County Special Ed Program Reimagined to Reduce Commutes, Enhance Inclusivity

This shift follows over a year of planning. KCSOS officials collaborated with school districts across the county where classroom space is leased for specialized instruction provided by KCSOS teachers and support staff. Classroom assignments were streamlined, and with input from the KCSOS transportation team, the county is now divided into three service regions — northern, central, and southern.

In many cases, student commute times have been reduced from hours to just minutes, which has led to increased parental involvement. Families can more readily engage with their children’s education, and student attendance has improved.

Transportation logistics and personnel resources have also been simplified. With routes consolidated, KCSOS can more easily handle the burden created by an ongoing school bus driver shortage across the state and nation. The regional approach also benefits administrative and support staff who previously traveled across the county to oversee multiple sites.

The Fruitvale School District has been crucial to the new model’s early success. Superintendent Leslie Garrison recalls immediately supporting Dr. Mendiburu’s vision and commitment to reducing students’ travel times and making specialized programs more accessible. 

“We have a very big site at Endeavour, and we started talking about ways we could utilize that land,” Garrison said.

The elementary school in northwest Bakersfield welcomed students from neighboring districts through the central region this school year. It is now home to four county classrooms, with plans to increase to ten. 

But Garrison sees the opportunity as more than just a shorter bus ride.

“The intent is to have special needs children integrated and mainstreamed with their grade-level peers,” she said. “It breaks down barriers and perceptions that kids might have.”

The partnership has led to a cultural shift at Endeavour, where mainstream students, known as “Eagle Assistants,” support their special education peers in the classroom and on the playground. The program also emphasizes the social and emotional benefits of inclusion.

“It’s hard to identify our county kids from our Endeavour kids,” said Endeavour Principal Stephanie Garnett. “They are just all Eagles.”

Sixth graders like Benjamin and Ryan have answered the call to make their school a welcoming and inclusive space. They play games with KCSOS students, help them with reading assignments, and consider them as friends.  

“Getting to help out with people who sometimes get excluded but shouldn’t be, it’s amazing,” Benjamin said. “They have so many special abilities that make them unique, and they always put a smile on my face.”

Mendiburu says this sentiment is precisely what he envisioned and hopes to replicate it across the county over time.  

When he was superintendent of the Rosedale School District, Mendiburu recalls leasing land on its school sites to accommodate KCSOS special education classrooms. KCSOS’s students often never acclimate to Rosedale’s student population.  

“That was a disservice,” he said. “There are always ways to do things better. That’s what this initiative is all about.”