CHILD FIND (EC §§56300, 56301): The District has a duty to identify, locate and  assess children with disabilities who are in need of special education and related services. If you believe that your child is in need of special education and related services, you may initiate a referral for assessment by contacting your principal or the district’s Special Education Department.

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is a civil rights law designed to eliminate discrimination on the basis of disability in any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.  Section 504 guarantees certain rights to individuals with disabilities, including the right to full participation and access to a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) to all children regardless of the nature or severity of the disability.  Specifically, 34 C.F.R.§104 states:

"No otherwise qualified individual with a disability in the United States... shall, solely by reason of her or his disability, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance."  

Section 504 requires the provision of appropriate educational services; services that are designed to meet the individual needs of qualified students to the same extent that the needs of students without a disability are met.  Essentially Section 504 was designed to "level the playing field," to ensure full participation by individuals with disabilities. 

Who Qualifies? To qualify under Section 504 a student must:

• Be determined to have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities including learning and behavior.

• Have a record of having such an impairment

• Be regarded as having such impairment

For more information, contact the Resource Specialist.

(EC §56000, et seq., 20 USC §1401 et seq.): Both California  and United States law require that a free appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment be offered to qualified students with disabilities. Information on student eligibility, procedural safeguards, and additional matters is available from your principal or the district’s Special Education Department.

If you have reason to believe that your student has a handicap which affects his/her ability to learn, bring this to the attention of the school office. Your student will be evaluated to determine whether he/she is eligible for special instruction or services.

All special education services are provided to us by the Siskiyou County Superintendent of Schools Office. The Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA), per state mandate, provides county wide regional coordination and leadership in special education to insure compliance with state and federal laws relating to students with disabilities. Our SELPA provides an array of services related to special education to LEAs, parents and the community. The SELPAs goals are as follows:

• To assure that appropriate programs and services are provided to meet the needs of each child with disabilities in their SELPA.

• To assure that a full continuum of programs is available to each individual with exceptional needs.

• To maintain programs and services within the SELPA which will allow each individual with disabilities to achieve at a level commensurate with their ability and potential.

• To assure that each individual with disabilities is integrated within the district curriculum and extracurricular activities as appropriate.

• To assure the availability of due process rights for all students and their parents

• To increase awareness of parents of individuals with exceptional needs.

• To maintain opportunities for sharing technical resources.
  To retain public support for special education.

• To maintain lines of communication with parents, staff, and the Community Advisory Committee.

The SELPA provides the following:

• Program availability for all children with disabilities )

• Curriculum/program development

• Community Advisory Committee (CAC) support

• Community awareness

• Program coordination

• Staff development

• Procedural safeguards

• Data collection/management

• Fiscal management

• Program evaluation/review

RESPONSIBILITIES OF SELPA

• Responsibilities of the SELPA include:

  • Ensuring Program Availability for all Children with Disabilities

  • Low Incidence Services

  • Liaison with California State Dept. of Education

  • Curriculum/Program Development Support

  • Staff development

  • Community Advisory Committee Support

  • Management Information System

  • Transition Planning

  • Legal Assistance

  • Personnel Development

  • Budget Planning and Review

  • Evaluation

  • Interagency Coordination

  • Program Coordination

  • Fiscal Management

  • Program Specialists

SELPA ADMINISTRATOR

• The SELPA Administrator is responsible for assuring that:

  • All individuals with disabilities receive a free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment.

  • All regular education resources are considered and, where appropriate, utilized on a local or regional basis to meet the needs of students with disabilities.

  • A system exists at the regional level for identification, assessment and placement of disabled students.

The Special Education Local Area Plan (SELPA) plan is available in the Main Office.

WHAT IS SELPA?

The Siskiyou County Special Education Local Planning Area (SELPA) is made up of the Siskiyou County school districts and the Siskiyou County Office of Education. These Local Education Agencies (LEAs) collaborate to offer a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) to every Individual with Exceptional Needs.

A SELPA is a state-mandated consortium that provides for all the special education service needs of children residing within the regional boundaries. There are approximately 116 SELPA's in California. Each SELPA develops and is governed by a LOCAL PLAN describing how it provides special education services.

SELPA Plan & Policy

• SELPA Plan

• Procedural Safeguards 

• SCOE SELPA Website

Speech and Language services are provided for students who are in need of specialized remedial and developmental instruction in language proficiency, primarily speaking and hearing. Speech services are provided one day a week. Parents may request to have a student tested for speech.

The Resource Specialist provides specific prescriptive instruction in academic areas to the students who have been identified as requiring such instruction. The Resource Specialist plays an active role as a resource to teachers in designing and implementing programs for students with special needs.