Family Empowerment Center

WarmLine is a Family Empowerment Center. As a Family Empowerment Center we provide training and information to families of children and young adults with disabilities between the ages of 3 and 22. We offer specialized training, peer-to-peer support, information and referral services. We aim to assist parents to better understand their child's educational and developmental needs, develop effective communication with service providers, serve as an active participant in the IEP process,  promote alternative dispute resolution, and to support positive relationships between parents and professionals. WarmLine is funded by the CA Dept. of Education, receives technical assistance and support by Seeds of Partnership and is a member of the Family Empowerment and Disability Council.

Warmline Special Education Publications

• "Turning Three Year Old" for parents of children turning 3 as they "graduate" from early intervention. Click here for English and here for Spanish
• "Understanding Special Education" is a comprehensive guide to understand how special education services work. For more info click here for English, and here for Spanish and here for Russian. Thanks to Yolo County Office of Education for translating this publication.
• "Moving On: Transition to Adult Services" is a guide for parents whose children are transitioning out of Special Education. To read more, click here for English and here for Spanish.

NOTICE: Resources are currently being migrated from our previous website. Please contact WarmLine if you need a copy of the following resources.

Organize and Prepare for your Upcoming IEP

Organize

How to Organize Worksheet​ (English) (Spanish)

• Binder Contents​ 
• Contact List - Who to Call at School
• Get to Know Me
• Parent/Teacher Communication Log​
• Back to School Worksheet
• Backpack Checklist Tags

Prepare

Concerns & Strategies Worksheet  (English)  (Spanish)

• Goal Worksheet and Parent Report Templates
• ​Targeted Questions for Parents to Ask
• Meeting Seating Chart​
• Request for Assessment (Initial) - use to request special education assessment for your children.
• Request for Additional Assessments - use to request additional assessments when your child already has an IEP.

504 Plans

• Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 - OCR
• Section 504 Parent Handbook
• Section 504 & Postsecondary Education

Special Education Websites and Resources

• California Dept. of Education, Special Education Division
• Individuals with Disabilities Education Act​
• Disability Rights California (Nonprofit disability rights agency with helpful publications with legal citations).​
  • Transition Services for Students
  • Special Education Rights and Responsibilities (SERR)​
  • Worksheet to Monitor your student's IEP
• 2018 OAH Special Education Handbook​​​
• ​​2020 Special Education Law Updates
• Common Core State Standards (CCSS)  Now downloadable as an app
  • ​CCSS & the IEP           
  • CCSS: 10 Questions to Ask the IEP  Team

• ​Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA): The SELPA collaborates with county agencies and school districts to develop and maintain healthy and enriching environments in which special needs students and families can live and succeed.
• State SELPA Forms Manual: Writing IEPs for Educational Benefit​
• Response to Intervention (RTI): A Parent's Guide

Assessments

• ​Request for Assessment (Initial) - use to request special education assessment for your children.
• Request for Additional Assessments - use to request additional assessments when your child already has an IEP.
• ​Functional Behavioral Assessment and Positive Interventions: What Parents Need to Know​
• Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE)​

Advocates & Dispute Resolution

• Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates: Find an Attorney/Advocate
• Educational Advocates: A Guide For Parents
• Low Cost or Free Attorney/Advocate List
• Office of Administrative Hearings (Due Process)​
• ​Cadre - Nat'l Ctr. on Dispute Resolution in Special Education

Disability Related Organizations

• ​Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities The mission of the Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities is to collaborate with individuals with developmental disabilities and their families to improve quality of life and community inclusion. 
• Advisory Commission on Special Education (ACSE) The Commission is an advisory body required by Federal (20 USC 1412[a][21]) and State Statute (EC 33590-6). The ACSE provides recommendations and advice to the State Board of Education, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Legislature, and the Governor in new or continuing areas of research, program development and evaluation in California special education.
• ​​​Community Advisory Committees​ ​Community Advisory Committees (CAC) advise local school districts and provide educational opportunities to parents.  For more information about your CAC, contact your school district's Special Education Department.