Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1509126
" W E S E R V E J U V E N I L E H A L L , we serve at risk youth, pro- bation, career and technical education, moderate to severely disabled students, visually impaired students, — there are so many different programs" says resource teacher Shelby Rider, president of Yuba County Certificated Employees Association. "We work in the most difficult conditions and we teach the most vulnerable kids." California's 58 county offices of education provide a support infrastructure to local school districts, approving district budgets and Local Control Accountability Plans, registering teacher credentials and developing programs to serve students with special needs through- out the county. These programs support students that local school districts often lack the resources or facilities to serve. Steph Cruz has been working for San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) since 1996. The San Diego County Association of Educators (SDCAE) president says her members work in programs that specialize in a variety of student populations: the unhoused, foster youth, students on probation and incar- cerated, expelled students, students with alternative living situations, migrant education, students who are deaf and hard of hearing, those who are visually impaired, and infants and toddlers. The focused nature of the work allows her more time to reach and teach her students. "I'm not working with 200 kids. I've had classes with 20 kids that were self-contained," she says. "A lot of educators in the county office never leave. We start here and retire here. I think so much of that has to do with a passion for serving the underserved." Staffing and safety Working with these populations comes with specific safety concerns for each, Cruz says, such as the array of challenges that stem from working with students and families experiencing trauma in different educational settings. Specialized Services, Unique Issues in County Offices Educator safety among top priorities By Julian Peeples San Diego County Association of Educators leaders at CTA's Region 4 Leadership Conference. 45 O C T O B E R / N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 3 Shelby Rider A