The Abridged version:
- A recent grand jury report raised concerns about the quality of special education in Natomas Unified, manifesting in higher rates of suspension and chronic absenteeism.
- The report noted similar issues in neighboring Sacramento County school districts, as special education costs are on the rise and state and federal funding regularly falls short.
- Jurors recommended listening sessions and increased staff trainings.
The Natomas Unified School District is falling short of serving its highest-need students, according to a recent investigation by the Sacramento County grand jury.
While particularly pronounced in the northwest Sacramento district of roughly 17,000 students, gaps in special education services were found to be a widespread issue across the county and even nationwide.
“School districts, including those in Sacramento County, face financial challenges, difficulty hiring enough specialized staff, and, especially since the pandemic, obstacles in getting students to attend school regularly,” jurors wrote in the report released Tuesday.
The 19-member grand jury focused primarily on Natomas Unified after receiving a complaint during the 2025-26 school year. The complaint claimed that special education students were not receiving enough support in classes and that they were “scared and not progressing academically,” according to the report.
Jurors, however, did not find any intentional wrongdoing on the part of school leaders.
In their report, jurors noted that staff face “a daunting challenge educating students
and managing caseloads” while tending to be “warm, caring people who want the best for their students.”
Still, special education students in Natomas, as well as neighboring districts, are going underserved, they said.
Among their recommendations for improvement were listening sessions and increased trainings.
A spokesperson for Natomas Unified said even before the report was released, district officials began their own internal review of special education and various program needs.
“As a mid-sized district, Natomas Unified is proud to offer a high level of special education programming and support,” said Deidra Powell, communications director, in a statement. “We are committed to building on that work, listening to families, and continuing to improve services and outcomes for students with disabilities.”
Shared struggles
Special education is one of the most expensive slices of a school district’s budget.
Grand jurors acknowledged a widespread trend of districts struggling to keep up with escalating costs, insufficient federal funding and a growing number of identified needs.
And these services are far from optional. Districts are legally required to provide resources to students who need them.
Roughly 1 in 6 students in Natomas Unified are identified as needing special education, comparable to surrounding Sacramento districts.
The investigation noted similar concerns about the quality of special education in nearby Twin Rivers Unified and Sacramento City Unified school districts.
Missing too much school
Students with disabilities in Natomas — especially students of color — are at a higher risk of missing at least a tenth of their school year.
Across districts, chronic absenteeism rates tend to rise among higher need students.
Natomas Unified and Twin Rivers Unified have the added issue of higher suspension rates, jurors found.
More days missed, whether an absence or suspension, often set students back.
Across grade levels, special education students in Natomas were well behind other Sacramento County districts in their studies, according to California Department of Education data.
About 3% of these students in 11th grade met state standards for English. Just 1.5% were on track in math.
Overidentification
Educators in Natomas have for years overidentified Black students as “emotionally disturbed” and in need of special education, something the report notes the state Department of Education has already directed the district to address.
The grand jury also found Black students were more likely to face suspensions.
In 2023, the Sacramento City Unified School District was handed a five-year reform plan, following a lawsuit that alleged students of color with disabilities faced discrimination and higher rates of discipline.
Savannah Kuchar is a reporter covering education. She came to Sacramento to be a part of the Abridged team and contribute to a crucial local news source.