Special Education Resources
ABA: Applied Behavioral Analysis
ABP: Annual Budget Plan
ACSA: Association of California School Administrators
ACSE: Advisory Commission on Special Education
ADA: American with Disabilities Act
ADA: Average Daily Attendance
ADHD: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
ADR: Alternative Dispute Resolution
ALJ: Administrative Law Judge
APE: Adapted Physical Education
ASD: Autism Spectrum Disorder
ASP: Annual Service Plan
AT: Assistive Technology
AU: Administrative Unit
BCBA: Board Certified Behavioral Analysis
BER: Behavior Emergency Report
BIP: Behavior Intervention Plan
CAASPP: California Assessment of Student Performance & Progress
CAFSE: Coalition for Adequate Funding for Special Education
CAC: Community Advisory Committee
CALPADS: California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System
CalSTAT: California Services for Technical Assistance and Training
CART: Communication Access Realtime Translation
CASEMIS: California Special Education Management Information System
CBI: Community Based Instruction
CCR: California Code of Regulations
CCR: Continuum of Care Reform
CCSS: Common Core State Standards
CCS: California Children Services
CDE: California Department of Education
CEC: Council for Exceptional Children
CEIS: Coordinated Early Intervening Services
COE: County Office of Education
COTA: Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant
CR: Comprehensive Review
CSS: Communication Severity Scales
DDS: Department of Developmental Services
DHS: Department of Health Services
DIBELS: Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy
DINC: Data Identified Noncompliance
DMH: Department of Mental Health
DOF: Department of Finance
DOL: District of Location
DOJ: Department of Justice
DOR: District of Residence
DRDP: Desired Results Developmental Profile
DSM-5: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual on Mental Disorders (5th Edition)
DTT: Discrete Trial Training
EC: Education Code
ECE: Early Childhood Education
ED: Emotional Disturbance
EL: English Learner
ELA: English/Language Arts
ELPAC: English Language Proficiency Assessments for California
ERMHS: Educationally Related Mental Health Services
ESSA: Every Student Succeeds Act
ESY: Extended School Year
FAPE: Free and Appropriate Public Education
FBA: Functional Behavioral Assessment
FERPA: Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
FFA: Foster Family Agency
FFH: Family Foster Home
FIEP: Facilitated Individualized Education Program
FMTA: Focused Monitoring and Technical Assistance
FTE: Full time equivalent
HIPAA: Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
HOH: Hearing of Hearing
IA: Instructional Assistant
ID: Intellectual Disability
IDEA: Individualized with Disabilities Education Act
IHE: Institute of Higher Education
ISA: Individual Service Agreement (for NPS/NPA)
IAES: Interim Alternative Educational Setting
IEE: Independent Educational Evaluation
IEP: Individualized Educational Program
ISP: Individual Services Plan
IFSP: Individual Family Service Plan
ITP: Individual Transition Plan
IWEN: Individual with Exceptional Needs
LAO: Legislative Analyst’s Office
LCAP: Local Control Accountability Plan
LCFF: Local Control Funding Formula
LCI: Licensed Children’s’ Institution
LEA: Local Educational Agency
LEP: Limited English Proficient
LI: Low Incidence
LRE: Least Restrictive Environment
MOE: Maintenance of Effort
MTSS: Multi-Tiered Systems of Support
MTU: Medical Therapy Unit
MOU: Memorandum of Understanding
NASDSE: National Association of State Directors of Special Education
NOI: Notice of Insufficiency
NBRC: North Bay Regional Center
NPS/NPA: Non-Public Schools/Non-Public Agencies
OAH: Office of Administrative Hearings
OCD: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
OCR: Office of Civil Rights
ODD: Oppositional Defiant Disorder
OHI: Other Health Impairment
OI: Orthopedic Impairment
O&M: Orientation and Mobility
OOHC: Out of Home Care
OSEP: Office of Special Education Programs
OSERS: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services
OT/PT: Occupational and Physical Therapy
PBIS: Positive Behavior Intervention & Supports
PDD: Pervasive Developmental Disorder
PECS: Picture Exchange Communication System
PENT: Positive Environment, Network of Trainers
PIR: Program Indicator Review
PLAAFP: Present Levels of Academic Achievement Functional Performance
PRT: Pivotal Response Therapy
PSRS: Procedural Safeguards and Referral Service
PS: Program Specialists
PSW: Patterns of Strengths and Weaknesses
PWN: Prior Written Notice
RDA: Results Driven Accountability
RLA: Responsible Local Educational Agency
RSP: Resource Specialist Program
RS: Regionalized Services
RTC: Residential Treatment Center
RtI2: Response to Instruction and Intervention
SACS: Standardized Account Code Structure
SAI: Specialized Academic Instruction
SBAC: Smarter Balance Assessment Consortium
SBE: State Board of Education
SCIA: Special Circumstance Instructional Assistance
SDC: Special Day Class
SEA: State Educational Agency
SEIS: Special Education Information System
SELPA: Special Education Local Plan Area
