Audit of Special Education Legal Procedures and Policies

By Craig Elliot Brown

Complete a Forensic Audit of all special education legal procedures and policies for compliance with State and Federal Regulationas.

Legal expenses have skyrockeded and the district is presently involved in legal cases which will be considered by the United States Supreme Court, the outcome of which will have ramifications nationwide.

In 1999, Advocates for Special Kids (ASK) first addressed the Manhattan Beach Unified School District's superintendent and the school board regarding fiscal responsibility. ASK, which is an exceptionally qualified and committed group of concerned citizens, presented the board with a "Summary and Recommendations" for improving special education in Manhattan Beach. The recommendations would have provided a systematic change in the special education programs, improved the manner in which it serves the students with special needs and would have benefited the students and the financial bottom line.

The board instead chose to ignore the ASK report and instead paid thousands of dollars to a consultant whose recommendations mirrorred the free ASK report, but the recommendations of ASK and the paid consultant were ultimately never implemented.

If the school board had chosen the enlightened educational path previously they would be reaping the financial benefits and State and Federal Educational Compliance today.