California’s new special ed chief ready to face challenges head on

Special education in California may face vast challenges — funding shortfalls, teacher shortages and distance learning, to name a few — but Heather Calomese is undeterred.

Calomese, the state’s newly appointed director of special education, has an ambitious vision to improve equity and outcomes for the state’s 800,000 students enrolled in special education.

Social justice, enhancing online education and improving conditions for teachers are among her top priorities.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond appointed Calomese on Aug. 14 to fill the position formerly held by Kristin Wright, who resigned in the spring. Calomese was formerly the executive director of special education for the

FROMPAGd1

Illinois State Board of Education and served for almost a decade as a special education teacher in Chicago and Iowa.

Thurmond called her “a strong advocate and champion for all students” who has extensive leadership experience and knowledge of special education policy.

Approximately 13% of California’s 6 million K-12 students are enrolled in special education, receiving services for conditions such as dyslexia, autism and Down syndrome. The Department of Education’s special education division provides resources and guidance for the state’s 1,000 public school districts.

Calomese talked to EdSource about her goals and vision for special education in California. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

QTell us about yourself. How did you become a special educator?

AI actually came to this field as a former journalist. I worked as a reporter and editor at a small weekly paper in New York. While I enjoy journalism, I just didn’t see myself in the newsroom long term. Education had always interested me, and so I entered the special education field through a program at the University of Iowa.

Special education has allowed me to be part of the lives of so many students and families. I have grown

so much as a person by being a part of this community. And to me, the students and families that I have served with over the years are always close to my heart and continue to drive my work. Supporting and being of service to others and really maximizing independence for students and families is what drives me in this role.

QFrom your perspective, what are the biggest challenges in special education, not just here but across the country?

AI think one of the main challenges is providing a free, appropriate public education while school campuses remain closed. As we know, distance learning can present a hurdle for students who receive support and services.

But I will say that in my brief time in this role, I have seen our talented community come together to collectively address these really deeply complex issues. As special educators, we are used to being flexible. It’s who we are and what draws us to the work. And I have seen encouraging practices. It’s an incredible challenge, but I know that we’re here to solve the problem.

QDistricts, individual schools and even individual teachers have a lot of latitude as to how they want to proceed with distance learning. What do you see as the state’s role?

AFirst and foremost, the state’s role is to provide relevant, timely guidance, thought partnerships,

support and resources, technical assistance and general oversight. I really want to emphasize and underscore relevant and timely guidance. That’s what districts need, that’s what they want. So it’s incumbent upon the special education division to really be nimble and flexible and responsive to the field.

QWhat can the state do to make sure students’ individualized education programs (IEPs) are followed during distance learning?

AThe federal guidance states that schools must meet students’ IEP requirements during distance learning. Parents and schools should collaborate on what those services look like, but it’s the state’s expectation that IEPs are followed.

QI hate to ask this question because you’ve only been on the job since August, but what do you see as priorities in California, given the variety of needs?

AA mentor once said to me that a flower doesn’t always bloom on your watch. I’ve really committed myself to creating the right conditions in California so flowers can blossom not just right now, but into the future. It’s clear to me just in my short time here that California is really committed to ensuring that the needs of students with disabilities are at the forefront, and we can come up with creative solutions to address

the issues that have faced our community for decades. So that’s very exciting for me.

An overarching goal is that we, as a state, improve outcomes and opportunities for students with disabilities. That, for me, is the ultimate North Star. There are opportunities in the system from pre-K to postsecondary to make progress, and I want to continue to refine those systems and collaborate with the many agencies that play a part in the lives of our students and families.

Another goal of mine is to bring conversations about race and equity to the table. We need to continually examine our system and address issues that have an adverse impact on our students and families of color.

And finally, I’m interested in elevating best practices for supporting English learners with disabilities. This is an area for growth that I’m very interested in.

QIn California, there are many issues related to special education and race and inequity. For example, students of color are more likely to be improperly placed in special education, and also less likely to receive the services they need. Can you talk about what you see as the main challenges?

AWe see these issues play out very early on, oftentimes as early as pre-K, and can spiral from there. The issues bubble up in terms of identification, suspension, discipline, expulsion. But I also see it play out through implicit biases in school settings and in philosophy and belief

systems. And we see the disparities in graduation rates as well as college and career outcomes. Even beyond that, we can look at unemployment rates for adults with disabilities, limited career options or high rates of incarceration and substance abuse.

QWhat will you do to address the special education teacher shortage?

AWe need to attract people to the field, but we also need to look at the bigger picture. We need to look at ways we can support new teachers and provide opportunities for mentorship, and also support teachers who are well established . ... We need to look at ways to attract and retain our special education workforce at all levels.