- Los Angeles Unified School District
- New SpEd Parents
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The Division of Special Education has various resources available for parents. We invite you to take advantage of every opportunity to be an active partner in your child’s education. Workshops and training are offered throughout the school year covering various topics related to the needs of students with disabilities and the many ways parents can support their child both in and out of the classroom. In addition to workshops and training sessions, District and community-sponsored events supportive of the students and parents we serve are also available. The District values its partnership with parents in their children’s education.
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COVID-19 Compensatory Education Plan
Students with disabilities are entitled to a free appropriate public education (FAPE).
The COVID-19 pandemic had a negative effect on schools resulting in learning disruption nationally. Students with disabilities may need Compensatory Education services to remedy any educational or other deficits that resulted from a student with an IEP or Section 504 plan not receiving the evaluations or services to which they were entitled during the COVID-19 pandemic. Students with disabilities may also need Recoupment Services to regain skills lost resulting from pandemic learning disruptions. The Los Angeles Unified School District has implemented two approaches for processes for addressing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic:Compensatory Education- special education and related aids and services to remedy any educational or other deficits that resulted from a student with a disability (with either an IEP or Section 504 plan) not receiving the evaluations or services to which they were entitled during the COVID-19 pandemic. For further information about the COVID-19 Compensatory Education Plan, please refer to: https://ca01000043.schoolwires.net/compedplan.
Recoupment Services- additional supports offered to general and special education students to address potential learning loss caused by pandemic-related school facility closures. For further information about recoupment services, please refer to: https://ca01000043.schoolwires.net/spedrecoupment.
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Child Find
The Los Angeles Unified School District seeks to identify, locate, and evaluate children suspected of having a disability who may be eligible for special education services designed to meet their educational needs at no cost to families. This includes highly mobile children, migrant children, children experiencing homelessness, children who are wards of the state and children attending private schools located within LAUSD boundaries regardless of where they reside. All other children must live in the LAUSD attendance area.
English Poster
Spanish Poster
Parent Workshops
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2023 - 2024 Division of Special Education Virtual Parent Workshops
You are all invited! Join us during the 2023 - 2024 school year at our virtual parent workshops where we will have various experts present on topics to empower families of students with IEPs. Click on the link of this article to obtain more information. // ¡Están todos invitados! Únanse a nosotros durante el año escolar 2023 - 2024 en nuestros talleres virtuales para padres donde tendremos varios expertos presentaran temas para empoderar a las familias de los estudiantes con IEP. Haga clic en el enlace de este artículo para obtener más información.
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Parent Workshop - 95 Percent Group
Parents of TK-12 students, we invite you to attend a one hour virtual workshop to explore a reading intervention program! // Haga clic en el título de este artículo para obtener información sobre el próximo taller para padres para aprender sobre un programa de intervención de lectura.
Parent Resources
- English Learners with Disabilities
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The sheet below contains a variety of resources for families of students with disabilities who are English learners. Download the sheet to access the resources.
Resources for Families of English Learners with Disabilities
Recursos para familias sobre estudiantes de inglés con discapacidades
- School and Family Support Services (SFSS)
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Our Mission
The Division of Special Education’s School and Family Support Services (SFSS) unit is committed to working collaboratively with our LAUSD families, students, colleagues and other partners in education to promote each student’s success and well-being as he/she prepares for future endeavors by providing all partners with the ongoing delivery of the most accurate information, resources, assistance, and guidance regarding special education.
What We DoIf you have questions, concerns, and/or complaints related to special education or specifically about a child’s IEP, we can assist. The Division of Special Education is committed to:
- Providing information to increase understanding and awareness of special education, so parents can better participate in the educational decision-making process for their child
- Promptly responding to inquiries, and helping to mediate and/or resolve concerns related to the Individualized Education Program (IEP)
- Investigating complaints of alleged special education violations, and facilitating appropriate resolutions in a timely manner
- Listening to parent concerns and providing resources that support informed decision-making
- Offering information about parent engagement opportunities
- Facilitating collaboration between District staff and parents
- Providing answers to IEP related questions
- Assisting with transportation needs as stated on the IEP
- Providing the most current information related to special education
Contact Us
School and Family Support Services
Telephone: (213) 241-6701
FAX: (877) 339-2684
Email: spedsfss@lausd.net
Website: https://ca01000043.schoolwires.net/sped
Monday - Friday 7:00 AM-5:00 PM
Interpreter Services Available
- Dispute Resolution Options
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The LAUSD Division of Special Education strives to meet the unique educational needs of all exceptional children with each Individualized Education Program (IEP) written; however, disagreements arise occasionally. When disagreements occur, parents have four options to pursue a resolution to the disagreement:
- Alternate Dispute Resolution
Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) is an optional informal process adapted by the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) and supported by the California Department of Education (CDE) for resolving special education concerns early. The ADR process uses communication, collaboration, and consultation to resolve Individualized Education Program (IEP) disagreements. It is through the ADR process that LAUSD seeks to expedite resolutions to special education concerns after an IEP meeting, in a manner that meets the needs of the student at the earliest opportunity possible.ADR BROCHURE _ English and Spanish_6.22
- Informal Dispute Resolution
Informal Dispute Resolution or “IDR” is an optional dispute resolution process available to parents. IDR is a District process that is designed to be faster, less formal and less adversarial than mediation and due process proceedings. In the IDR process, parents identify their issues and concerns and the District attempts to work with the parent to quickly resolve the issues identified. - Mediation Only
“Mediation Only” is a state-level, voluntary dispute resolution process under the Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH). In Mediation Only, a neutral mediator assists you and the District in discussing and attempting to resolve your disagreement. The mediators are not employees of the District and do not have any personal interest in the disagreement. The mediators are selected on an impartial basis by the State and know the laws and regulations relating to the provision of special education and related services. The Mediation Only process includes a mediation conference attended by you, the assigned mediator, and a District representative who has decision-making authority. Lawyers or advocates, for the student/ parent or for the District, are not permitted to participate in Mediation Only. - Formal Due Process Hearing
Due process hearing requests are dispute resolution proceedings required to be available to parents and school districts under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). You or the District may file a due process complaint on any matter relating to a proposal or refusal to initiate or change the identification, evaluation or educational placement of your child or the provision of a free appropriate public education (FAPE) to your child. The proceedings begin with the submission of a complaint notice and include a resolution period with a mandatory resolution session meeting, optional mediation, and a due process hearing before an impartial hearing officer. The District convenes the resolution session meeting. The Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH) conducts the optional mediation and the due process hearing. It may not be necessary to go through all of the due process proceedings to reach resolution. A due process complaint may be resolved by mutual agreement of the parties at any stage of the proceedings.
