Inclusive Board Resolution

RESOLUTION NO. 020619-A
 

A RESOLUTION OF THE GOVERNING BOARD OF EDUCATION
OF THE LONG BEACH UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
ON INCLUSIVE EDUCATION PRACTICES
 

      WHEREAS, it is a primary goal of the Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD) to create schools that are inclusive of all students and the diversity of needs that exist in our region, and we give particular focus to the inclusion of students with disabilities, and     

      WHEREAS, our school district believes that, for the majority of our students, there is a need for an opportunity to have access to maximal time in a general education setting.

      THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the LBUSD Board of Education hereby endorses the following inclusive school practices for every child:

• Students are, first and foremost, general education students who may require additional supports and services in order to access their education.
• All students will have the opportunity to participate with same-aged typical peers to the maximum extent that they are able.
• School programs, including extracurricular activities and interventions, shall include all students regardless of the supports and services that they receive.
• School staff will make every effort to use language that describes the person first, without reference to a disability (“people first language”), when referring to students, families, and programs for individuals who have special needs.
• Inclusive practices are not a separate component of education, but rather, a core ideal that will be present in all of our schools and all of our district programs.
• We will hold high expectations for growth and development and honor the requirement that students shall be served in the least restrictive environment.  We also hold high expectations for staff, including employees who serve students with special needs, and we are committed to providing the support needed to help staff uphold those high expectations.
• The diversity of our community makes everyone better.  We celebrate differences and the ways in which every child adds to the fabric of our school communities.

      With these inclusive education practices in mind, now be it resolved, that the Long Beach Unified School District celebrates all students and strives to model professionalism, respect, empathy and high expectations for every student in every setting.

IN WITNESS THEREOF, we have hereunto set our hands on this 6^th of February, 2019.

President - Diana Craighead

Vice President - Jon Meyer

Member - Megan Kerr

Member - Felton Williams

Member - Juan Benitez