Special Education FAQ

As defined by the California Education Code (section 56031), special education is:

Specially designed instruction meets the unique needs of individuals with exceptional needs, whose educational needs cannot be met with modification of the general instruction program, and related services that help individuals with special needs benefit from specially designed instruction. Special education is an integral part of the total public education system. Other features of special education are:

1. It is provided in a way that promotes maximum interaction between students with and without disabilities, fostering a collaborative environment that is appropriate to the needs of both;

2. Services are provided at no cost to parents;

3. It provides a full range of program options to meet the educational and service requirements of individuals with exceptional needs in the least restrictive environment (LRE). The LRE is generally the setting most similar to those general education students attend

Special Education is specialized instruction provided for children from birth to age 22 who qualify according to the laws and regulations outlined by the state and federal government. A student may qualify for special education services as an individual with special needs in one of thirteen areas identified by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 2004). These are:

• Autism
• Deaf-blindness
• Deafness
• Hearing impairment (Hard of Hearing)
• Intellectual Disability
• Multiple disabilities
• Orthopedic impairment
• Other health impairment
• Severe emotional disturbance
• Specific learning disability
• Speech or language impairment
• Traumatic brain injury
• Visual impairment

If you suspect that your child displays any condition that may require some intervention or Special Education programs and services, a referral can be made in the following manner:

For students enrolled in Alameda Unified Schools, please contact your elementary school principal, secondary school psychologist, or administrator at your child’s school for a referral to the school’s Student Study Team.

For children between the ages of birth to five, please get in touch with the Coordinator of Early Childhood Education, Jill Hunter, jhunter@alamedaunified.org

For students enrolled at private schools in grades K-12, please email privateschool@alamedaunified.org

A Student Study Team (SST) is a school-based problem-solving group that assists teachers in instruction and behavior management. The SST can provide support by contributing personnel and school resources in response to identified student needs. The SST will meet within 15 days of the parent referral to review parent/teacher concerns.

The SST can include the parent, principal, other administrator, psychologist, counselor, special education teacher, or classroom teacher. Parent concerns and student needs are often successfully addressed through the SST process. If suggested interventions and strategies do not adequately address student needs, the SST and/or parent can request an assessment for Special Education.

Arrangements will be made to have your child’s strengths and needs evaluated. This will be done through assessments and conferences among those working with your child. The participants in this assessment process may include teachers, psychologists, nurses, counselors, therapists, and others. No assessment will be conducted without the written permission of the child's parent or guardian. An Assessment report will be completed and shared with an Individual Education Plan (IEP) meeting held within sixty days of the date the district receives the signed assessment plan.

An assessment plan is developed by Special Education staff, and the assessment plan will state the areas in which the child will be assessed and the titles of the staff members who will participate in the assessment.

The "Individualized Education Plan" (IEP) team selects the program or combination of programs that allow the student to access a free appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment (LRE) with maximum opportunity for interactions with non-disabled peers. That team is also responsible for determining the "least restrictive environment " (LRE) for the child, including:

• The child’s placement is as close as possible to the child’s home
• Unless the IEP agrees to a placement in a different facility, the child is educated in their neighborhood school.
• In selecting a program and placement, consideration is given to any potential harmful effects on the child.
• A child with a disability is not removed from education in an ageappropriate regular classroom solely due to the need for modifications to the general curriculum. The team may consider self-contained special education classes only when the nature or severity of the disability is such that education in the general education setting with supplementary aids and services, including curriculum modifications and behavioral supports, cannot be achieved satisfactorily. These requirements also apply to separate schooling or removing pupils from the general education environment.
• In providing or arranging for nonacademic and extracurricular services and activities, the district will ensure the child with the disability participates with non-disabled children in those services and activities to the maximum extent appropriate to the needs of that child.

After completing the assessment, the parent or guardian will be invited to attend an IEP meeting. All participants mutually set the date and time of the meeting. The parent or guardian may also wish to bring other persons to this meeting. At the IEP meeting, district staff will present their assessment results. Parents are encouraged to ask questions and become fully informed about their child’s strengths and needs. After the assessment information is presented and discussed, the IEP team members will determine the student’s eligibility for Special Education services per State and Federal guidelines. If the student is found eligible for Special Education, the IEP will include the following:

• A summary of the assessment findings, including the student's current levels of performance
• A statement of student goals and objectives that will be addressed over the next six to twelve months. Goals and objectives are written so that student progress can be objectively measured. The team will suggest methods of meeting these goals and objectives and will make maximum use of the child's strengths and abilities. A description of evaluation criteria will also be included to determine how well the plan is working.
• Specific services will be identified that are appropriate for meeting the child’s goals and objectives.
• A recommendation for placement, starting date, and anticipated frequency and duration of Special Education services will also be provided.

Parents are notified of their rights at various stages throughout the IEP process and at least annually. Parent rights include the right to request an IEP meeting, the right to review assessment information, and the right to have their eligible child receive free and appropriate educational services in the least restrictive environment. Remember, if you have any questions, school district personnel are here to assist you.

Your consent is also required before the IEP can be put into effect. If you are uncertain at the end of the meeting whether you want the plan to go into effect, you may wish to ask for further clarification. The school personnel can answer any questions about your rights.

SAI is a methodology that tailors teaching strategies and methods to meet the unique needs of students with learning disabilities and other learning disorders. Under 34 C.F.R. Section 300.39, Specialized Academic Instruction means adapting, as appropriate, to the needs of an eligible child. Examples of SAI include:

• Modification, accommodations, and/or adaptations to curriculum/lessons
• Modifications, accommodations, and/or adaptations of instructional materials
• Collaboration and consultation with teachers, specialists, and parents
• Physical assistance
• Behavior plans
• Use of manipulatives and/or other kinesthetic resources during content lessons
• Use of visual, written, or picture prompts/aids during direct instruction

o Books on tape, enlarged print, auditory equipment, footrests, adaptive technology, etc.

• Computer-assisted instruction

A related service is intended to assist the student to benefit from special education. Under Section 300.34 of IDEA, related services include transportation and such developmental, corrective, and other supportive services as are required to assist a child with a disability to benefit from special education, and includes speech-language pathology and audiology services, interpretation services, psychological services, physical and occupational therapy, recreation, including therapeutic recreation, early identification and assessment of disabilities in children, counseling services, including rehabilitation counseling, orientation, and mobility services, and medical services for diagnostic or evaluation purposes. Related services include school health and nurse services, school social work services, and parent counseling and training. Examples of Related Services include, but are not limited to:

• Speech-language therapy
• Counseling
• Adaptive Physical Education
• Occupational Therapy
• Assistive Technology services
• Vision Services
• Deaf/Hard of Hearing Services