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Division of Special Education



  • Parents


  • 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.  

  • Child Find


    LAUSD Child Find Poster Rev. 04-08-24The 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.

    Adobe PDF IconEnglish Poster  Adobe PDF IconSpanish Poster   Adobe PDF Icon Chinese Poster
      
    Adobe PDF Icon Armenian Poster   Adobe PDF Icon Farsi Poster


    Learn More IconAprender mas
     


  • Diploma Information Sessions//Sesiones Informativas Sobre Diplomas

    Diploma Information Sessions//Sesiones Informativas Sobre Diplomas

    Join us for an information session to learn more about the criteria to earn a diploma for students with significant cognitive disabilities. // Acompáñenos a una sesión informativa donde aprenderá más sobre los criterios que deben seguir los estudiantes con discapacidades cognitivas significativas para obtener un diploma.

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  • 2024/2025 Virtual Parent Workshops Catalog

    2024/2025 Virtual Parent Workshops Catalog

    The Division of Special Education Virtual Parent Workshop catalog for the 2024/2025 school year is now available. Click on the title of this article to access it. // El catálogo de talleres virtuales para padres de la División de Educación Especial para el año escolar 2024/2025 ya está disponible. Haga clic en el título de este artículo para acceder a él.

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Parent Resources

The Division of Special Education has compiled a collection of valuable resources to share with you! This comprehensive sheet contains website links that can support your child's learning and development. We encourage you to download and review this sheet to explore the many ways you can enhance your child's educational journey. Your involvement and support are crucial to their success, and we believe these tools will be beneficial for both you and your child.

Adobe PDF Icon TK - 12 Instruction: Parent/Guardian Resource Sheet


¡La División de Educación Especial ha compilado una colección de recursos valiosos para compartir con usted! Esta hoja completa contiene enlaces a sitios web que pueden apoyar el aprendizaje y el desarrollo de su hijo. Le recomendamos que descargue y revise esta hoja para explorar las muchas maneras en que puede mejorar el viaje educativo de su hijo. Su participación y apoyo son cruciales para su éxito y creemos que estas herramientas serán beneficiosas tanto para usted como para su hijo.


Adobe PDF Icon TK - 12 Instrucción: Hoja de recursos para padres/tutores

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.  

PDF Icon Resources for Families of English Learners with Disabilities

PDF Icon  Recursos para familias sobre estudiantes de inglés con discapacidades

SFSS Image 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 Do

If 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://www.lausd.org/sped
Monday - Friday 7:00 AM-5:00 PM 
Interpreter Services Available


 
SFSS Call Center BrochureSFSS Brochure February 2021
PDF iconEnglish,  PDF iconSpanish,  PDF iconArmenian,  PDF iconChinese,  
PDF iconFarsi,  PDF iconKorean,  PDF iconRussian,  PDF iconTagalog 
 

SFSS Call Center PosterSFSS Poster
 February 2021
PDF iconEnglish,  PDF iconSpanish,  PDF iconArmenian,  PDF iconChinese,
PDF iconFarsi,  PDF iconKorean,  PDF iconRussian,  PDF iconTagalog
 

 

 

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:

  1. 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.
    PDF iconADR BROCHURE _ English and Spanish_6.22  

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

 

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.

 

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 Email Icon
sesc-operations@lausd.net

Subject Line: Pupil Records Request  

PDF iconRecords Request Information 

PDF Icon Parent/Guardian Request for Records (English)   FILLABLE FORM 

PDF Icon Parent/Guardian Request for Records (Spanish) FILLABLE FORM 

 

 

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.

Social-Emotional Roadmap guide imagePDF icon English

PDF icon Spanish 

PDF icon Armenian

PDF icon Chinese 

PDF icon Korean

Virtual Meeting Image

  Video icon  "Virtual IEP Team Meeting Informational Video for Parents" (English) 


  Video icon  "Información Para Padres Sobre la Reunión Virtual del Equipo del IEP" (Español) 

 

UCLArts and Healing logo

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. 
Internet icon  UCLArts & Healing Programs Webpage

PDF Icon UCLArts & Healing Brochure

HOPE Clipart
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. 

Virtual Parent Workshops - Training Materials

English Recording

https://lausd.wistia.com/medias/o1rxyo1082

GRABACIÓN DE VIDEO EN ESPAÑOL
https://lausd.wistia.com/medias/on5h2yhcjn

Elevating Student Voice Presentation
PDF English_ESPAÑOL

Empowered Parents

Empowering Parents: Understanding Media and Technology // Empoderar a los padres: comprender los medios y la tecnología

English Recording 

https://lausd.wistia.com/medias/hcb880qcxj

GRABACIÓN DE VIDEO EN ESPAÑOL 
https://lausd.wistia.com/medias/c7wlrx0ifv

 

PDF icon   Empowering Families During the IEP Process: An Introduction to Special Education

 

English Video Recording:

https://lausd.wistia.com/medias/txu6s72u3j

 

 PDF icon   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

 


 

PDF icon  Tips for Navigating the IEP Document and Participating in the IEP Team Meeting

 

English Video Recording:

https://lausd.wistia.com/medias/18ev8ksri8

 

 PDF icon   Consejos para navegar por el documento del IEP y participar en la reunión del equipo del IEP 

Grabación de vídeo en español  

https://lausd.wistia.com/medias/5n6gyqiany 

PDF icon  Exploring IEP Resolution Options that Keep Students at the Center  

 

English Video Recording:
https://lausd.wistia.com/medias/luq7dvpg2q

 

 PDF icon   Explorando las opciones de resolución del IEP que mantienen a los estudiantes en el centro  

Grabación de vídeo en español
 https://lausd.wistia.com/medias/971mmiz0jb 

 

  • Parent Newsletter Cover Page

Parent Newsletter

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.

PDF icon2023-24 Volume 3 Parent Newsletter

PDF iconBoletin para padres volumen 3 de 2023-24

PDF icon2023-24 Volume 2 Parent Newsletter

PDF iconBoletin para padres volumen 2 de 2023-24

PDF icon

 2023-24 Volume 1 Parent Newsletter

PDF icon Boletin para padres volumen 1 de 2023-24


  •  Los Angeles Unified School District ♦ Division of Special Education 

    333 South Beaudry Avenue, 17th Floor, Los Angeles, CA  90017