The Newport-Mesa Unified School District SELPA (Special Education Local Plan Area) makes available a range of educational programs for students with special needs. The IEP Team determines program placement for each student based on the principle of Least Restrictive Environment (LRE). LRE means that a student is to participate in as much of the general education program as is appropriate in view of his/her educational needs. In other words, your child should not be separated from students without disabilities any more than is necessary. Also, your child’s program should be located as close to home as possible, meaning that program options are first considered at his/her neighborhood school.

The following are program options:

EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM
This program is designed to provide early intervention services to infants and toddlers (birth to age 3) who have low incidence disabilities (i.e., vision, hearing, or orthopedic problems). The primary purpose of the Pre-school Intervention Program is to enhance the development of the infant. To meet this purpose, the program is focused upon the infant and his or her family and includes home visits, group services, and family involvement activities.

PRE-SCHOOL INTERVENTION PROGRAM (PIP)
Pre-school age children with special needs may be served in several ways:

• Designated instruction and services to support regular pre-school placement

• Designated instruction and services only

• Special Day Class

• Special Day Class with designated instruction and services

GENERAL EDUCATION PROGRAM
A student with special needs can be placed in a general education classroom (also known as full inclusion) with necessary support services to ensure that his/her educational needs can be met in that setting.

DESIGNATED INSTRUCTION AND SERVICES (DIS)
Support services (related services) are provided to special need students when they are required to help support his/her instructional program.

INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT PROGRAM (ISP)
Those students qualified for special education services will receive services under the direction of the instructional support team. The instructional support team will provide services in an Individual Education Program (IEP) developed by an Individual Education Program (IEP) Team. The responsibilities of the instructional support team include providing instruction, resource information, monitoring pupil progress on a periodic basis, reviewing/revising Individual Education Programs (IEP’s), coordinating services, and consulting with parents and staff.

SPECIAL DAY CLASSES (SDC)
A student may be eligible for a special day class when the Individual Education Program (IEP) Team determines that his/her educational needs cannot be satisfactorily met in general education classes for the majority of the student’s day even with the use of support services.

Students in special day classes will participate in nonacademic and extracurricular services and activities with their non-disabled peers to the maximum extent appropriate.

NON-PUBLIC, NON-SECTARIAN SCHOOL SERVICES
This placement is considered only when a student’s needs cannot be met within public school programs.

STATE SCHOOLS
This placement is considered only when no appropriate placement is available within, but not limited to, the Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) and when a residential placement is needed for the children to meet his/her educational goals.

OTHER
Special education instruction may also occur in settings other than classrooms where specially designed instruction takes place, (e.g., home instruction, residential placement).