MCRD San Diego  Exceptional Family Member Program

The IDEA requires that all states and territories provide special education and related services to eligible children between the ages of 3 through 21. Each local school district has a special education director, and each school should have an individualized education program, or IEP, team or school-based committee that supports students with special education needs.

The IDEA requires that if a child transfers to a different district in the same state, the new school must provide a free, appropriate public education, including comparable services, until the previously held IEP is adopted or a new one is developed and implemented. If a child transfers to another state, the receiving district must provide comparable services until the receiving district completes an evaluation and creates a new IEP, if appropriate.

If you are moving and your child receives special education and related services, you should hand-carry all pertinent school and medical documents, including the IEP and current evaluation reports. Hand-carrying these documents ensures that they are not lost and allows the new school district to begin the process as soon as you move.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA, requires all states and territories to provide early intervention services to children from birth through 3 years of age who have, or are at risk for having, developmental delays. 

Local school districts or health departments often provide these early intervention services. The program is called different names in different areas, but it is often referred to as Part C because it is the section of the law that pertains to early intervention. The national Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center provides a list of State Part C coordinators and funded programs on their website. 

When moving, you should hand-carry copies of your child's individual family service plan, or IFSP, and the most current evaluation reports to your new home to ensure they are not lost.

The U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education, offers the Parent Center Hub – also known as the Center for Parent Information and Resources – which has collections of links to serve families and adults with special needs from birth through age 26. They assist families in getting appropriate education and services for their children, work to improve education services for all children, train and inform parents and professionals, resolve problems between families and schools or other agencies and connect those with disabilities to community resources. Find your local parenting center and more by visiting their website.

You can also try these resources from Military OneSource:

• EFMP & Me digital tool
• Special Needs Parent Toolkit download
• Special needs resources 
• Education Directory for Children with Special Needs
• Exceptional Family Member Program videos 

For early intervention assistance, school districts request individuals contact them for specific information. You may obtain additional information by contacting:

HOPE Infant Family Support Program: -- San Diego County Office of Education offers Early Intervention Services to children ages 0-3. HOPE is a public school program for special education and offers a broad range of services such as, but not limited to, assessment/ongoing review of child's developmental progress: home visits by instructional staff: consulting services in specialized areas --Nursing, Speech & Language, OT & PT, Vision, and Deaf & Hard of Hearing. Premature Infant Development. Services are provided at no charge. Services are available in English and Spanish.

• Services are provided to people (children and adults) with developmental disabilities such as cerebral palsy, mental retardation, Epilepsy, Autism and other conditions that have a substantial effect on self care, mobility, communication and the capacity for independent living or economic self-sufficiency. Some of the services provided to these groups are Early Intervention, Physical and Occupational therapy services, respite care hours, vocational training and placement services. Contact the local offices for an eligibility evaluation.

TASK (Team of Advocates For Special Kids), is a non-profit corporation to which parents of children with disabilities can turn for assistance and support in seeking and obtaining needed early intervention, educational, medical, or therapeutic support services for their children. For the Southern California military representative call 877-609-3218 toll free.

There are no special education facilities aboard MCRD San Diego. Please contact the Exceptional Family Member Program Coordinator (619-524-6078 or 619-524-0916) for assistance with regards to referrals, information and program options available in the civilian community.

The California Master Plan for Special Education is implemented in each district through a variety of educational programs for the learning handicapped, communicatively handicapped, physically handicapped, and severely handicapped. Instruction is given according to the needs of the student based on an individualized education plan. Parents participate in planning the specific educational program for their special education child.

In San Diego City Schools, about 10 percent of the total student enrollment (or over 12,000 students), receive some kind of special education services. Handicapping conditions range from the very mild, requiring only the occasional involvement of a resource teacher, to the severely impaired student who needs constant attention and care.

Individualized Education Program (IEP)

An individualized educational program is written for each special education student. The program is developed with the participation of the student's parents or guardian, who must approve the program. All special education teachers must be certified by the State of California for the specific instruction or services they provide to handicapped children.

The Special Education Parent Facilitator Program (SEPF) has been developed by San Diego City Schools to help parents of handicapped children, and facilitators are employed by the District to provide the education. The SEPF Program provides an important link between the home and the school for the purpose of improving services for the child.

A comprehensive range of services is provided for those students who have special needs. Students served vary from those who are minimally handicapped to those who are severely handicapped.

Additional information on San Diego City Schools is available by contacting the SDCS Switchboard: 619-725-8000