Special Education Resources

National Web Sites

Related to Federal Constitution, Legislation, Laws, Regulations, and Court Decisions

• Current Laws, Regulations, and Court Decisions:
  • United States Code, Title 20, Education of Individuals with Disabilities, sections 1400-1482 (PDF)
  • Code of Federal Regulations, Title 34, Part 300, Assistance to States for the Education of Children with Disabilities (PDF)
  • Search the United States Code
    Contains the text of current public laws enacted by Congress. The U.S. House of Representatives Internet Law Library Web Site provides electronic access to special education related United State. Code -20 U.S.C. 1400-1486.
  • Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)
    Contains the text of public regulations issued by the agencies of the Federal government. Proposed regulations and regulations issued so recently that they are not yet in the CFR database, may be found in the Federal Register link on this site.
  • Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR)
    Provides administrative regulations that are essential to recipients' understanding of discretionary grants cooperative agreements.
  • Federal Court Decisions
    Searchable database site of U.S. Supreme Court decisions, Federal Circuit Court opinions, and 9th Circuit Court decisions (which includes California).
• Congressional & Legislative Information:
  • A Guide to the U.S. Congress
    Provides access to a complete and reliable directory of information about the members of the U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate, and their respective committee assignments.
  • The White House
    The home page of the White House contains useful Executive Branch information and Web links to "Commonly Requested Federal Services".
• Special Education Related Resources & Information:
  • Special Education Related National Publications
    Limited free access to several publications. This is a commercial web site by LRP Publications.
  • U.S. Department Of Education
    Provides news, products and services, research documents, teacher guides, curricular resources and networking projects, and links to National Educational Associations and Organizations.
• Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Federal Register, Office of Management & Budget (OMB) Circulars:
  • Federal Register
    Provides a uniform system for the public to access regulations and legal notices issued by federal agencies plus a written discussion of proposed regulation and includes public comments, objections, and the federal agency's responses.
  • Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA)
    Provides comprehensive information on grants and other forms of assistance available from programs across the branches of federal government. In addition, CFDA provides a wealth of information on relevant topics, including grant proposal writing.
  • U.S. Government Printing Office
    Publications are available for purchase through the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) by phone, fax, or mail.

California Web Sites

Related to the Constitution, Laws, Regulations and Legislation

• Laws
  California Law consists of 29 codes, covering various subject areas, the State Constitution and Statutes. To display the Table of Contents for a code, select a code and click on Search. At this site one can find useful information including a Guide for Accessing California Legislative Information on the Internet and much more.
• Search California Statutes
• Search California Constitution
• Code of Regulations
  The California Code of Regulation, Title 9 and Title 22 (Departments of Mental Health, Developmental Services, Health Services, Rehabilitation, Employment Development, Licensing of Community Care Facilities et al.) is maintained and updated quarterly by Office of Administrative Law.
• California Special Education Reference
  The California Special Education Reference is a database for searching state and federal laws and regulations pertaining to special education.
• California Code of Regulations
  Access to the California Code of Regulations, Title 5, Division 1, Chapter 3, Individuals with Exceptional Needs, sections 3000-3100.

Legislative Information

• Governor's Office
• State Government Home Page
  Link to all of the California State Government web sites.
• State Assembly
• State Senate
• Legislative Analyst Office (LAO)
  The LAO provides fiscal and policy advice to the Legislature and nonpartisan analyses of the state's budget.
• Department of Finance

Special Education Resource Links for Families and Professionals

Note: The California Department of Education does not control the contents of Web site links provided. How current, comprehensive, and relevant the data are on outside sites is the responsibility of that Web site's administrator. If you have concerns, questions, or requests, contact the Web administrator of the site visited.

• Association of California School Administrators (ACSA)
  Mission is to support California's educational leaders, ensure all students have the essential skills and knowledge needed to excel and champion public education.
• Association of University Centers on Disabilities (formerly the American Association of University Affiliated Programs for Persons with Developmental Disabilities)
  Promotes and supports the national network of university centers on disabilities, which also includes Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) Programs and Developmental Disabilities Research Centers (DDRC).
• California Association of Resource Specialists and Special Education Teachers (CARS+)
  An educational association dedicated to the support of all special educators.
• California Association of School Psychologists (CASP)
  Mission is to secure and sustain programs that support the profession of school psychology, provide educational and professional needs of school psychologists, advance public awareness about the contributions of school psychologists, and enable individual school psychologists to function effectively in the schools and communities in which they serve.
• California Speech-Language-Hearing Association (CSHA)
  A professional organization of speech-language pathologists and audiologists advancing services to children and adults with communication and related disorders.
• California State Library
  The State Library stands as one of California's great public research institutions with a five-fold mission: serving the needs of elected officials and state agency employees; preserving the state's cultural heritage by collecting historic materials on California and the West; assisting public libraries through financial aid and consulting services; offering special services to disadvantaged and handicapped clients; and, ensuring that the general public has convenient and consistent access to its resources.
• Center for Special Education Finance (CSEF)
  Addresses fiscal policy questions related to the delivery and support of special education services throughout the United States. CSEF will conduct the first comprehensive, nationally representative study of special education spending to be undertaken in more than a decade.
• Clearinghouse on Assessment and Evaluation
  Provides digests of relevant educational research for parents and practitioners on strategies for teaching students with a range of special needs.
• Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)
  The largest international professional organization dedicated to improving educational outcomes for individuals with exceptionalities, students with disabilities, and/or the gifted. CEC advocates for appropriate governmental policies, sets professional standards, provides continual professional development, advocates for newly and historically underserved individuals with exceptionalities, and helps professionals obtain conditions and resources necessary for effective professional practice.
• California Early Start
  The California Department of Developmental Services plans, develops, implements, and monitors the statewide early intervention services system in collaboration with the California Department of Education.
• Disability Benefits 101
  The World Disability Institute, the Department of Rehabilitation and a number of other organizations have put together an excellent resource for persons with disabilities and agencies that advocate for persons with disabilities about all the in's and out's of benefits available to them.
• Learning Disabilities Association of California
  A 501(c)(3) non-profit volunteer organization of parents, professionals, and adults with learning disabilities. Its purpose is to promote and support the education and general welfare of children and adults of potentially normal intelligence who manifest learning, perceptual, and/or behavioral disabilities.
• National Center to Improve Practice in Special Education (NCIP)
  Seeks to improve educational outcomes for students with disabilities by promoting the effective use of assistive and instructional technologies among educators and related personnel serving these students. In order to accomplish this goal, NCIP is creating a national community of educators--technology coordinators, staff developers, teachers, specialists, clinicians, administrators, university faculty, advocates and consumers--who play a leading role in promoting and implementing assistive and instructional technologies for students with disabilities at a local, regional or national level.
• National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth
  Funded by the US Department of Labor to assist the workforce development community in addressing issues affecting the employment of people with disabilities. The site contains useful information and resources for youth with disabilities and their families, service providers and other front line workers, administrators, policy makers, and employers.
• Regional Offices on Developmental Disabilities
  The Regional Offices of the State Council on Developmental Disabilities compile information to assist individuals with developmental disabilities, families, providers, advocates, and others to remain informed on issues affecting persons with developmental disabilities, both at the state and national levels. The goal of this Web site is to provide access and timely information about the Regional Offices on Developmental Disabilities and related issues.
• United States Department of Labor, Disability Resources
  One-stop source of disability-related information and programs available across the government relevant to people with disabilities and their families.