Teachers assigned to serve students with disabilities shall possess the credential that authorizes them to teach the primary disability of the students within the program placement recommended in the student's individualized education program (IEP). (5 CCR 80046.5)
(cf. 4112.2 - Certification)
(cf. 4113 - Assignment)
(cf. 6159 - Individualized Education Program)
(cf. 6164.4 - Identification and Evaluation of Individuals for Special Education)
Special education teachers who teach core academic subjects shall possess the qualifications required by the No Child Left Behind Act. (20 USC 1401, 6319, 7801; 34 CFR 200.55-200.57, 300.18; 5 CCR 6100-6126)
(cf. 4112.24 - Teacher Qualifications Under the No Child Left Behind Act)
The Superintendent or designee shall ensure that caseloads for special education teachers are within the maximum caseloads established by the comprehensive plan of the Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) in which the district participates.
(cf. 0430 - Comprehensive Local Plan for Special Education)
(cf. 1312.3 - Uniform Complaint Procedures)
(cf. 4141/4241 - Collective Bargaining Agreement)
Resource Specialists
The Board of Education shall employ certificated resource specialists to provide services which shall include, but not be limited to: (Education Code 56362)
1. Instruction and services for students whose needs have been identified in an individualized education program (IEP) and who are assigned to regular classroom teachers for a majority of the school day
2. Information and assistance to students with disabilities and their parents/guardians
3. Consultation with and provision of resource information and material regarding students with disabilities to their parents/guardians and other staff members
4. Coordination of special education services with the regular school programs for each student enrolled in the resource specialist program
5. Monitoring of student progress on a regular basis, participation in the review and revision of IEPs as appropriate, and referral of students who do not demonstrate sufficient progress to the IEP team
The resource specialist program shall be directed by a resource specialist who is a credentialed special education teacher or who has a clinical services credential with a special class authorization, and who has three or more years of teaching experience, including both regular and special education teaching experience. (Education Code 56362)
No resource specialist shall have a caseload which exceeds 28 students. As necessary and with the agreement of the resource specialist, the Board may request a waiver from the State Board of Education to increase the caseload to no more than 32 students, provided that an individual resource specialist does not have a caseload exceeding 28 students for more than two school years and has the assistance of an instructional aide at least five hours daily during the period of the waiver. (Education Code 56362; 5 CCR 3100)
(cf. 1431 - Waivers)
Resource specialists shall not simultaneously be assigned to serve as resource specialists and to teach regular classes. (Education Code 56362)
Legal Reference:
EDUCATION CODE
44250-44279 Credentials, especially:
44256 Credential types, specialist instruction
44258.9 Assignment monitoring
44265-44265.99 Special education credential
56000-56865 Special education, especially:
56195.8 Adoption of policies
56361 Program options
56362-56362.5 Resource specialist program
56363.3 Average caseload limits; language, speech, and hearing specialists
CODE OF REGULATIONS, TITLE 5
3051.1 Language, speech and hearing development and remediation; appropriate credential
3100 Waivers of maximum caseload for resource specialists
6100-6126 Teacher qualifications, No Child Left Behind Act
80026 Declaration of need for fully qualified educators
80027.1 Special education limited assignment teaching permit
80046-80046.1 Adapted physical education specialist
80046.5 Credential holders authorized to serve students with disabilities
80048-80048.7 Credential requirements and authorizations
80070.1-80070.8 Resource specialist certificate of competence
UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 20
1400-1482 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, especially:
1401 Definition of highly qualified special education teacher
6319 Highly qualified teachers
7801 Definitions, highly qualified teacher
CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS, TITLE 34
200.55-200.57 Highly qualified teachers
300.8 Definition of autism
300.18 Highly qualified special education teachers
300.156 Special education personnel requirements
Management Resources:
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PUBLICATIONS
Handbook on Developing and Implementing Early Childhood Special Education Programs and Services, 2001
COMMISSION ON TEACHER CREDENTIALING CODED CORRESPONDENCE
09-16 Approval of Additions to Title 5 Regulations Pertaining to Added Authorizations in Special Education, July 23, 2009
09-15 Approval of Amendments to Title 5 Regulations Pertaining to General and Special Education Limited Assignment Teaching Permits, July 23, 2009
08-13 Alternative Route to Provide Special Education Services to Students with Autism Ages Three and 4, October 9, 2008
08-10 Alternative Route to Provide Special Education Services to Students with Autism, July 7, 2008
COMMISSION ON TEACHER CREDENTIALING PUBLICATIONS
Standards of Quality and Effectiveness for Education Specialist Credential Programs (including University Internship Options) and Clinical Rehabilitative Services Programs, 1996
WEB SITES
California Association of Resource Specialists and Special Education Teachers: http://www.carsplus.org
California Department of Education, Special Education: http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/se
California Speech-Language-Hearing Association: http://www.csha.org
Commission on Teacher Credentialing: http://www.ctc.ca.gov
Regulation REDWOOD CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
approved: November 4, 2009 Redwood City, California