Decision on Atascadero special ed due Tuesday | San Luis Obispo Tribune

Atascadero school trustees will decide Tuesday if the district will transfer special education programs from the county Office of Education to its own control.

Trustees and district administrators discussed the plan with parents at a special meeting this week. The proposed change, which will affect about 100 students, is being met with criticism by parents who have children in the program.

Changes include incorporating special education students into elective courses upon request and moving the oversight of the program to district control.

Some parents expressed concern at a board meeting earlier this week that district teachers should be trained in teaching children with special needs before the program transfer happens.

On Tuesday, an independent report from the Fiscal Crisis and Management Team, or FCMAT, will be presented to the trustees.

The district hired the consultant to determine if it makes fiscal sense to transfer the program to local control, and to see if services can hold the same quality they now have through the county Office of Education.

The report will likely be made available for public viewing by Friday.

— AnnMarie Cornejo