What is a Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA)?

In 1977, Assembly Bill 1250 required all school districts and county schools offices to form geographical regions of sufficient size and scope to provide for all special education services needs of children residing within the region boundaries. Each SELPA developed a local plan describing how it would provide special education services. 

The Pomona Unified School District SELPA is a single-district SELPA. There are 2,600 students with disabilities enrolled in the Pomona USD SELPA.

The SELPA is responsible for assuring program availability for all students with disabilities. To achieve this, the SELPA assists the district with program development and coordinates regional programs within the SELPA. The SELPA provides technical assistance and administrative support to the school sites to insure compliance with state and federal requirements. Additionally, The SELPA provides staff development and training for educators and parents.

CHILD FIND

If you have or know of a child you feel needs special education services, contact the Pomona Unified School District special education office for information regarding the process.

School districts have an affirmative, ongoing duty to actively and systematically seek out, identify, locate, and evaluate all children with disabilities residing within their boundaries who may be in need of special education and related services. (20 U.S.C. § 1412(a)(3)(A); 34 C.F.R. § 300.111(a); Ed. Code, §§ 56171, 56300 et seq.) This ongoing duty to seek and serve children with disabilities is referred to as "child find."

PUSD actively and systematically seeks out all individuals with disabilities including children with disabilities who are homeless children or are wards of the state and children with disabilities attending private schools.

ELIGIBILITY PROCESS

For initial evaluation requests, the Principal/Designee schedules a meeting of Student Success Team (SST) with the parent/requestor, to discuss the parent/requestor's concerns that prompted the assessment request, to give parent’s the opportunity to provide input regarding the assessment plan, and to develop or update general education interventions documented in an SST form, if appropriate.

The Special Education Team reviews the referral, develops the assessment plan, and assigns a Case Manager to the student, who shall provide the necessary paperwork to the parent.

Following assessment and review of all relevant information, the individualized education program (IEP) team determines whether the student is eligible for special education and related services. To be eligible, a student who demonstrates a qualifying disability must also require special education. 

Anyone who believes a local public education agency is in violation of federal or state laws or regulations governing special education programs may file a written complaint with the local school district. These complaints must include a statement (s) of the specific concerns of the person filing the complaints, including the laws alleging to be violated. In addition, the complaint should include the name, address, and telephone number where the person filing the complaint can be reached.

For further information, contact us at (909) 397-4648 or go to the Parent Help tab on this webpage.