Title
A Resolution of the Coral Gables Advisory Board on Disability Affairs urging that the City Commission support and request Miami-Dade County Public School to ensure that there are self-contained classrooms for students with disabilities in public elementary, middle and high schools within the City boundaries.
Body
ACTION REQUESTED BY THE BOARD/COMMITTEE: Advisory Board on Disability Affairs
The Coral Gables Advisory Board on Disability Affairs (the “Board”) is urging the City of Coral Gables to support and request Miami-Dade County Public Schools to offer self-contained classrooms for students with disabilities in public elementary, middle, and high schools located within City boundaries.
DEPARTMENT HEAD RECOMMENDATION
City is committed to fostering full and effective participation of individuals with disabilities within the City - to that end that City recommend that the City take a proactive approach and urge and request Miami-Dade County Public Schools to offer self-contained classrooms for students with disabilities in public elementary, middle, and high schools located within City boundaries.
BRIEF HISTORY
The Board advises and provides input to City staff regarding matters affecting individuals with disabilities in an effort to support inclusion and full and effective participation of individuals with disabilities within the City. The Federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires school districts to make a free appropriate public education (FAPE) available to students with disabilities ages 3 through 21. FAPE must include special education and related services that are provided by the public school system at no cost to the parent, which meet the standards of the state and which are in conformity with the student’s individual educational plan (IEP).
One related service offered by Miami-Dade County Public Schools for students with disabilities are self-contained classrooms. A self-contained classroom is a class composed of children who would benefit from special services within a structured classroom composed solely of children having special needs. In a self-contained classroom, students share similar academic requirements. The Board believes that City residents should not have to take their children to public schools outside of the City because there are no self-contained classrooms in a public school within the City. The Board believes that City residents shall be entitled to all services as required to assist a child with a disability within the child’s neighborhood public school.
On December 17, 2021, the Board presented this resolution to the School Community Relations Committee and requested their support. The Committee voted and passed the same resolution.