SEMA: Special Education Maintenance of Effort Actuals to Actual
SEMB: Special Education Maintenance of Effort Budget to Actuals
SH: Severe Handicap
SLD: Specific Learning Disability
SLI: Speech/Language Impairment
SLP: Speech/Language Pathologist
SLPA: Speech/Language Pathology Assistant
SOP: State Operated Programs (Diagnostics Centers, State Special Schools
SOP: Summary of Performance
SPI: Superintendent of Public Instruction
SPP: State Performance Plan
SSID: State Student Identifier
STRS: State Teachers Retirement System
STS: Standards Based Tests in Spanish
SWD: Students with Disabilities
TBI: Traumatic Brain Injury
TEACCH: Treatment and Education of Autistic and Communication Handicapped Children
TOMS: Test Operations Management System
UDL: Universal Design for Learning
VI: Visual Impairment
WOF: Written Offer of FAPE
Adapted Physical Education (APE): This related service is for students with disabilities who require developmental or corrective instruction.
Administrative Law Judge (ALJ): Independent Administrative Law Judges who preside over special education due process hearings in California.
Administrative Unit (AU): The responsible local education agency where the SELPA office is located and where the state and federal funding is allocated.
Age of Majority: Rights are transferred from the parent to the student on the student’s 18th birthday. This must be addressed by the IEP team prior to the student reaching age 18.
At-risk: An infant or child who has a high probability of exhibiting delays in development or of developing a disability.
Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC): Communication by means other than speech
Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR): ADR is an informal process for resolving conflicts between districts and parents of students with disabilities.
American with Disabilities Act (ADA): This act prohibits discrimination of individuals based on disability. It requires public transportation services to be accessible to individuals with disabilities and prohibits discrimination in employment of qualified individuals with disabilities.
Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA): The design, implementation, and evaluation of systematic environmental modifications for the purpose of producing socially significant improvements in and understanding of human behavior based on the principles of behavior identified through the experimental analysis of behavior. It includes the identification of functional relationships between behavior and environments. It uses direct observation and measurement of behavior and environment. Contextual factors, establishing operations, antecedent stimuli, positive reinforcers, and other consequences are used, based on identified functional relationships with the environment, in order to produce practical behavior change.
Assistive Technology Device: Any item, piece of equipment, or product system that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of a child with a disability.
Board Certified Behavioral Analyst (BCBA): The BCBA is responsible for the ongoing training of teachers/school personnel in the implementation of the school based treatment plan which focuses on social skills and/ or behavioral modification, dependent on the child’s individual needs.
California Children Services (CCS): Agency which provides medically necessary physical and occupational therapy for students eligible under CCS criteria.
California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS): A longitudinal data system used to maintain individual-level data including student demographics, course data, discipline, assessments, staff assignments, and other data for state and federal reporting.
California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS): A longitudinal data system used to maintain individual-level data including student demographics, course data, discipline, assessments, staff assignments, and other data for state and federal reporting.
California Special Education Management Information System (CASEMIS): This is an information and retrieval system in special education, developed by the CDE Special Education Division. The system provides the LOCAL EDUCATION AGENCY a statewide standard for maintaining a common core of special education data at the local level. The SELP A assists districts with the collection of this data.
Communication Severity Scales (CSS): The CSS are guidelines for the IEP team to consider in determining the type, frequency, duration, and location of speech/language services. The guidelines were developed by North Inland SELPA.
Community Based Instruction (CBI): A model for delivery of instruction in which the IEP goals are met in a “natural” age-appropriate setting. For example, math, sequencing, travel, and social skills may all be developed in a trip to the grocery store.
Community Advisory Committee (CAC): A committee composed of parents of students with disabilities appointed by each district board. The CAC serves in an advisory capacity to the SELPA Governing Board.
