Quality Assurance Process – Special Education (CA Dept of Education)

Compliance and Improvement Monitoring Process
At the core of the monitoring framework is the Compliance and Improvement Monitoring (CIM) process. The CIM is a series of activities aimed to assist local educational agencies in identifying their issues and developing an integrated plan to address them.

California Annual Performance Reports
Describes the State’s progress or slippage in meeting the measurable and rigorous targets established in the State Performance Plan (SPP); and any revisions to the State’s targets, improvement activities or resources in the SPP and justifications for the revisions.

California State Performance Plan (SPP)

SPP – 2011 (DOC; 2MB; Posted 02-Jan-2013)
Seven year plan for special education required by IDEA 04

SPP – 2010 (DOC; 2MB; Revised 07-May-2012) Revisions to Indicator 4 (Suspension and Expulsion), Indicator 9 (Disproportionality Overall), and Indicator 10 (Disproportionality by Disability)

SPP – 2009 (DOC; Posted 21-Oct-2009) Revisions to Indicator #7 (Preschool Assessment)

SPP – 2008 (DOC; Posted 01-Feb 2008)
Revisions to Indicator #7 (Preschool Assessment) and Indicator #14 (Post School Outcomes)

SPP – 2007 (DOC; Revised 01-Feb-2007)
Six year plan for special education required by IDEA 04

Focused Monitoring Technical Assistance Consultant Assignments by Region (Updated 27-Jan-2023)
Special Education Division consultant assignments by County

Disproportionality in California Public Schools (Updated

02-Aug-2022)
Impacts on Special Education including information and resources on disproportionate representation by race and ethnicity of students receiving special education services.

Complaint Support Unit

Provides technical assistance information and resources for
parents, school districts, advocates, agencies and others of procedural
safeguards regarding students between ages 3 and 21 with disabilities
and their educational rights.

• Toll-free Help Line: 800-926-0648; Weekdays, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• Email: [email protected]
• FAX: 916-327-3704

Rights of Parents and Children

Special Education Rights of Parents and Children Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Part B, and the California Education Code.

Parents’ Rights (Updated 30-Aug-2021)
A brief summary of Procedural Safeguards for students with disabilities receiving special education services.

Procedural Safeguards Resources

California Parent Organizations (Revised 20-Sep-2019)
List of California agencies providing resources for families of
children with disabilities.

Complaint Filing, Investigation and Resolution

Complaint Process (Updated 02-Dec-2020)
The special education complaint process with federal and state law resource links.

Helpful Hints When Requesting
Direct State Intervention (Updated 27-Mar-2023)

Request for Complaint Investigation (PDF; Revised 17-Apr-2019)
Form for filing compliance complaint that alleges violation of state or federal special education laws.

Request for Mediation (PDF; Added 20-Nov-2020)
Scheduling Information for Mediation of State Complaint

Questions: Special Education Division | [email protected] | 916-445-4613

Last Reviewed: Monday, March 27, 2023