Special education provides specially designed services and programs for children with educational disabilities.  It is intended to meet individual needs and enhance strengths.  Students and parents are introduced to special education in various ways.  Some disabilities can be identified when children are very young.  Others are not identified until children show difficulty in regular school programs.  Student disabilities may be classified as autism, deafness, deaf-blind, emotional disturbance, hearing impairment, learning disability, mental retardation, multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairment, other health impairment, speech or language impairment, traumatic brain injury, or visual impairment including blindness.  Special education programs and services are designed to assure that children with disabilities receive appropriate and equal opportunities for educational growth up to age 21.

The reauthorization of IDEIA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act) requires that an Individualized Education Program (IEP) be created and implemented for each child with a disability.  The IEP is a document that includes the levels-abilities, needs, goals, and in some cases, objectives for a particular student.  It also includes special programs and related service recommendations, as well as any accommodations and modifications needed.  This document must be agreed upon by both school staff working with the student and the child's parent/guardian.   In most cases, when a child with a disability is being educated in a school district setting, his/her program may include one or more of the following placement options:

• Special Class  - Provides special instruction for core academic courses for classified special education students unable to successfully complete the regular education curriculum in a general education class, due to their educational disability  This class option is limited to fifteen (15) students.
• Resource Room - Provides mainstream support for all academic areas and study skills.  A maximum of (5) students is allowed.
• Career Achievement Program (CAP) - Provides functional life skills courses combined with real life work experiences both on and off campus.  Designed to help prepare students who are Individual Education Program (IEP) diploma candidates to live as independent adults using a "learn-by-doing" approach and applied academics.
• Integrated Co-Teaching  - Provides special education within the mainstream classroom.  Students receive direct, daily support within their mainstream class by a teacher of special education.  This class is designed for students who, with the support of the special education teacher and appropriate modifications, are able to meet the required curriculum and assessment expectations.  This class is limited to the inclusion of twelve (12) classified students.

All options identified above require that the student's IEP, as developed by the Committee on Special Education (CSE), require placement in the class.

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• CEC: Council for Exceptional Children

• ERIC: Clearinghouse for Disabilities

• OSEP: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs

• OSERS: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services 

• SERI: Special Education Resources Information Center 

• State Education Department

• Procedural Safeguards-English

• Procedural Safeguards-Spanish

• Part 200 and 201 Regulations of the Commissioner of Education

• Orange County Services Guide for People with Developmental Disabilities and their Families

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Home instruction is provided to students in home / hospital due to illness or suspension.  This service affords students the opportunity to progress in the regular education curriculum.  Tutors are matched to student individual needs and assigned five hours per week at the Grades 1-6 or ten hours per week at Grades 7-12.

Health offices are staffed daily in each building by registered nurses.  These offices are available to handle daily medication and emergency needs.  For more information, please visit the building level web site.

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To view the complete FERPA notice, including 504 compliance and equal opportunity employment information,click here.