Coordinated Early Intervening Services (CEIS): The IDEA allows and sometimes requires, LEAs to use funds provided under Part B of the IDEA for CEIS. This provision permits LEAs to use Part B funds to develop and provide CEIS for students who are currently not identified as needing special education.
Compliance Complaint: Complaint filed with the California Department of Education by a person who feels that a special education law has been violated. Most common would be a service as specified in an IEP that is not being implemented.
Date Identified Noncompliance (DINC): Data from the CASEMIS system related to: initial evaluation, transition from Part C to Part B, post-secondary transition and annual and triennial review timelines.
Desired Results Developmental Profile (DRDP): DRDP Assessment System is used for preschool school children and includes the process of making naturalistic observations, maintaining documentation, rating the DRDP instruments, and reporting data. The DRDP focuses on 4 areas: children are personally and socially competent, children are effective learners, children show physical and motor competence and children are safe and healthy.
Discrete Trial Training (DTT): A method of breaking down functions into single steps which are rewarded on a trial-by-trial basis.
Due Process: Procedural safeguards to ensure the protection of the rights of the parent, guardian and the student under IDEA and related state and federal laws and regulations.
Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy (DIBELS): The DIBELS measures were specifically designed to assess 3 of the 5 Big Ideas of early literacy: Phonological Awareness, Alphabetic Principle, and Fluency with Connected Text.
Early Childhood Education (ECE): Early identification and special education and related services that are provided to children ages 0-5.
English Language Proficiency Assessment in California (ELPAC): The ELPAC is replacing the CELDT in 2018-19. It will consist of two separate ELP assessments: one for the initial identification of students as English learners (ELs), and a second for the annual summative assessment to measure a student’s progress in learning English and to identify the student’s level of ELP
Evaluation: Procedures used by qualified personnel to determine whether a child has a disability and the nature and extent of the special education and related services that the ‘child needs.
Expedited Due Process Hearing: A hearing that results in a written decision being mailed to the parties within 45 days of the request for the hearing, without exceptions or extensions.
Extended School Year (ESY): Special education and related services that (a) Are provided to a child with a disability; (b) Beyond the normal school year; (c) In accordance with the child s IEP; and, (d) Meets the standard of the State Educational Agency.
Facilitated IEP: A facilitated IEP is a component of the SELPA ADR process. District or parents may request to have a facilitated IEP by contacting the SELPA. A facilitated IEP is developed by a collaborative team whose members share responsibility for the meeting process and results. Decision making is managed through the use of essential facilitation skills.
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA): The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records.
Focused Monitoring and Technical Assistance (FMTA): The FMTA Consultants are assigned geographically. They are responsible for coordinating all monitoring and technical assistance activities for the districts and Special Education Local Plan Areas in their assigned counties, providing information, and facilitating access to technical assistance related to program monitoring and program implementation.
North Bay Regional Center (NBRC): Regional centers are nonprofit private corporations that have offices throughout California to provide a local resource to help find and access the many services available to individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA): This is a medical privacy act that established national standards to protect the privacy of personal health information.
Inclusion: Inclusion is a philosophy and /or practice focused on educating each child with a disability to the maximum extent appropriate, in the school and/or classroom he or she would otherwise attend if he or she did not have a disability. It involves bringing the support services to the child (rather than moving the child to the services).
Individualized with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): Federal law that ensures that all children with disabilities have available to them a free appropriate public education that emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet the unique needs and prepare them for employment and independent living. The Act was reauthorized in 2004.
Individual Program Plan (IPP): An annual-reviewed record of program and service needs provided by the Regional Center (i.e.; respite care, behavior management training, etc.)
Inclusion: Inclusion is educating each child, to the maximum extent appropriate, in the school and classroom he or she would otherwise attend. It involves bringing the support services to the child (rather than moving the child to the services) and requires only that the child will benefit from being in the class (rather than having to keep up with the other students.
Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE): An evaluation conducted by a qualified examiner who is not employed by the district responsible for the education of the child.
Individualized Educational Program (IEP): Plan which describes the child’s present level of educational performance, sets annual goals and instructional objectives, and describes the special education program and related services needed to meet those goals and objectives if appropriate.
Individual Services Plan (ISP): The plan that is used for students who are enrolled in private schools by their parents that describes the specific special education and related services that the LEA will provide to the child.
Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP): Each eligible infant or toddler has an IFSP. The individual family service plan is in place of the IEP.
Individual Transition Plan (ITP): Plan that is included in the student’s IEP beginning at age 16 or younger that addresses transition needs and interagency responsibilities or linkages that are needed for the student to successfully transition from school to adult life.
Individual with Exceptional Needs (IWEN): A student who is eligible for special education and related services under the Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
Informed Consent: In accordance with 34 Code of Federal Regulations and Education Code: (1) Parent has been fully informed of all information relevant to the activity for which consent is sought, in his/her primary language or other mode of communication, (2) The parent understands and agrees in writing to the carrying out of the activity for which his. /her consent is sought, and the consent describes the activity and lists the record (if any) which will be released and to whom, and (3) the parent understands that the granting of consent is voluntary on his/her part and may be revoked at any time.
Interim Alternative Educational Setting (IAES): AESs are intended to serve short-term, transitional purposes. With few exceptions, IAESs serve as settings in which students with disabilities are placed pending either a return to the student’s current educational placement or a change in educational placement.
Least Restrictive Environment (LRE): In accordance with State and Federal law students with disabilities will be provided special education and related services in a setting which promotes interaction with the general school population, to a degree appropriate to the needs of both. The concept of LRE includes a variety of options designed and available to meet the diverse and changing needs of students. The least restrictive environment is determined by the IEP team on an individual student basis. The principle of LRE is intended to ensure that child with a disability is served in a setting where the child can be educated successfully.
Low Incidence Disability: Severe disability with an expected incidence of less than one percent of the total statewide enrollment. The conditions are hearing impairment, vision impairment, severe orthopedic impairment, or any combination thereof.
Manifestation Determination: If a disciplinary action is taken that involves a removal of student with a disability that constitutes a change in placement then a review must be conducted of the relationship between the child’s disability and the behavior subject to the action.
Maintenance of Effort (MOE): The general rule under MOE requirements is that districts must spend the same level of state and local funds (or local funds only) on special education as in the prior year, either in terms of total or per-pupil expenditures.
Medical Therapy Unit (MTU): Space provided by local educational agencies for the provision of medically necessary occupational and physical therapy provided by CCS therapists.
Multi- Systems of Supports (MTSS): In California, MTSS is an integrated, comprehensive framework that focuses on CCSS, core instruction, differentiated learning, student-centered learning, individualized student needs, and the alignment of systems necessary for all students’ academic, behavioral, and social success.
Non-Public Agencies (NPA): A private, nonsectarian establishment certified by the CDE that provides contracted, related services to students with disabilities.
Non-Public Schools (NPS): A private, nonsectarian school certified by the CDE that enrolls students with disabilities pursuant to an IEP.
Notice of Insufficiency (NOI): If a due process hearing request notice is not does not meet all of the requirements as specified in IDEA, the district may file a notice of insufficiency with OAH so that the issues of the complaint are more specific.Occupational Therapy (OT): Services provided by a qualified occupational therapist that includes improving ability to perform tasks for independent functioning.
Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH): The Office of Administrative Hearings is the public agency that handles due process hearings in California.
Office of Civil Rights (OCR): Agency that ensures equal opportunity and accessibility for users of programs and services that receive federal funding.
Orientation and Mobility: Services provided by qualified personnel to students who are blind or have a visual impairment to enable those students to attain systematic orientation to and safe movement within their environments in school, home and community.
Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP): The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) is a component of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), which is one of the principal components of the U.S. Department of Education (ED). OSEP’s mission and organization focus on the free appropriate public education of children and youth with disabilities from birth through age 21.
Patterns of Strengths and Weaknesses (PSW): The pupil exhibits a pattern of strengths and weaknesses in performance, achievement, or both, relative to age, State-approved grade-level standards, or intellectual development, that is determined by the group to be relevant to the identification of a specific learning disability, using appropriate assessments, consistent with 34 C.F.R. sections 300.304 and 300.305; and ……. exclusionary criteria are ruled out (extrinsic factors)
Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS): A form of alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) that uses pictures instead of words to help children communicate. PECS was designed especially for children with autism who have delays in speech and language development.
Procedural Safeguards and Referral Service (PSRS): This is the unit in special education division of the CDE that handle complaints.
Prior Written Notice: A written notice that must be given to the parents of a child with a disability a reasonable time before an LEA (a) Proposes to initiate or change the identification, evaluation or educational placement of the child or a the provision of FAPE to the child; or (b) Refuses to initiate or change the identification, evaluation or educational placement of a child or the provision of F APE to the child.
