Bakersfield City School District Special Education Division’s Community Advisory Committee (CAC) and Special Education provide the opportunity for interaction, communication, and cooperation between parents of children with special needs’, professionals with special needs’ interests and expertise, and other interested individuals in the Bakersfield City School District community. CAC meetings are open to all interested persons, including parents, regular classroom teachers, special education teachers, students, administrators, school nurses, psychologists, and representatives of public and private agencies. As mandated by California Senate Bill 1870, the CAC is a vital part of each district’s special education plan. This multidisciplinary group provides valuable community input about Bakersfield City School District’s plan and its implementation. SB1870 mandates that a majority of the CAC be parents. A majority of those parents are to be parents of special needs’ children that the Bakersfield City School District serves. The CAC has several purposes: 1. To advise the Bakersfield City School District’s office of Special education regarding the development and review of the Local Plan and on issues about special education. 2. To assist in the education of the community, teachers, other school personnel, and special education parents, in particular, through meetings on subjects of special interests. 3. To study federal and state legislation on special education and work to influence it in a positive and beneficial way. 4. To serve as a liaison between the school district administration and parents by bringing problem areas experienced by children with special needs’and their parents to the attention of the school district. The CAC offers special education parents and other interested individuals an opportunity to take an active role in the planning and implementation of special education in the Bakersfield City School District. Any interested individual may apply for membership. If you would like to find out more about what the CAC does, please attend a CAC meeting. The CAC meets monthly throughout the school year. For information about the next meeting, you may telephone the Office of Special Education at (661) 631-5863.