Purpose of the SELPA

  • Even though there are many organizational structures for a SELPA, all SELPAs have the same basic purpose: work to ensure the delivery of high quality special education programs and services to students with disabilities in the most effective manner practicable. The Marin County SELPA believes that all students can learn and that students with special needs must be provided an equal opportunity to become contributing members of society. To support students with special needs and their families, the SELPA office facilitates the development and operation of high quality educational programs and services for students with special needs and training for parents and educators. Additionally, the SELPA office collaborates with county agencies and LEAs to develop and maintain healthy and enriching environments in which students with special needs can succeed.

    Strategies employed to work towards this belief include:

    For Special Education Students

    • Assuring that appropriate programs and services are provided to meet the needs of each child with disabilities throughout the state.
    • Assuring that a full continuum of programs is available to each individual with disabilities served by each SELPA.
    • Maintaining programs and services within the SELPA which will allow each individual with disabilities to achieve at a level commensurate with his or her ability.
    • Assuring that each individual with disabilities is integrated within and has access to the district core curriculum and extracurricular activities as appropriate.
    • Assuring the availability of due process rights for students and their parents served within the SELPA.

    For Special Education Services

    • Developing and maintaining special education services within and between SELPAs;
    • Improving the quality of programs through the use of data collection and on-going evaluations at the state and local level; and
    • Encouraging involvement by parents of each child with a disability in the IEP process.

    For Staff

    • Providing opportunities for all certificated and classified staff members to engage in professional development/growth; and
    • Maintaining opportunities for sharing technical resources and information within the SELPA.

    SELPA-wide

    • Assuring that an effective management information system is available to monitor student data;
    • Maintaining lines of communication with parents, staff and Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) members;
    • Maintaining line of communication with all publicly supported agencies providing services to students with disabilities;
    • Maintaining lines of communication with the community regarding special education programs and services;
    • Maintaining high quality regionalized special education services to support participating districts;
    • Responding to specific areas of local, state and public concerns;
    • Emphasizing the need for effective special education services to improve educational and life outcomes for students with disabilities; and
    • Organizing school officials for support of common education goals.
CLOSE
CLOSE