Bob Twomey's Response to the CAC Questionnaire
Questions from SFUSD Community Advisory Committee for Special Education
1. Do you believe that children with disabilities have a right to a free and appropriate education in the least restrictive environment?
Yes.
2. Are you close to anyone who has a child with disabilities?
My sister is developmentally challenged.
3. How familiar are you with the basics of The Individuals With Disabilities Education Act?
I am familiar with IDEA. It is federal legislation put into place in 1975 and has had a positive impact on millions of disabled children since that time. It was updated in 1997 to further raise expectations and requirements to ensure disabled students get the best education possible. The 1997 version among many things created the Individualized Education Program for each disabled student creating goals for them that must relate to the general classroom.
Among other items IDEA also requires parental involvement; requiring parents are involved in the process of putting together and Individualized plan for their child. IDEA also intends to make sure disabled students receive the appropriate funding to get a quality education.
Among other items IDEA also requires parental involvement; requiring parents are involved in the process of putting together and Individualized plan for their child. IDEA also intends to make sure disabled students receive the appropriate funding to get a quality education.
4. What steps will you take to see that the federal government fully funds IDEA and that the State of California directs all of the money to school districts for special education purposes?
- I have extensive experience working in the state government. I will use those skills and the relationships I have developed at the state level to direct federal funding to the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) for special education.
- I will utilize the relationships I have developed with the offices of Nancy Pelosi, Tom Lantos, Diane Feinstein and Barbara Boxer to direct federal funding for special education to the SFUSD.
5. How will you ensure that appropriate services are provided for our children, particularly our most vulnerable children, in the reality of meeting budgetary demands?
It will have to be a team effort. The Board of Education, the Superintendent and staff, along with the Community Advisory Committee for Special Education and all community stakeholders will have to work together to guarantee money is spent on the proper services for our students.
6. What qualifications and experience are you bringing to the board that will help enhance new vision and positive academic achievements for all students despite a continuing lack of necessary funding sources?
I served as Assistant to the Director of the CA Department of Industrial Relations during the Davis Administration and understand the difficulties surrounding budgets, staffing and programs. For the past 10 years, I worked on wage and hour issues, investigating complaints at the local and state level
I've worked with kids for the past 23 years as a volunteer, a coach and a mentor, served on the school-site councils at John Swett (Eastside) and Lawton Alternative (Westside), as PTA parliamentarian and as the delegate the citywide GATE Advisory Committee. I developed after-school sports and educational programs in Hayes Valley and at the United Irish Cultural Center.
I am also a union member for nearly 28 years and the only candidate with extensive family, educational and professional experience with the public school and their union partners: SEIU, the AFL-CIO and the Building Trades.
I've worked with kids for the past 23 years as a volunteer, a coach and a mentor, served on the school-site councils at John Swett (Eastside) and Lawton Alternative (Westside), as PTA parliamentarian and as the delegate the citywide GATE Advisory Committee. I developed after-school sports and educational programs in Hayes Valley and at the United Irish Cultural Center.
I am also a union member for nearly 28 years and the only candidate with extensive family, educational and professional experience with the public school and their union partners: SEIU, the AFL-CIO and the Building Trades.
7. What is your experience with Special Education?
My experience is daily, my sister is developmentally challenged and she is a big part of my life. My parents have both passed away and I am her support system, providing any assistance she needs to achieve her goals.
As School Site Council chair at Lawton K-8, I ensured special education staff were involved in all council decisions. I have also volunteered to coach in the Special Olympics.
As School Site Council chair at Lawton K-8, I ensured special education staff were involved in all council decisions. I have also volunteered to coach in the Special Olympics.
8. Please tell us what you think about the full inclusion of children with disabilities in general education classrooms. Do you think that all schools in SFUSD should allow children with disabilities to be educated in classrooms alongside their non-disabled peers?
I would like to see all schools in the SFUSD allow the option for students with disabilities to be in a general classroom. I believe the inclusion of disabled students in a regular classroom can have huge benefits for all SFUSD students, but full inclusion may not work for all students with disabilities, as some may not be ready for that transition and would perform better outside of a classroom. I believe we need to provide options for students, as every child is different, so we need a structure that is flexible, allowing all students to succeed.
9. What are you willing to do and how far are you willing to go to ensure every child in this district, with or without an IEP, learns to read, write, problem solve, and use math to a level where they will pass the graduation requirements and help them have a successful life?
I am fully committed to make sure that every Board of Education policy or legislative law is being implemented and evaluated appropriately. I will also work with colleagues on the Board, the Superintendent, and staff, Community Advisory Council for Special Education, along with other community stakeholders to create policy that will give all students the opportunity to graduate and succeed in life.
10. How will you deal with entrenched bureaucracy if it interferes with service delivery to students?
My experiences working within labor-community-management allows me a unique prospective. If services are not reaching students, I will work to adjust that structure within the SFUSD to get the services to our students. I will be very proactive to make certain SFUSD students are getting the services they need to succeed.
