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FAQ
Behavioral Issues
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What is Positive Behavioral Support?
Positive Behavioral Support (PBS) involves developing an intervention plan for students with challenging behavior that assesses the classroom and school environment to find a better "fit" between the student and the educational program. PBS is based on the analysis of the function, or motivational factors, behind behaviors and recognizes that students exhibit challenging behavior as a way to get their needs met. PBS attempts to develop new and appropriate ways for a student to get those needs met and be successful in the school environment.
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Dispute Resolution and Advocacy
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What is the ADR program and how do I access it?
The ADR program is a method of problem resolution that involves getting the two disputing parties (family and school) to talk through a conflict to reach a mutually agreeable solution. A parent or district can access any of the ADR components by calling coordinator Kelly Brooks on the SELPA ADR Helpline, (707) 524-2785. The program components include: phone consultation and conflict assessment by the coordinator, assignment of resource parents to assist in informing parents of their rights and responsibilities, and the use of Solutions Teams to facilitate formal mediation. All information remains confidential unless permission is given to share it.
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Who can I contact to come with me to my child's IEP?
The SELPA can refer any parent to local special education advocacy groups. There are many advocates in Sonoma County who can accompany a parent to an IEP meeting. SELPA program specialists can also inform parents of their rights and attend IEPs to assist the parent in understanding the process. Call the SELPA office at 524-2750 to request information. |
General Questions
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Can you explain what the SELPA does?
The Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) is a state-mandated association which oversees and facilitates education services for students with disabilities. The SELPA office for Sonoma County is located at the County Office of Education and its operations are cooperatively governed by the Sonoma County Superintendent of Schools and district superintendents. SELPA's role is to ensure that the specialized educational needs of each disabled student in the county are appropriately met. To fulfill this purpose, SELPA oversees the allocation of over $48 million annually distributed to local education agencies for special education. SELPA also offers an array of workshops and trainings for the county.
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Who can help me if I'm worried about my child's education?
It is appropriate to first address your concerns at your child's school or that school's district office. The usual process is to discuss your child's educational progress with his or her regular and special education teachers, then with the principal and/or special education coordinator if necessary. If you continue to have concerns, one of SELPA's program specialists can help you explore further solutions.
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IDEA and IEPs
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Are teachers required to provide the general education curriculum to all students, regardless of the student's functioning level?
IDEA '97 promotes high expectations for children with IEPs through access to the general curriculum to the maximum extent appropriate. The general education teacher's input is invaluable in determining, with the other team members, the extent to which a child with disabilities can be involved in the general education curriculum. It is expected that most students can participate at some level in the general education curriculum with accommodations or modifications of the program, supplementary aids and services, and appropriate support to school personnel. In individual cases, the IEP team may determine that it is inappropriate for a child to access the core curriculum, although the student may be included in the general education environment to increase social skill development, etc. |
Infants/Early Start
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When and how can an infant or toddler be referred to the Early Start program?
Infants and toddlers up to two years of age should be referred to Early Start as soon as concerns regarding vision, hearing, and/or development appear. Anyone can refer an infant or toddler to Early Start programs. Call the Early Start WarmLine at 1-800-646-3268 to make a referral. Early Start coordinator Judy Adams is available at (707) 524-2763 to answer questions. |
Learning Disabilities and Reading
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What approach or program is best for dyslexic or learning disabled students?
There is no unique or best program for struggling readers. However, research indicates most reading difficulties are phonologically based (problems in mapping speech sounds to print) and students respond well to programs that explicitly and systematically teach the alphabetic principle, coupled with enormous amounts of practice reading independent level books.
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What do the terms "dyslexia" and "learning disability" mean?
"Dyslexia" and "learning disability" are general terms used to describe difficulty with reading and written language. Recent research (Shaywitz, 1996) has confirmed that dyslexic readers are not qualitatively different from other struggling readers, it is simply a term to describe students on the lower end of the normal distribution of reading achievement. Many researchers suggest the field would be better served if labels were abandoned, replaced by accurate descriptions of the reading difficulty in question (e.g., Sara is able to decode third-grade passages at 40 words per minute).
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