requested by the district.

Q: Who is responsible for the data in the portal?

A: The district.

Patrick M. – Zūm will be coming back in the Spring so we can check out the buses.

Winter Camps (presented by Patrick Morrison, Executive Director of Special Education)

Starting December 2, Pod 1 (English Learners, Free or Reduced Lunch eligible, Foster Youth, Special Education) will be able to register for Winter Camp.  December 5, Pod 2 (everyone else) will be sent the registration.  This winter each student will only be able to register for one camp – an AM, PM, or All Day camp; students are not allowed to do both an AM and PM camp.  Winter Camp dates are January 5-9, 2026.

Bus routes are still being developed.  There will be one elementary hub per region.

For more information on Winter Camps, visit the Extended Learning webpage: https://www.fresnounified.org/departments/ccr/expandedlearning/wintercamps

Q: Will there be support?

A: Yes, extra support will be there, but depending on the student’s level of need the supports may be less than in an educational setting.

Q: For Winter Credit Recovery, only high school Juniors and Seniors can do it through IEP?

A: Credit Recovery won’t be through IEP, but can talk to Winter Session to try to plan some.

Q: Are there camp descriptions?

A: Look online on the Winter Camp website.

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.

America C. – Make staff contact information easier to find online; would be nice to have information from teacher all the way to upper administration contacts for parents.

Patrick S. – What is the update on Special Day Class (SDC) class sizes at the high school level?

Abraham O. – We are closely monitoring with a new tool for K-12 to help add more teachers and paras (paraprofessionals) where needed.  There is not a specific threshold/count.

Patrick S. – My class sizes are 19, 19, 17 and 18.  I’ve never had more than 15 students before.  I don’t see any help coming from Special Education.

Abraham O. – We need to work with the school site.  No decisions can be made at this moment. Patrick S. – Six months have passed; how much longer are you going to monitor?

Patricia C. – Trust builds when promises are kept.  Perhaps we can ask for a deliverable timetable?

America C. – I would like to be in my student’s class.  Why is my student bringing work home?  I requested a change in teacher.  I am not happy with the school; it needs a change in administration.  I have never been informed how to request an assessment.  Why isn’t the form available online for parents to access?

Patricia C. – Next CAC meetings will have topics on IEP information: docubinders and assessments.

Parent – Who do I talk to?  My child comes home with a soaked diaper.  My child should not be allowed to have scissors, but got scissors at school and cut his hair.  I’ve requested an emergency IEP meeting 3 weeks ago, but haven’t heard back.  My child has also arrived home with a thumbtack in his mouth.

Patricia C. – Please use the comment cards for specifics/personal information.

Tina V. – I was hired as a para.  Patience is needed to work with students.

Parent – Three months ago I left a comment card.

Answer – The question about AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) devices: the PO (purchase order) is in the system and has been approved.  The prior school should not have taken the device.

Michael F. – We have hired 90 paras at the hiring fair.  After Winter Break, they should all be fully CPI (Crisis Prevention Institute) trained.

Parent – How are paras dispersed?

Abraham O. – The school site is in charge of hiring.

Parent – If they ask for support, will they get it?

Abraham O. – Each school hires for its specific site.  50% of vacancies were covered.  The district tries to backfill requests/vacancies with event numbers for substitutes.  If they aren’t picked up by a substitute, there are special event numbers that come from teachers and administration.  They get reviewed as a team.  Lots of substitutes don’t necessarily pick them up; there is an even smaller pool of para substitutes.

Question – What are the requirements to be a paraprofessional?

Tina V. – I used my education and experience with my son.  I filled out the online application.  48 college units and lots of love and patience.

Parent – My daughter wanted to be a para.  She was struggling to find a job.  She has ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder).  She volunteered in the classroom.  They helped her interview.

Danae D. – At the job fairs the process is a lot faster.  Also, there’s a test (No Child Left Behind) for English and math that can be substituted for the 48 college credits.

Julie W. – This is the time and place to bring up concerns regarding students.  Thank you, Patrick S.  We, parents, are not there everyday to see the chaos.  Thank you, America C., for bringing up your concerns as well.  This year I was asked to volunteer in a particular classroom by the teacher, and during the last IEP I felt like there was an attempt to coerce me into NOT volunteering.  I was disappointed in the RIM (Regional Instructional Manager).  This doesn’t seem to be a one-parent issue, but it’s becoming more of a toxic culture and practice to intimidate some parents.

I was also told not to worry about my student after graduation; CVRC (Central Valley Regional Center) will take care of her through a Special Day Program.  This feels like the district is trying to shuffle off the responsibility of placing her in the Adult Transition Program.

Parent – If there is a problem with a RIM, who do we go to?

Abraham O. – Use “Let’s Talk” (now Onflo) with committed follow-up that is tracked by the district.

Carmen T. – What is the next step for a parent disappointed in IEP and RIM?

Abraham O. –

1.     Use “Let’s Talk” (now Onflo).  Make sure you do not mark the box to hide your contact information if you want a response.

2.     Site-based complaint goes to the RIM; complaints of the RIM go to supervisor.

3.     File a complaint.

4.     Call the SpEd Office and ask to talk to a Manager.

An unsigned IEP will get attention.

Patricia C. – If emailing, make sure to CC yourself so you can see the date.

America C. – What is the district response deadline? 2 days?

Jen D. – The Winter Camps aren’t necessarily appropriate/accessible for students in Moderate/Severe (M/S) or Alternative Learning Pathways (ALPS) Programs.

Patrick M. – Most camps may be accessible with supports.  We can work through Extended Learning.

Ruth R. – I had a meeting with the school.  As long as my student is marked present, it’s not necessary to stay all day.  The site also said we could go on independent study.  It seems like the site doesn’t want to teach my child.

Abraham O – We set higher expectations as a district.  I can’t speak for the school site, but it doesn’t seem to follow with the district expectations.  Talk to school administration or constituent services; constituent services can investigate practices.

Ruth R. – This was said at the IEP with the RIM and principal.

Parent – When a Special Education student starts school, do administration, teachers, etc. give parents information?

Announcements

Next Upcoming CAC Meeting: Tuesday, December 16, 2025 from 5:30 to 7:30 pm

Closing & Adjournment (Chair Wong) – 7:33 p.m.