A Place to Begin
The California Department of Education's vision of "one coherent system of education" emphasizes the comprehensive Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS). This comprehensive framework is designed to address the diverse academic, behavioral, social, and emotional needs of every student with and without a disability.
Fact Sheet Prior to making a referral for a special education, it is important to consider the student’s background and/or experiences that may influence their performance beyond that of a disability.
Fact Sheet Evaluation is an essential first step in determining if a student requires the support of special education services. An evaluation can be initiated by a Local Education Agency (LEA) through the “child find” process, or a request can be made.
Fact Sheet Explore the history of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the growing support to states and localities in protecting the rights of infants, toddlers, and children with disabilities and their families.
Fact Sheet Learn more about the concepts of FAPE, LRE and educational benefit - all of which are central to IDEA.
Fact Sheet Following federal law, learn about the specific elements required in the IEP.
Fact Sheet The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) defines the required members of the IEP team.
Fact Sheet In support of our families and fellow educators, It is important that we are familiar with procedural safeguards and stand ready and willing to answer questions regarding them as needed.
Fact Sheet Special Education Timeline Resource
Calendarios para la educación especial en California (Spanish) | الجداول الزمنية للتربية الخاصة في كاليفورنيا (Arabic) | Lịch Trình Giáo Dục Đặc Biệt tại California (Vietnamese) | 加利福尼亚州特殊教育 时间表 (Mandarin) Fact Sheet This course is a part of a series created by Progress Center covering the legal foundations of laws supporting students with disabilities.
Online Module This collection of self-paced courses covers the legal foundations of laws supporting students with disabilities. The collection includes courses that explain the difference between civil rights and funding laws, different laws impacting students with disabilities including the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the relationship between state and federal laws, primary sources of the law in the United States, the impact of the role and levels of the adjudicative source of law, the history of IDEA, the major parts of IDEA, and more.
Online Module
Cómo entender las diferencias entre Plan de Servicio Familiar Individualizado (IFSP) y Programa de Educación Individualizado (IEP) (Spanish) | استيعاب الفوارق بين خطة خدمة الأسرة الفردية )Individualized Family Service Plan, IFSP( وبرنامج التعليم الفردي )Individualized Education Program, IEP (Arabic) | Hiểu Sự Khác Biệt Giữa Kế Hoạch Dịch Vụ Gia Đình Cá Nhân (Individualized Family Service Plan, IFSP) và Chương Trình Giáo Dục Cá Nhân (Individualized Education Program, IEP) (Vietnamese) | 了解两种计划的区别 个性化家庭服务计划 (Individualized Family Service Plan, IFSP) 与个性化教育计划 (Individualized Education Program, IEP) (Mandarin)
Fact Sheet
Fact Sheet Discover the essence of true engagement and learn how to foster meaningful participation with families and students, enriching their involvement throughout the IEP journey.
Fact Sheet A visioning tool for school teams to dream of what meaningful participation in the IEP journey looks like.
Tools This module addresses the importance of engaging the families of students with disabilities in their child’s education. It highlights some of the key factors that affect these families and outlines some practical ways to build relationships and create opportunities for involvement (est. completion time: 1 hour).
Online Module Explore organizational strategies that educators can implement for calendaring and documentation, ensuring a structured and systematic approach to managing the IEP process.
Fact Sheet Sample survey to share with your families to gather preferred communication methods.
Tools Use this year-at-a-glance calendar for IEP planning and create a snapshot for the whole year!
Tools Utilize one these calendar templates to manage weekly, monthly or yearly time-sensitive task, due dates, etc.
Tools Ensure clear communication, document interactions and foster a collaborative partnership with families using this communication log.
Tools Reach out to families and fellow educators using this survey template to gain valuable input when coordinating your IEPs meeting.
Tools Customize this "save the date" and/or "reminder cards" for your upcoming IEP meeting(s).
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