Spotlight on Special Education in Malibu: Resources for Students, Teachers, and Parents

From conferences to support groups, special education teachers and parents in the beach city of Malibu, California, located in Los Angeles County, can find professional development and personal assistance for raising and educating special needs children.

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Special needs students, too, can find various resources in Malibu. These resources include therapeutic programs, recreational activities and social skills development.

Educational Resources for Malibu Special Needs Parents, Students and Educators

Many of the educational resources for special education in Malibu come through the public school system.

The Los Angeles County Office of Education provides speech therapy, counseling services, occupational therapy, mobility instruction and adapted physical education classes. An Early Start program is designed for infants and toddlers who might have a development disability.

The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District has a Special Education District Advisory Committee (SEDAC) that provides monthly meetings open to the public as well as parent meetings to provide IEP development assistance and to make parents aware of the resources and services available to them by SEDAC. A transition handbook for post-high school special needs students and their parents is provided online by the school district.

The McKinna Learning Center in Malibu offers a day school called the Learning Lab for children with learning disabilities. They also provide educational therapy services, tutoring and a summer skills program.

The Malibu Learning Center provides tutoring services for young children, teens and adults with learning disabilities. The center’s website also provides a link to helpful articles about learning and learning disabilities.

Other Resources for Special Education Professionals, Parents and Children in Malibu

Malibu Special Education Foundation provides support for special needs parents, students and educators:

• Students can develop social skills, participate in therapeutic activities, go on field trips and perform community service; programs include a “Best Buddies” weekly lunch program and weekly yoga classes
• Parents can join a monthly support group, designed to help them understand the special education system and provide support in raising their special needs child; attend speaker programs
• Special education teachers and administrators can attend continuing education seminars and conferences

Paradigm Malibu Adolescent Treatment Center provides various treatment programs for teens with various personality and other disorders. The center’s website provides a link (Introduction and Overview to ADD/ADHD) that directs readers to PsychCentral. There, they will find articles about ADHD symptoms, treatment options, coping tips, book reviews and more.

Offering its services throughout California, Pasadena-based California Special Needs Law Group (CSNLG) provides legal support to special education students and their parents. Among the firm’s primary services are IEP development assistance and conflict mediation between schools and special needs parents.