What is SELPA?
What is a SELPA?
In 1977, all school districts and county school offices were required to form geographical regions of sufficient size and scope to provide for all special education service needs of children residing within the region boundaries. Each region (Special Education Local Plan Area-SELPA) developed a local plan describing how it would provide special education services.
Today, there are approximately 125 SELPA’s in the State, ranging in size from those serving fewer than 1,000 students to those serving more than 10,000 students with the most common size between 2,000 and 4,000 students. (A few SELPA’s have up to 50,000 students with disabilities, although only five SELPA’s have over 10,000). For more information about the Who, What, Where, When and Why of SELPAs please visit: http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/se/as/caselpas.asp (updated 12/04/09)
The Southwest SELPA services over 14,000 students in 12 School Districts, Charter Schools and the Los Angeles County Office of Education programs. Responsibilities of the SELPA include such things as Ensuring Program Availability for all Children with Disabilities, Curriculum Development and Support, Community Advisory Committee Support, Transition Planning, Legal Assistance, Program Evaluation, Interagency Coordination, Program Coordination, Fiscal Management, Community Awareness, and Staff Development.
All SELPA’s have the same basic goal…to deliver high quality special education training and services to the students with disabilities in the most effective manner practicable.