Special Education Eligibility
Oak Grove School District provides support to all students with disabilities. We partner with other local school districts as well as the Santa Clara County Office of Education (COE) to ensure that programs are located within our Special Education Local Planning Area (SELPA). Oak Grove staff are committed to providing students with the least restrictive learning environment.
Eligibility for Services
Students become eligible for special education services through a formalized process of evaluation. Anyone who suspects that a student is disabled may request an evaluation in writing. Requests will receive a response from the school site within 15 days. Usually a Student Study Team is asked to determine whether an assessment is necessary. If recommended, assessments will take place within 60 days of the initial request. If an assessment is not recommended, the Study Team will explain their reasoning in writing.
Once a student has been assessed, an Individualized Education Program (IEP) meeting is held to determine a student’s eligibility for services. Students may be found eligible in one of 13 categories:
- Specific Learning Disability
- Speech and language impairment
- Deaf/blind
- Visual impairment
- Traumatic brain injury
- Hearing impairment
- Deafness
- Other health impairment
- Autism
- Multiple handicaps
- Orthopedic impairment
- Emotional disturbance
- Intellectual Disability
Dyslexia Information, the Law and Frequently Asked Questions
Dyslexia is a language-based disability that exists on a continuum and is characterized by difficulties in learning how to read fluently. Students with Dyslexia can also experience difficulties with oral language, spelling, and writing skills. Addressing the needs of struggling readers requires a wide range of supports at schools and at home. With appropriate identification, tailored instruction, dedication, and support from family, teachers, and community members, individuals with Dyslexia can improve their reading skills and succeed in school and life.
Per California Education Code 56337.5 (a-c) (paraphrased):
A student who is assessed as having dyslexia and who meets both prongs of the eligibility criteria listed above may be considered a student with a specific learning disability (SLD) and may receive special education and related services.
If a student exhibits characteristics of dyslexia or another related reading function is not found to be eligible for special education and related services, the student’s instructional program shall be provided in the regular education program.
It is the intent of California Legislation that program guidelines be developed for specific learning disabilities, including dyslexia and other related disorders, to be available for use by teachers and parents in order for them to have knowledge of the strategies that can be utilized with pupils for the remediation of the various types of specific learning disabilities.
Oak Grove School District adopted the California CDE Dyslexia guidelines which are used to assist regular education teachers, special education teachers, and parents to identify and assess pupils with dyslexia, and to plan, provide, evaluate, and improve educational services to pupils with dyslexia. The California Department of Education (CDE) has recently posted the new California Dyslexia Guidelines to the CDE website. You can become familiar with the statutes of Assembly Bill (AB) 1369.