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Katie Russell, San Francisco Unified School District, Past Chair Community Advisory Committee (CAC), Julia Martin and Alida Fisher relay their experience with advocacy on the district and state level and how to to be an effective CAC within one’s Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA).

San Francisco’s parents are seen as leaders in the state for their advocacy in special education funding, dyslexia compliance, and positive productive working relationship with the school district. The advocates have utilized multiple means to reach that end, including lobbying on the state level, working closely with other parent advocacy groups, consistently attending board of education regular and committee meetings and making public comments, having robust CAC meetings with substantial content which has drawn large attendance numbers, educating and funding our members to attend seminars on special education law and dyslexia research, holding board of education election forums, being participants and presenters at other community outreach events.

About the presenters:

Alida Fisher, current Chair of the Community Advisory Committee (CAC) for Special Education for the SFUSD. Alida lobbies at the state level and is currently running for the San Francisco Board of Education. Alida has four children and is actively involved with all of her schools.

Julia Martin, 1st Chair of the CAC. Julia participates extensively in community outreach which includes facilitating the sensory processing support group SIKIDSSF. Julia has two children.

Katie Russell, past Chair of the CAC, Katie has been on various state, school site and district committees and focuses on issues involving dyslexia. Katie has one daughter.

EdRev Expo is a unique annual event for the 1 in 5 students who learn differently and all who support them. Learn more about EdRev Expo.

To schedule an evaluation or to get advice about your child’s challenges, call or email a CHC Care Coordinator at 650.688.3625 or careteam@stage.chconline.org


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