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SAMPLE LETTERS
Over the course of a child’s education we communicate with teachers, administrators, and others. While much of the communication is informal face-to-face, or over the phone conversations, there are times when communications need to be made in writing. Having a paper trail often helps in the even a dispute arises between families and school districts. Here are sample letters and forms often used to communicate with the school about the needs of a student.
Click here to find sample letters to request IEP meetings, assessments, independent evaluations, request for educational records, etc.
PARENT TRAINING AND INFORMATION CENTER
Parent Training and Information Center (PTIC) is a parent-directed non-profit 501(c)(3) organization funded by the U.S. Department of Education, authorized under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and often enhanced by private sources. Every state in the United States has a funded PTIC.
IDEA states that PTICs will provide parents of children, ages birth through twenty-six with disabilities, including low-income parents, parents of limited English-proficient children, and parents with disabilities, with the training and information they need to enable them to participate effectively in helping their children with disabilities to:
meet developmental and functional goals, and the challenging academic achievement goals that have been established for all children;
be prepared to lead productive, independent adult lives, to the maximum extent possible; and
provide training and information on parent rights, responsibilities, and protections under IDEA in order to develop the skills necessary to cooperatively and effectively participate in planning and decision-making relating to early intervention, educational, and transitional services.
Southern California PTIC: TASK
TASK specializes in special education support for people with disabilities from birth to age 26 and their families. They support all disabilities, including mental illness, chronic health and medical conditions, and emotional challenges due to abuse or environmental trauma.
In the area of assistive technology (AT), they serve all ages, including adults, and help families explore ways to use AT to promote learning, communication, and independence.
Their role is to provide emotional support and educate parents about special education systems and processes, so that they can be more effective participants in their child’s education. They help families understand their rights, the processes for requesting assessments, strategies for preparing for the Individualized Education Plan (IEP), and transition planning, among other things. Because individuals with disabilities often deal with multiple challenges, they also refer families to other disability service providers, agencies and nonprofits to help meet their needs. TASK promotes positive cooperation between families and schools. They do not attend IEPs on parents’ behalf, but provide information, training and resources so that parents can better help themselves.
TASK is the Parent Training and Information Center (PTI) for six Southern California counties including Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego.
NORTH COASTAL CONSORTIUM FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION
The North Coastal Consortium for Special Education (NCCSE) is a Special Education Local Planning Area (SELPA) that is composed of 14 school districts in North San Diego County.
Each SELPA must have an Administrative Unit, which is the legal entity that receives funds and is responsible for seeing that every eligible child receives appropriate services. The Administrative Unit for the North Coastal Consortium for Special Education is the San Diego County Office of Education.
For more information on the other SELPAs in San Diego County, visit the website for the San Diego County Office of Education.
Structure
According to the Local Plan, NCCSE's governance structure includes:
A Board of Trustees comprised of one School Board Member from each member district
A Board of Governors comprised of the Superintendents from each member district
A Community Advisory Committee comprised of parents, educators, and community members involved in special education
As a Special Education Local Planning Area (SELPA) in California, NCCSE’s responsibilities include:
Coordinating Special Education Programs and student placement
Monitoring compliance with State and Federal Mandates
Developing Policy and Procedure
Fostering an active Community Advisory Committee (CAC) to include parents of students with disabilities and representatives for other local agencies, such as Regional Center, in NCCSE’s planning and programs
Do you have questions about your child’s special education services? Contact the NCCSE Parent Liaison Heidi Marshall either via email heidi.marshall@sdcoe.net or at 760 307-1509. The Parent Liaison is the parent of a child with disabilities. All emails and calls to the Parent Liaison are confidential.
Family Empowerment Centers
The Family Empowerment Centers (FECs) were established in 2001 by enactment of Chapter 690 of the Statutes of 2001 (Senate Bill 511, Alpert), enacted as Education Code (EC) 56400-56415. The FECs provide services to families with children with disabilities ages three to twenty-two. The intent of the legislature is to ensure that parents, guardians, and families of children and young adults with disabilities have access to accurate information, specialized training, and peer-to-peer support. Each FEC is a non-profit 501 (c)(3). Funding for the FECs is based upon a specific formula. A rate of $246,000.00 is allocated annually to each center to provide the basic services. Additional funding for each FEC is determined according to school enrollment of the region served.
The FECs provide training and information to families of children and young adults with disabilities, between the ages of 3 and 22. These parent-led nonprofit organizations offer specialized training, peer-to-peer support, information and referral services. They aim to assist parents to better understand their child’s educational and developmental needs, effectively communicate with service providers, serve as a resource for the individual education plan process, participate in school reform and improvement activities, promote alternative dispute resolution, and support positive relationships between parents and professionals. Services available through each FEC vary based on the needs of the community.