- Alternate Dispute Resolution
- IEP Written Translations
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Parent request for a written translation of their child’s IEP.
Parents can make a request for a written translation of the IEP document at the IEP meeting. If the parent has not requested the written translation at the IEP Team Meeting, yet after the meeting decides to request the translation of the IEP document, the parent must make the request in writing to the school site administrator.
School of attendance shall provide a written translated copy of the IEP to the requesting parent within 30 days of the request.
- Pupil Records Request
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The California Education Code § 56504 ensures parents the right and opportunity to examine all school records of his or her child and to receive copies of these records within five business days after making a request either orally or in writing.
The Los Angeles Unified School District-Division of Special Education has established a Custodian of Records to receive requests for records and to ensure these records are copied and provided to the individual making the request.
Information - How to Submit Your Request
All educationally related records requests for students with or suspected of having a disability attending a District Operated School or Charter Operated School are to be mailed, emailed, or faxed to:
Los Angeles Unified School District
Division of Special Education
Custodian of Records
District-Operated Schools and Charter Operated Schools
Special Education Service Center-Operations
333 S. Beaudry Ave., 18th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90017
(213) 241-2417 (fax)EMAIL
sesc-operations@lausd.netSubject Line: Pupil Records Request
Parent/Guardian Request for Records (English) FILLABLE FORM
Parent/Guardian Request for Records (Spanish) FILLABLE FORM
- Roadmap for Social-Emotional Well-Being & Academic Success
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Roadmap for Social-Emotional Well-Being & Academic Success
The Roadmaps for Social-Emotional Well-Being & Academic Success were designed by educators and mental health professionals to support the return to school following a particularly turbulent time in history. We trust that all parents and all school staff - teachers, administrators, counselors, and support staff- will find helpful tools and resources.
The Parent/Caregiver edition gives parents/caregivers tools to support their child’s resilience: sense of safety, connectedness, self-efficacy, community efficacy, ability to be calm and hope.
- Virtual IEP Team Meetings - Informational Video
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"Virtual IEP Team Meeting Informational Video for Parents" (English)
"Información Para Padres Sobre la Reunión Virtual del Equipo del IEP" (Español)
- UCLArts & Healing Programs - Sessions for Parents
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UCLArts & Healing is a community partner. It is an organizational member of the UCLA Integrative Medicine Collaborative, and is supported by the Arts & Healing Initiative. Their mission is to transform lives through creative expression by integrating the innate benefits of the arts with mental health practices for self-discovery, connection, and empowerment. View the UCLArts & Healing programs, services and resources including the HOPE (Healing Online for People Everywhere) series programs, by visiting their webpage.
UCLArts & Healing Programs Webpage
UCLArts & Healing Brochure
Created in 2020 at the start of the pandemic, this free, online series supports the resilience of our global community through social emotional arts.In accordance with our mission, with this series we aim to enhance the innate social-emotional benefits of the arts with supportive practices, such as non-judgmental language and reflection, for self-discovery, connection, and empowerment.
Visit https://uclartsandhealing.org/services/community-services/hope-series/ for more information and to access the online series.
LAUSD Parent Portal
Parent Workshops - Training Materials
- 2023-2024 Virtual Parent Workshops
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Empowering Families During the IEP Process: An Introduction to Special Education
English Video Recording:
https://lausd.wistia.com/medias/txu6s72u3j
Empoderando a las familias durante el proceso del IEP: Una introducción a la educación especial
Grabación de vídeo en español
https://lausd.wistia.com/medias/6ig535z7fr
- Dyslexia Awareness
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Dyslexia Parent Training - English:https://youtu.be/AVZcA292GK4
Dyslexia Parent Training - Español:
https://youtu.be/kykbCnJsQW4
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Useful Links
Special Education
Glossary and Acronyms
RECOUPMENT SERVICES &COMPENSATORY EDUCATION
Click here to access the Recoupment and Compensatory Education webpage.
Haga clic aquí para acceder a la página web de Recuperación y Educación Compensatoria.
Parent Newsletter
- Parent Newsletters 2022-2023
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To access the parent newsletter, click on the link below for the edition you'd like to review. // Para acceder al boletín para padres, haga clic en el enlace a continuación para la edición que le gustaría revisar.
2022-23 Volume 3 Parent Newsletter
Boletin para padres volumen 3 de 2022-23
2022-23 Volume 2 Parent Newsletter
Boletin para padres de volumen 2 de 2022-23
2022-23 Volume 1 Parent Newsletter
Boletín para padres de volumen 1 de 2022-23
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Los Angeles Unified School District ♦ Division of Special Education
333 South Beaudry Avenue, 17th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90017