Providing high quality special education services to students continues to pose unique challenges for educators. These pages are designed to provide California school districts, administrators, parents and others with a compendium of best practices for special education policies, procedures, operations and funding.
About FCMAT
FCMAT has provided special education management assistance for dozens of school districts and county offices of education across California to help them more efficiently and effectively provide the services that special education students need. FCMAT's expertise in this area helps districts and county offices bring improved serves to students while maximizing available funding.
FCMAT's most recent special education reports are posted to our Web site.
Legal Resources for California
Major legal cases
Due process overview
Changes to education code pursuant to Assembly Bill 1663
Special Education Rights of Parents and Children, Notice of Procedural Safeguards
(link to the California Department of Education Web site)
Parents' Right to Revoke Consent (link to the California Department of Education Web site)
Procedures for Serious Behavior Problems (link to the California Department of Education Web site)
Assisting Students with Disabilities Pass the California High School Exit Examination (CAHSEE) by Providing Accommodations/Modifications and Special Education Supports and Services
(link to the California Department of Education Web site)
CAHSEE Exemption (link to the California Department of Education Web site)
On June 22, 2009 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that parents of special education students can seek payment from public schools for private school tuition. Click here to read the New York Times article on this decision.
Operations, Policies and Procedures
Frequently Asked Questions regarding IEPs
CASEMIS, Components of IEPs, State Performance Standards, and One-to-one Instructional Aides
Excess Cost Requirements as a Measure of Equitability
(This document explains the difference between excess costs and encroachment, and provides guidance on how to achieve an equitable allocation of all resources to meet the needs of all special education students.)
Counseling Children and Adolescents by Ann Vernon (Love Publishing Co., Denver, 2004)
(This book provides valuable information and guidance for those seeking to work with and teach special education students.)
ARRA IDEA Grants - Frequently Asked Questions
Program Administration
Special education program administration
(Includes sections on leadership, effective use of resources, program delivery and interdepartmental communication)
Retention and Attrition of Local Special Education Directors
This document is from the National Association of State Directors of Special Education and was supported by the U.S. Department of Education. The document describes and presents strategies for addressing the retentiion and attrition of special education directors.
Glossary of Special Education Terms
This link is to the glossary maintained by the IRIS center at Vanderbilt University.
Professional Organization and Further Resources
Special Education Administrators of County Offices (SEACO)
California Department of Education
