Section 56001 Of Article 1. Intent From California Education Code >> Division 4. >> Title 2. >> Part 30. >> Chapter 1. >> Article 1.
56001
. It is the intent of the Legislature that special education
programs provide all of the following:
(a) Each individual with exceptional needs is assured an education
appropriate to his or her needs in publicly supported programs
through completion of his or her prescribed course of study or until
the time that he or she has met proficiency standards prescribed.
(b) Early educational opportunities shall be available to all
children between the ages of three and five years who require special
education and services.
(c) Early educational opportunities shall be made available to
children younger than three years of age pursuant to Chapter 4.4
(commencing with Section 56425), appropriate sections of this part,
and the California Early Intervention Services Act (Title 14
(commencing with Section 95000) of the Government Code).
(d) Any child younger than three years of age, potentially
eligible for special education, shall be afforded the protections
provided pursuant to the California Early Intervention Services Act
(Title 14 (commencing with Section 95000) of the Government Code) and
Section 1439 of Title 20 of the United States Code and implementing
regulations.
(e) Each individual with exceptional needs shall have his or her
educational goals, objectives, and special education and related
services specified in a written individualized education program.
(f) Education programs are provided under an approved local plan
for special education that sets forth the elements of the programs in
accordance with this part. This plan for special education shall be
developed cooperatively with input from the community advisory
committee and appropriate representation from special and regular
teachers and administrators selected by the groups they represent to
ensure effective participation and communication.
(g) Individuals with exceptional needs are offered special
assistance programs that promote maximum interaction with the general
school population in a manner that is appropriate to the needs of
both, taking into consideration, for hard-of-hearing or deaf
children, the individual's needs for a sufficient number of age and
language mode peers and for special education teachers who are
proficient in the individual's primary language mode.
(h) Pupils are transferred out of special education programs when
special education services are no longer needed.
(i) The unnecessary use of labels is avoided in providing special
education and related services for individuals with exceptional
needs.
(j) Procedures and materials for assessment and placement of
individuals with exceptional needs shall be selected and administered
so as not to be racially, culturally, or sexually discriminatory. No
single assessment instrument shall be the sole criterion for
determining the placement of a pupil. The procedures and materials
for assessment and placement shall be in the individual's mode of
communication. Procedures and materials for use with pupils of
limited-English proficiency, as defined in subdivision (m) of Section
52163 and in paragraph (18) of Section 1401 of Title 20 of the
United States Code, shall be in the individual's native language, as
defined in paragraph (20) of Section 1401 of Title 20 of the United
States Code. All assessment materials and procedures shall be
selected and administered pursuant to Section 56320.
(k) Educational programs are coordinated with other public and
private agencies, including preschools, child development programs,
nonpublic nonsectarian schools, regional occupational centers and
programs, and postsecondary and adult programs for individuals with
exceptional needs.
(l) Psychological and health services for individuals with
exceptional needs shall be available to each schoolsite.
(m) Continuous evaluation of the effectiveness of these special
education programs by the local educational agencies shall be made to
ensure the highest quality educational offerings.
(n) Appropriate qualified staff are employed, consistent with
credentialing requirements, to fulfill the responsibilities of the
local plan and positive efforts are made to employ qualified disabled
individuals.
(o) Regular and special education personnel are adequately
prepared to provide educational instruction and services to
individuals with exceptional needs.