Parent Resources

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WHAT IS SPECIAL EDUCATION?

What is Special Education?

The California Department of Education defines special education as:

”…specially designed instruction, at no cost to the parent, to meet the unique needs of individuals with exceptional needs...whose educational needs cannot be met with modification of the regular instruction program, and related services, that may be needed to assist these individuals to benefit from specially designed instruction.” (CA Education Code 56031)

What age group does Special Education serve?

In California, children younger than three years of age, who have, solely, a visual, hearing, or severe orthopedic impairment may qualify for Special Education Services from the District. In all other cases, Special Education may begin as early as age three and may continue through age twenty-two or graduation.

Child Find / Identification

The Twin Rivers Unified School District is required by law to actively and systematically seek out all individuals, ages 0-21, who reside in the district and have disabilities identified in IDEA. This includes individuals not enrolled in public school programs, such as private schools or residential programs. The Twin Rivers Unified School District conducts ongoing child-find activities to locate children who may need special education programs and services. The activities are intended to make the general public, community agencies, and school district staff aware of the special education programs and services available to eligible students and how to access these services.

What is an IEP?

The IEP may be considered an educational blueprint. It describes the student’s strengths and needs, and outlines a plan of specially designed instruction to take advantage of those skills to respond to those needs. The IEP establishes educational goals to be achieved during the school year. The services provided to a student are those that are stated on the IEP. The plan is reviewed each year and more often if parents or teachers request it.

What criteria is used to evaluate the eligibility of a student for Special Education?

The law lists and describes the disabilities that allow children to be eligible for special education and related services. In order to determine if a student is eligible and needs special education services, a student must be assessed in all areas of suspected disability. If it is determined that a student meets eligibility criteria, and that the student needs special education services, an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) is developed at an IEP team meeting.

Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA 04) identifies the following as disabilities that may qualify children for special education services:

Autism	Deaf-blindness	Deafness
Emotional Disturbance	Hard of Hearing	Intellectual Disabilities
Multiple Disabilities	Orthopedic Impairment	Other Health Impairment
Specific Learning Disability	Speech or Language Impairment	Traumatic Brain Injury
Visual Impairment	Established Medical Disability (used specifically in preschool)

TRANSPORTATION SERVICES

Transportation Department Phone. (916) 566-3405

Pick-Up and Drop Off

If a parent/guardian has indicated on our student release form that their student is only to be released to the identified individuals on the form, then our drivers will only release your student from the bus to those individuals. If the parent has indicated on our student release form that their student does not need to be met by themselves or another responsible party, then we will release the student at the designated drop of point. Parents are responsible for students needing assistance from the bus into the home. Students will NOT be dropped at other address than the designated address, unless a written request is submitted and pre-approved by Transportation.

Drivers will not to pull in and out of private driveways. It is extremely helpful if room can be left at the curb in front of your home for loading and unloading passengers.

Curb to Curb Transportation

Applies to student’s whose IEP teams have recommended Curb to Curb Transportation

1. The bus driver will not leave the student unattended at either the pick up or drop off

location if, “Must be met at home/alternative” is checked.

2. If no one is at the drop off location to meet the student, the bus driver will contact

dispatch. Dispatch will attempt to reach the emergency contacts listed on the

Student Transportation Form.

3. If the bus driver is unable to make contact, the bus driver will contact the

Transportation Department.

4. The Transportation Department will continue to try to reach the parent. While

attempting to make contact with student’s parent/guardian or the emergency contacts listed

on the form, bus driver may proceed on the designated route to deliver any other students

onboard to their destinations and then return to the student’s drop off location.

5. If the Transportation Department is still unable to make contact with the

parents/guardians or emergency contacts listed on the form, the bus driver will transport

the student to his/her school of attendance or the Transportation Department. Staff will

accept the student and continue to attempt to contact the parent/guardian or emergency

contacts.