San Diego FEC: Exceptional Family Resource Center
Mission
The mission of the Exceptional Family Resource Center (EFRC) is to provide support, information and education for families of children with disabilities and the professionals who assist these families. By offering emotional support and factual information, EFRC enables families to help their children reach their fullest potential.
Vision
All children with disabilities will be given the opportunity to live with a supported and empowered family, fully participating within their community. Every community will be enriched by the inclusion of people with diverse abilities. EFRC offers family centered services, emphasizing parent choice, confidentiality and collaboration. Through local, state and federal partnerships and projects, EFRC is active in advocacy, research, policy and practice initiatives.
Family Support Liaisons
EFRC Family Support Liaisons are peer-parent mentors (parents of children with disabilities and/or special needs) who have received training on family-driven services, communication skills, resources and systems navigation.
Call today at (619) 594-7416 if you have a concern about your child’s development or need assistance in accessing support, resources or services.
San Diego Regional Center
The San Diego Regional Center (SDRC) is a service of San Diego-Imperial Counties Developmental Services, Inc.
SDRC is a focal point in the community for persons with developmental disabilities (intellectual disabilities, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, autism, or other disabling conditions similar to intellectual disabilities) living in San Diego and Imperial counties.
They are a private, non-profit 501 c (3) organization that contracts with California to provide the services outlined in the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act. The San Diego Regional Center is one of 21 regional centers throughout California.
Free services avialable for ages 3 to adult:
Behavior Intervention Training, Dental Services (under special circumstances), Medical Services (under special circumstances), Nutrition Services, Nursing Services, Psychological Services, Residential Services (parental fee may be required), Respite, Social Work/Service Coordination, Transportation (under special circumstances), Social Recreational Services, Parent Conferences.
If your child is not a client yet, please register here: https://sdrc.seamlessdocs.com/f/InitialContactChild/
USEFUL LINKS
DMUSD – Del Mar Union School District website.
DMSEF – The Del Mar Schools Education Foundation (DMSEF) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that raises money to help fund the STEAM+ teachers in the Del Mar Union School District (DMUSD).
PARENT TEACHER ASSOCIATION (PTA)
DMUSD GOVERNING BOARD OF TRUSTEES
2022 GOVERNING BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING SCHEDULE
DMUSD Transparency – You tube channel with recorded DMUSD board meetings since 2018.
SECTION 504 – Civil rights statute aimed at preventing or correcting discrimination based on disability.
IDEA – The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a law that makes available a free appropriate public education to eligible children with disabilities throughout the nation and ensures special education and related services to those children.
DRC - Disability Rights California. Protecting and advancing the rights of individuals with disabilities across California.
CDE – California Department of Education
EFRC – Exceptional Family Resource Center provides support, information and education for families of children with disabilities and the professionals who assist these families.
Resolutions for Student Success (RSS) – RSS is a voluntary, confidential, no cost, local mediation process designed to resolve special education disagreements between families and districts within the fourteen school districts in the North County Consortium for Special Education (NCCSE). RSS is facilitated by the Exceptional Family Resource Center. For more information call the RSS mediation coordinator at (619) 594-7383.
DMSUD Uniform Complaints – The District shall investigate and seek to resolve complaints alleging failure to comply with applicable state and federal law or regulations governing educational programs, including allegations of unlawful discrimination, harassment, intimidation or bullying.
OCR – Office of Civil Rights. OCR’s mission is to ensure equal access to education and to promote educational excellence through vigorous enforcement of civil rights in our nation’s schools.
How to File a Discrimination Complaint with the Office for Civil Rights – Educational institutions have a responsibility to protect every student’s right to learn in a safe environment free from unlawful discrimination and to prevent unjust deprivations of that right.
14 Tips for Writing an OCR Complaint that gets Noticed
Uniform Complaint Procedures (UCP) – A written and signed statement is a formal request to the CDE alleging a violation of federal or state laws or regulations, which may include an allegation of unlawful discrimination, harassment, intimidation, or bullying.
Special Education Complaint Process – A written signed complaint is a formal request to the CDE to investigate allegations in which the complainant believes the public agency (e.g. student’s school district) has violated special education law or regulation, federal or state. Complaints may concern one child or student, or a group of students.
*This Website was created by Del Mar Special Education Parents and is not affiliated with DMUSD. DMUSD has not endorsed, recommended, guaranteed or assumed responsability or reliability of any information provided through this website. No communications submitted via our "Contact us" link/forms are routed to DMUSD administrators.