San Bernardino City Schools - Official Website

Disabling Conditions

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Specialized Academic Instruction

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Special Education

Overview

Contact
Helen Rodriguez
SELPA Director

1535 W. Highland Ave.
San Bernardino, CA 92411

Ph: (909) 880-6863
Ph: (909) 880-6864
Fx: (909) 880-1584

Hours
8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Monday - Friday

Special education refers to a range of educational and social services provided by the public school system and other educational institutions to individuals with disabilities who are between birth and 21 years of age.

Special education is designed to ensure that students with disabilities are provided with an environment that allows them to be educated effectively.

Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)
It provides a full range of program options to meet the educational and service requirements of individuals with exceptional needs in the LRE.

The LRE is generally the setting that is most similar to those attended by general education students.

Individual Education Plan

Each student that is determined to have a disability has a yearly plan called an Individual Education Plan or IEP. An IEP is developed by a team of individuals that are familiar with the student’s needs.

The IEP team, of which the parent is an important member, determines a student's eligibility and identifies any needed program, aids, services, and instruction considered necessary for the student to progress in school. The needed program, aids, and services must be provided in the LRE.

Special Education Defined by the California Education Code

The California Education Code (Section 56031) defines special education as:

Specially designed instruction to meet the unique needs of individuals with exceptional needs, whose educational needs cannot be met with modification of the general instruction program
Related services that help individuals with special needs to benefit from specially designed instruction. Special education is an integral part of the total public education system. Other features of special education are:
- It is provided in a way that promotes maximum interaction between students with and without disabilities in a manner which is appropriate to the needs of both;
- Services are provided at no cost to parents;
- It provides a full range of program options to meet the educational and service requirements of individuals with exceptional needs in the least restrictive environment (LRE). The LRE is generally the setting that is most similar to those attended by general education students.