6. If no contact has been made by 5:00 p.m., Transportation will contact the Twin

Rivers Unified School District Police Services who will pick up the student. If Twin Rivers

Unified School District Police are unable to contact the parents/guardian or the

emergency contacts, school police may determine it is necessary to call Children’s

Protective Services (CPS).

Protocol for New Riders

The Transportation Department receives a copy of the Student Transportation Information Sheet with attached behavior support and health plans, routes and notifies parents of the schedule. Transportation services should begin within seven (7) school days after the Student Transportation Information Sheet is received. If transportation services will be delayed for more than seven days, transportation will contact the parent/guardian and school personnel.

Unattended Student Procedure

The procedure to be followed in the event that an authorized adult is not at home and authorization to leave unattended is not on file will be as follows:

1. Driver will notify Dispatch of the issue.
2. Transportation will call the home or emergency phone number. (Note: Transportation

will use current information on hand. It is the parent’s responsibility to provide us with

updated information.)
3. Driver will continue on route while awaiting instruction from Transportation.
4. After completion of their route, the driver will take the student to his/her school of

attendance or the Transportation Department where the parent will be required to pick

up the student.
5. If the student has not been picked up by 5:00 pm, the local law enforcement agency

will be contacted to hold the student until parents are contacted.

Student Illness or Absence

Should students become ill occasionally or cannot attend school for other reasons on a particular day, it would be appreciated if the parent/guardian would call the Transportation Department.
Listed below is the procedure to use to provide a more efficient and practical school bus transportation service of your student.

1. In the event a student is to be absent, the parent/guardian should call the

Transportation Department 916-566-3405 prior to the absence:
a. Any time before 5:00 pm the day before the absence:
b. Before 5:00 am the day of the absence.
2. In the event a student is absent without prior notification to the Transportation

Department for three (3) consecutive days, the bus will not be routed to the student’s

home again until such notification has been given by a phone call from the

parent /guardian. This must be done no later than 5:00 am the day of return. There will

be no exceptions. You must notify the Transportation Department. This information is not

to be relayed by the driver.

EXTENDED SCHOOL YEAR

Overview

Extended school year services shall be provided for a student with disabilities who has unique needs and requires special education and related services in excess of the regular academic year. Extended school year services shall be limited to the services, determined by the IEP team, that are required to assist a student maintain the skills at risk of regression or for students with severe disabilities to attain the critical skills or self-sufficiency goals essential to the student’s continued progress. All students who are eligible for special education and related services must be considered for ESY services, however federal and state rules and regulations do not require that every student with a disability receive ESY services as part of the student’s IEP.

NOTE: The only services to be considered for a student for ESY are services are those services already provided to the student during the school year; however not all of the services the student receives during the school year need to be recommended for the student for ESY.

What is the Purpose of ESY

Extended school year (ESY) services are special education and related services that are provided to a student with a disability in excess of the traditional school year in accordance with his/her IEP. The primary goal of ESY services is to ensure the continued provision of an appropriate education by maintaining skills and behaviors that might otherwise be lost during the summer/intersession period. It is not a means to develop or enhance new skills or behaviors.

ESY Transportation

Transportation to ESY services will be provided to students who will be receiving their ESY services at a school other than their school of residence and to students whose IEP provides for home to school transportation because of personal factors such as health, social judgment, or lack of ability to communicate such that the IEP team considers that the safety of the student is of primary concern.

Credit Recovery/GRIP

Credit Recovery/Grad Rate Improvement Program (GRIP) is offered during the Summer School session for students who are on diploma track and have an IEP. The majority of these students are in mild/moderate SDC classes at the junior high and high school level.

Students who are in junior high or high school special day classes, but are on diploma track, need to participate in Credit Recovery/GRIP…. NOT Extended School Year. Students who are on certificate track and require ESY should attend the ESY program.

