Special Education Services
To contact the Special Education Department, please email:
Child Find
It is the policy of the Charter SELPA that children with disabilities aged six through 21 be actively sought and identified by the public schools. The child find process includes a section of the Charter LEA’s annual notice to all parents that references the referral of children with disabilities. All children with disabilities and their parents are guaranteed their procedural safeguards with regard to identification, assessment, and placement in special education programs.
IEP Process and Programs
LDVCS provides special education services for eligible students. Special Education provides specialized academic instruction and/or related services for students who meet eligibility criteria and require special education to access the general education setting. 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:
- Deaf
- Hard of Hearing
- Deaf-Blind
- Speech or Language Impairment
- Visually Impaired
- Specific Learning Disability
- Multiple Disabilities
- Orthopedically Impairment
- Other Health Impairment
- Intellectual Disability
- Emotional Disturbance
- Autism
- Traumatic Brain Injury
Pre-Referral Process
Parents and school teams are encouraged to hold a Student Study Team (SST) meeting, a general education process, to review the student's strengths and areas of concern to determine if alternative instructional strategies, supports, or accommodations are needed prior to special education referral.
Assessment
A referral for special education assessment may come from a parent/guardian or site team at any time. A referral may be in writing or verbal. When a referral for assessment is received, an Assessment Plan must be developed by the school site team within 15 days; however, sites are encouraged to meet with families through the SST process, before that date, to hear their concerns and determine the areas of suspected disability to develop a comprehensive assessment plan. Given collaboration with the school site team, some families may reconsider their request if the student’s needs can be met with other interventions. If they agree to reconsider, this must be done via a written request. If the assessment moves forward, parental consent is required within 15 days of parents receiving the assessment plan for the assessment to be initiated. Site teams have 60 days from the day a signed assessment plan was received to complete the assessment and convene an Individualized Education Program (IEP) team meeting to review the evaluation results.
Individualized Education Program (IEP)
The IEP team consists of the parents and/or guardians, a school administrator, a special education teacher, a general education teacher, and other special education staff as determined by the team. An IEP is a written document that includes instructional goals and/or benchmarks based upon the student’s educational needs as specified by the IEP team. The parent/guardian will be asked for written approval of the IEP at the meeting. No change in educational placement or program will occur without the parent/guardian’s signed permission. Parents/guardians may revoke consent for special education services at any time. If a parent chooses to revoke consent to special education, the district must grant that request without undue delay, and the student is then returned full-time to general education and no longer has the rights afforded to special education students.
Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)
Special Education students at LDVCS are first and foremost General Education students. The foundational tenets of the IDEA charge us to provide each special education student with a free appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment (LRE). LRE is the requirement in federal and state law that students with disabilities receive their education, to the maximum extent appropriate, with nondisabled peers.
LRE isn’t a place — it’s a principle that guides a child’s education program. The LRE for each child may look different because each student’s needs are unique. IEP teams must consider LRE when making recommendations around special education eligibility, services, and placement. Additionally, an IEP team must consider the harmful effects of removing a student from participation in the general education environment in order to provide special education supports and services in any separate setting.
IEP Review
A student’s program will be reviewed by the IEP team at least once a year to develop a new IEP, determine progress in meeting established goals, and to determine new goals, services, and supports as appropriate. An Eligibility Review occurs every three years, where assessments are completed to determine special education eligibility. However, a parent or site IEP team may call an IEP team meeting anytime during the school year in order to address concerns around a student’s IEP, such as mastery of goals or need for additional supports.
Web Links and Resources
Notice of Procedural Safeguards
AB1466-Restraint and Seclusion Data
Assembly Bill 1466 was signed into law on October 8, 2023. This law seeks to increase transparency by allowing members of the public easy access to information relevant to the control of student behavior in school environments. Under AB 1466, all local educational agencies are required to post on their websites the same data related to restraint and seclusion that they are currently required to share with the California Department of Education (CDE). To view reported incidents, visit the California Department of Education website: https://www.cde.ca.gov/ds/ad/filesrsd.asp
Desert Mountain Charter Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA)
The Desert Mountain Charter SELPA (DMCS) is a statewide educational organization governed by representatives from member charter schools (also known as local education agencies). The DMCS support services align with state and federal laws, inform best practices, and empower student-focused decision-making. DMCS works in collaboration with member charter schools to provide educational opportunities for students with disabilities, and serves as a resource to the community on issues related to special education, prevention and intervention support, and behavioral health support for all students. The DMCS is a liaison to member charter schools to consult on the effectiveness of special education through review and modification, coordinate services among schools and community resources, and provide professional learning to school administrators, teachers, and paraprofessionals.
SELPA Community Advisory Committee (CAC)
The CAC is a place where parents and members of the community can discuss concerns and resolutions as they relate to the quality of special education programs in the community. CAC meets four times during the year, and everyone is welcome to attend! Virtual attendance is an option. Visit CAC for meeting dates and topics.
The Desert Mountain Charter SELPA is seeking members for the CAC, a collaborative team of parents, educators, and individuals with a personal or professional interest in establishing a network among the SELPA, LEAs, schools, and the community. Meetings are held quarterly, with the option to participate via Zoom. Please contact Anne Laird at anne.laird@davincicharter.org if interested.