More results...

SELPA Parent Resources

GET INFORMED

Child Find

The North Santa Cruz County SELPA is responsible for identifying, locating and evaluating students from birth to age 21 who may need special education services, including highly mobile (such as migrant or homeless) children with disabilities and children who are suspected of having a disability and in need of special education. If you suspect your child may have a disability that adversely effects their educational performance, and is in need of specialized instruction please contact your local school district or the SELPA Office at (831) 466-5700.

Resources for your IEP Journey Before, During and After the IEP

This companion guide explains procedural safeguards, the rights and protections provided under special education law, in clear, accessible language.
This resource is designed to help families and educators:
  • Understand parent rights
  • Support meaningful participation
  • Engage in informed decision-making throughout the IEP process
🌍 Available in English, Spanish, Arabic, Vietnamese, and Mandarin

Parent’s Rights

California Department of Education
Procedural Safeguards
1-800-926-0648

For General Assistance or Information
regarding Special Education Programs
call 916-445-4613

Parental Rights and Procedural Safeguards for Special Education
NOTE: In order to meet the requirements of the Reauthorized IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education ACT) and the California Federal Corrective Action Plan, new statements of parents rights regarding Special Education have been drafted.

Parents, legal guardians, persons authorized to make educational decisions, and surrogate parents of children with disabilities from three years of age through age 21 have rights with respect to getting the appropriate services for their children in need of special education services.

These rights, also called Procedural Safeguards, are discussed in detail in the below Adobe PDF files.

To access information from the California Department of Education on Parents’ Rights and Procedural Safeguards, please go to https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/se/qa/

California Department of Education Dispute Resolution Manual

The California Department of Education (CDE), Special Education Division (SED) is pleased to announce the publication of the CDE’s Dispute Resolution Manual. The Dispute Resolution Manual can be accessed on the CDE, SED’s Dispute Resolution web page at https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/se/dr/#dispute_resolution_resources.

The CDE, SED’s Dispute Resolution Manual is a guide for families, educators, and other education constituents providing information and resources for dispute resolution in special education, including all elements of California’s dispute resolution system: parental rights in special education, alternative dispute resolution, mediation, state compliance complaints, and due process complaints and hearings.

Constituents can access the CDE, SED’s Dispute Resolution Manual for:

  • Federal and state laws and regulations pertaining to dispute resolution in special education
  • Policies and procedures for filing requests for dispute resolution services
  • Optional model form templates to request mediation, file a state compliance complaint, and/or request a due process hearing
  • Training and other technical assistance resources for families and educators
  • Contact information for dispute resolution partners

The CDE, SED’s Constituent Support Services Unit is dedicated to enhancing communications and support for families with staff dedicated to take calls, help with special educationally-related questions including alternative dispute resolution, or refer to the appropriate department level staff, if necessary. The Constituent Support Services Unit can be reached by phone at 800-926-0648, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. All calls received outside of these hours will be sent to voicemail and calls will be returned within 24 hours. The Constituent Support Services Unit may also be reached by email at SEDCO@cde.ca.gov.

SELPA Procedural Handbook

Want to know what the Special Education Referral Process looks like? Look at Chapter 1

Wonder about the eligibility criteria for Special Education? Look at Chapter 6

Need to prepare for an IEP meeting? Look at Chapter 7
 
Below is the SELPA Procedural Handbook which contains the process, procedures, state and federal laws that districts in North Santa Cruz County SELPA follow for Special Education.

early start resources and links: from birth to three years old

Additional Resources

Parent Handbook for Special Education

IEP INFORMATION

Special Education Spanish Glossary

Transition Planning Information

NORTH SANTA CRUZ COUNTY SELPA TRANSITION HANDBOOK (SPRING, 2015)

This handbook is intended to be a useful guide of what to expect and how best to assist students with disabilities and their parents as they move into adulthood beyond their high school experience.

Special Education Websites

The California Autism Professional Training and Information Network (CAPTAIN) is a cross agency network developed to support the understanding and use of evidence based practices (EBPs) for individuals affected by Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) across the state of California.

These parent-led nonprofit organizations offer specialized training, peer-to-peer support, information, and referral services. They aim to assist parents to better understand their child’s educational and developmental needs, effectively communicate with service providers, serve as a resource for the Individual Education Plan process, participate in school reform and improvement activities, promote alternative dispute resolution, and support positive relationships between parents and professionals. 

Community resources

Department of Developmental services (DDS)/regional center

ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION (ADR)

North Santa Cruz County SELPA Alternative Dispute Resolution process in place. ADR is an informal process for resolving conflicts. It is a process that respects the dignity of individuals while using communication, collaboration, negotiation and mediation to the meet the interests of the parties involved.

North Santa Cruz County SELPA has the following ADR Options:

  • Expanded IEP: Parties come back together to an IEP with additional information to discuss issues that remain unresolved. A SELPA representative may be invited to attend.
  • Facilitated IEP: A trained, neutral third party, usually a SELPA staff member, works with disputing parties to structure the IEP and facilitates the meeting.

If you are interested in the ADR process contact your local school district and tell them that you would like to participate in the SELPA ADR process. If you would like more information on the process you may contact the SELPA office at (831) 466-5700.

Strengthening Partnerships for Students with Disabilities 2025–26 Webinar Series Fourth Thursday of the Month 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. The California Department of Education, Special Education Division, in partnership with the Seeds of Partnership project, invite you to join this engaging webinar series. Whether you're a parent seeking to learn more about special education, related supports, and how to deepen your partnership with educators, or an educator looking for strategies to engage and support families, this webinar series offers a unique opportunity for collective learning. By learning together, we can build stronger connections that empower students to do their best both academically and personally. Each session will include a variety of topics, such as strategies for effective communication, ways to strengthen family-school relationships, insight into systems, programs, supports, best practices and approaches. Who should attend? Parents, educators, administrators, leaders, and parent center staff – all of whom support students with disabilities. Scan the QR code or visit the link below to sign up today www.seedsofpartnership.org/webinarandvideo.html Recorded sessions will be available at this web page July 24, 2025  August 28, 2025 September 25, 2025 October 23, 2025  January 22, 2026  February 26, 2026 March 26, 2026 April 23, 2026  If you have questions about this webinar series please contact Seeds of Partnership by email at seeds@scoe.net

More results...