CONTINUUM OF SERVICES

Facilitating Student Learning. Circle with a triangle inside and arrows by each side of the triangle. Inside the triangle it says, " Few Some All". The arrows on each side of the triangle say, "Increasing Supports", Increasing Independence", and Facilitating Student Learning". In the circle going around the Triangle it says, "High quality First Instruction, College and Career Readiness, Egagement Accountability, Parent and Community Partnerships, Systems of Continuous Improvement, Professional Learning Communities, Positive Behavior Intervention Systems." Background color is blue and text is white.

Special Education is a service, not a place.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) asserts that “to the maximum extent appropriate, children with disabilities, including children in public or private institutions or other care facilities, are educated with children who are not disabled, and special classes, separate schooling, or other removal of children with disabilities from the regular educational environment occurs only when the nature or severity of the disability of a child is such that education in the regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily.”

20 U.S.C. 1412(a)(5)(A)

Student Support Systems Explained

The levels of support in a tiered model increase in intensity from one level to the next to provide targeted assistance to struggling learners to help students close the gaps with their peers. As students gain skills, meet learning/behavior goals and targets, and develop increasing levels of independence, they begin to require fewer and less intensive supports.

Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)

Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) is one of the six principles that govern the education of students with disabilities and other special needs. By law, schools are required to provide a free appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment that is appropriate to the individual student's goals and needs.

To determine appropriate services and instructional setting for a student, the IEP team will first review the student’s strengths and specific areas of need. The IEP team will then consider the educational benefits of a particular educational setting. With the differences in needs varying broadly, there is no single definition of what a lease restrictive environment will be as each student’s IEP is develop to meet individualized goals and needs.

Settings may include some of the following or combinations of options:

· General education classroom

· General education classroom with accommodations and modifications

· General education classroom with individualized instruction

· General education classroom with pull-out services

· Part-time in general education classroom with most of the day in an another setting

· Self-contained special education classroom

· Special day school

· Residential treatment facility or hospital

· Home instruction

4 boxes. The top is a small title box and inside it says, " First" then a blue arrow and "Then"". Then 3 bigger boxes in a row below the title box. ordered in left to right. First box is title What. with a smail picture under it that says, "What you Need" . Under that the first box says What are the student

NEWS AND EVENTS

Parent Engagement Series: Special Education

State and County Resources

Notice of Procedural Safeguards
https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/se/qa/documents/pseng.pdf

California Department of Education
https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/Se/

Sacramento County Office of Education
https://www.scoe.net/services/

Alta Regional Center
https://www.altaregional.org/

Students/Families

Community Advisory Committee

Twin Rivers is looking for interested individuals to serve on the district Community Advisory Committee for Special Education.

Special Education Services 3222 Winona Way, North Highlands, CA 95660 Physical Address: 5115 Dudley Blvd., McClellan Park, CA 95652 - Bay C

• CAC Flyer

• CAC Flyer - Spanish

• CAC Application
• CAC Application (Hmong)

• CAC Application (Spanish)

• CAC Application (Russian)

Community Advisory Committees (CAC) are a vital component of an effective Special Education Program. CACs have specific and important responsibilities. Every Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) is required to establish a Community Advisory Committee. The CAC assists in advising local governing boards about the Local Plan, annual priorities, parent education and other specified Special Education related activities.

CACs are required by law and reflect the community they serve. They are comprised of a combination of parents, educators, representatives of public and private agencies and individuals concerned with the needs of individuals with disabilities. The majority of CAC members must be parents of students residing in the district, and the majority of these parents must be parents of students with special needs. Candidates are approved by their governing Board in accordance with locally determined selection procedures.

SCHEDULED MEETINGS

September 20,2023 5PM
November 15, 2023 5PM at District Office
- * Please note the time change: You are invited to join by zoom or in person. Thank you.
April 11, 2024 4:30 PM-5:30 PM At

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Join Zoom Meeting
https://twinriversusd-org.zoom.us/j/93002352167?from=addon