Community Advisory Committee

 

What is a Community Advisory

Committee (CAC)?

 

A CAC is a committee mandated by law. (Section 56190) The Community Advisory Committee shall be composed of parents of individuals with exceptional needs enrolled in public or private schools, parents of other pupils enrolled in school, pupils and adults with disabilities, regular education teachers, special education teachers and other school personnel, representatives of other public and private agencies, and persons concerned with the needs of individuals with exceptional needs. (Section 56192)

The members of the CAC shall be appointed by and be responsible to the governing board of each participating district or county office. (Section 56191)

At least the majority of such committee shall be composed of parents of pupils enrolled in schools participating in the local plan, and at least a majority of such parents shall be parents of individuals with exceptional needs. (Section 56193)

 

CAC Responsibilities are: (Section 56194)

 

  • Advising the policy and administrative enitity of the special education local plan area regarding the development, amendment, and review of the local plan.
  • Recommending annual priorities.
  • Assisting in parent education and in recruiting parents and other volunteers who may contribute to the implementation of the plan.
  • Encouraging community involvement in the development and review of the local plan.
  • Supporting activities on behalf of individuals with exceptional needs.
  • Assisting in parent awareness of the importance of regular school attendance.

 

The laws mandating SELPAs, Local Plans, and CACs are part of Education Code – Part 30, California Code of Regulations – Title 5. The California Special Education Programs – A Composite of Laws is no longer being printed in book form. You can access the laws on line athttp://www3.scoe.net/speced/laws_search/searchLaws.cfm. You can search by using keywords or by using the number of the section you wish to see.

 

***Please contact LALDA if you find any errors or omissions regarding sections of law or the information provided regarding SELPAs and CACs.

 

LALDA encourages you to contact your SELPA office to determine when and where your CAC meets. It is critically important that parents, teachers and others interested in special education attend CAC meetings. Your CAC is only as powerful as YOU make it by your participation. They are public meetings. You do not have to be a member of the CAC to attend.

 

 

California Education Code (Part 30, Chapter 2, Article 7, 56190) requires each Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) to establish a Community Advisory Committee for Special Education (CAC). CAC serves in an advisory capacity to the Board of Education (BOE) and Special Education administration on the implementation of the Local Plan. CAC membership is comprised of parents with students who receive Special Education services, parents with students in general education, district staff from both special and general education, community agency representatives and any community member who is interested in Special Education. The Committee meets 10 months per year. Although CAC nominates potential members, the BOE appoints them. Any parent of a student in the district, staff or community member may attend and participate in CAC meetings.

 

 

For Community Advisory Committee (CAC) meetings, please contact your SELPA.   SELPA contact information can be found by going to the Home page of this site and clicking on Resources.