I understand that there has been a lot of discourse and concern regarding the Independent Living Skills (ILS) program. Transparency and trust are paramount in my office. In the spirit of transparency, I write to dispel some misinformation that is circulating regarding the rumored closure of the ILS program.
I understand how deeply personal this conversation is to many families, as you are advocating for your child’s education. Thank you for your continued advocacy for your children, they are lucky to have such passionate people in their corner. I share this passion for advocacy for all students. My life’s work has been to support all students. Our ILS program teaches skills to some of the highest-needs students in Tuolumne County, and we are proud of this program and its staff. Under my leadership, this program will not be cut or dissolved, nor have I ever alluded to that. In fact, I voted at the SELPA governing board meeting on March 25, 2026 and May 27, 2026 to expand this program, alongside my peers. I know for a fact that this program changes lives, and I never want to see it dissolved, as I know you do not either. The simple fact is that this program cannot be dissolved or sent back to the districts because my office has not given a “year and a day” notice to the SELPA board. The only way that the program would not operate is if a majority of the SELPA board voted for it not to operate, and I will tell you that I would never vote for that proposal.
I hear your concerns. You want the best education programming for your students, and an environment that supports that. You should not have to spend time worrying about these factors. I am committed to matching funds with SELPA fund balance to remodel or modernize the ILS classrooms at Soulsbyville Elementary School, should the SELPA board come to an agreement on this, up to $1 million. You should not have to wait until next school year to have peace of mind regarding your child’s wellbeing, education and safety. We can start this project right away, address your concerns immediately, and alleviate the stress surrounding this discourse.
Choices regarding special education programs in this county are not made by one individual. The programming choices are voted on by a board of 12 people, comprised of district superintendents, including myself. It is all of our shared responsibility to make sure that children of all educational needs are served. This includes the students at RISE, and the structured preschool programs as well. The narrative that I am dissolving special education programs is in direct contrast to the truth: I have expanded special education programs in my tenure. However, these expansions are not possible without the collaboration of the school districts. I thank the leadership at Soulsbyville, Jamestown, Columbia and Belleview for generously offering space on their campuses to allow us to expand our offering of special education programming.
As your elected County Superintendent, I have a responsibility to answer to all of my constituents. I hear your questions and concerns. Throughout the political campaign discourse, you may have heard that my office has $7 million dollars of money that could be spent on special education. There is truth to this assertion, as at my direction, we have been allocating money to a facility expansion fund. The money being allocated to this fund was for the purpose of creating a permanent home for the students of the TLC Elementary, TLC High, Adult Education and the Transition programs. These are vulnerable student populations, and they are currently being served in a leased space that does not have room for expansion. My office does not just oversee the students at ILS, my office serves students who are voiceless in this discourse, and it is my responsibility to continuously advocate for them and offer programs to serve their educational needs. My staff have some of the most challenging jobs in education in this county, and they continuously go above and beyond in their service to our community. I have been allocating funds to make sure they have suitable spaces to continue these services.
It is not ethical to mislead the public into thinking that I, or my staff, do not care about special education students. We have prioritized all of these students in our programs as well as our budget, in order to offer sustainable, long-term solutions that support these students. We encourage each and every district to do the same. I did not save this money for it to be used as a bailout for a program that is already being funded. Rather, it was for a long-term vision of ALL student populations being served.
It should be noted that at multiple SELPA governing board meetings, members have stated in public open sessions that the students at the RISE program will all be sent to a non-public school (NPS). This is a direct violation of Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). Children are taught in the least restrictive environment, and stating that children with disabilities need to be in the most restrictive environment, when they were previously being successfully served in a public education program, is a violation of the Individuals with Disabilities Act. This is something to which the public should pay close attention.
I believe in sharing the facts. I have voted at previous SELPA meetings on matters that support the proposal to explore programs being relocated to Columbia. I remain open and committed to finding sustainable solutions for these program needs. The facts do not lie. I voted alongside my peers to explore the feasibility of these proposals. However, in my position there are other factors that I have to consider before making $7 million decisions with taxpayer money– your money. This is a significant financial decision that affects future students as well, and if alternatives exist that could have just as positive of an impact, I have a responsibility to explore those. Fiscal stewardship is how we can serve ALL students, and maximize funds to do so. I prioritize the needs of current and future students, by maintaining a healthy budget.
The fact remains that the work that could be done at the Soulsbyville campus could be done where students are already going to school, make the campus much safer, and be done at a fraction of the cost. The ILS Program will continue to operate and could possibly be expanded at the Soulsbyville campus. It has already been offered. Building a fence and remodeling classrooms would be much more efficient than the current proposal.
I invite you all to continue these discussions with me, even after I am no longer your County Superintendent. My door is open. Public education and advocacy remains my passion whether I am in this position or not. In the coming months, my focus will remain on the well-being of the students in our programs, and I am committed to ensuring this transition will be smooth for all staff and students.
Sincerely,
Zachary J. Abernathy
County Superintendent
