Paramount Unified School District - Special Education

Kimberly Cole, Director of Special Education, for Paramount Unified School District (PUSD) gave an informative presentation on her department that effects 1475 students at PUSD (about 9% of the total student body).  Kim has been with PUSD for eight years in her current position and prior to that spent 18 years as a teacher in the Downey Unified School District.  She is a local girl that was born and raised in Bell Gardens.

Students range in age from pre-school to 22 years of age.  Prior to 1975, when Congress passed a law, special needs students were institutionalized and not a part of the public school education system.  Then in 2004 Congress enhanced the program that is known as Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).  The purpose is to teach students in the least restrictive environment possible.  They are included with their non-disabled piers as much as possible.  Students are separated by their level of need.  They are grouped as mild moderate, moderate, moderate severe and severe.  Specially trained instructors provide tools as needed. If a student is two or more grade levels behind they are classified as severely disabled and are not on a path to graduation, but instructed in life skills.  Safety is the number one priority, those that are determined to be of danger to themselves or others are closely supervised.  There is a facility at Hollydale school that is made up of students with autism, these students tend to have behavioral problems, not learning problems.  About 75% of the students are able to graduate and go on to college or learn a trade.  The adult school for ages 18 to 22 are taught life skills such as laundry, grocery shopping and how to use public transportation in order to live independently.