Procedural Safeguards and Referral Service (PSRS): This division of the California Department of Education, Special Education Division provides technical assistance information and resources for parents, school districts, advocates, agencies and others of procedural safeguards regarding students between ages 3 and 21 with disabilities and their educational rights.
Procedural Safeguards: This is also known as Parent Rights. Procedural Safeguards must be given to the parents of child with a disability at a minimum (a) Upon initial referral for evaluation; (b) Upon each notification of an IEP meeting; (c) Upon reevaluation of a child; and (d) Upon receipt of a request for due process.
Program Specialist (PS): A specialist who holds a valid special education credential and has advanced training and related experience in the education of students with disabilities.
Related Services: Transportation and such developmental, corrective and other supportive services as are required to assist the child with a disability to benefit from special education, and to include and not limited to: speech/language therapy and audio logical services, psychological services, physical and occupational therapy, recreation including therapeutic recreation, counseling services, orientation and mobility services.
Referral: Written request that a student be assessed to determine whether he/she has a disability that may require special education and/or related services to benefit from his/her educational program.
Response to Intervention (RtI2): The response to instruction and invention (RtI2) model is also often called the Three-Tiered Model.
Results Driven Accountability (RDA): The Office of Special Education Programs’ (OSEP) vision for Results-Driven Accountability (RDA) is that all components of accountability will be aligned in a manner that best supports States in improving results for infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities, and their families.
Section 504: Section 504 is a component of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. It is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in programs and activities, public and private, that receive federal financial assistance. Any person is protected who (1) has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, (2) has a record of such an impairment, or (3) is regarded as having such an impairment. Major life activities include walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, working, caring for oneself, and performing manual tasks.
Search and Serve: Active and systematic involvement by the educational community to locate children who may need special education services beyond the regular curriculum and program options. This is also referred to as “child find”.
Special Education: Specifically designed instruction, at no cost to parents, to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability.
Specialized Academic Instruction (SAI): Specialized Academic Instruction (SAI) is defined as: “Adapting, as appropriate to the needs of the child with a disability the content, methodology, or delivery of instruction to ensure access of the child to the general curriculum, so that he or she can meet the educational standards within the jurisdiction of the public agency that apply to all children.”
Summary of Performance (SOP): This is provided to students upon graduating with a diploma or aging out.
Supplementary Aids and Services: Aids, services and other supports that are provided in general education classes or other education-related settings to enable children with disabilities to be educated with typically developing peers to the maximum extent appropriate. These aids and services must be noted on the IEP.
Surrogate Parent: Individual who is assigned by the SELPA to act as a surrogate for the parents, when no parent can be identified and the district, after reasonable efforts, cannot discover the whereabouts of a parent, or the child is a ward of the state under the laws of that state. The surrogate may represent the child in all matters relating to the identification evaluation, and educational placement and the provision of a free appropriate public education to the child.
Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA): Individual district, group of districts, or districts and County Office of Education which forms a consortium to ensure that a full continuum of special education services is available to all eligible students within its boundaries.
Specialized Physical Health Care Services: Health services prescribed by the child’s licensed physician and/or surgeon which are necessary during the school day to enable the child to attend school and are written into the IEP. Designated providers are appropriately trained and supervised as defined in Ed code.
State Operated Programs (SOP): Special schools operated by the California Department of Education for the education of students with disabilities including individual assessment services and the development of individualized education programs for students who are deaf and/or blind.
State Performance Plan (SPP): The IDEA requires that each state submit a performance plan that evaluates the state’s efforts to implement the requirements and purposes of Part B of IDEA and describes how the state will improve such implementation. This plan is called the Part B State Performance Plan.
“Stay Put”: During the pendency of a hearing a child with a disability must remain in his or her current educational placement unless the parents of the child agree otherwise.
Transition: Process of preparing a student to function in future environments and emphasizing movement from one educational program to another (e.g., infant program to preschool) or from school to work.
Transition Services: A coordinated set of activities for a student with a disability that (1) is designed with outcome-oriented process, that promotes movement from school to post-school activities. (2) Is based on the individual student’s needs, taking into account the student’s preferences, and interests.
Unilateral Placement: When a parent removes their child from a public educational placement into a private placement outside the IEP process.