Spotlight on Special Education San Bernadino: Resources for Students, Teachers, and Parents

Raising and educating special needs children are not often tasks one can do alone. Fortunately, there are many resources available to parents and special education teachers.

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For those in San Bernardino, California, these resources are offered through schools, nonprofit organizations and mental health centers. Professionals and parents can find information and support through meetings, service programs and online articles. Programs are also available that are designed to help special education students build social and other skills.

In some cases, those seeking resources may need to venture outside of San Bernardino.

Educational Resources for Special Education in San Bernardino

The San Bernardino Unified School District provides online information for parents and staff. This includes downloadable files concerning intervention processes and parents’ rights. The school’s website also provides information about the Community Advisory Committee, types of academic instruction programs and psychological services.

The East Valley SELPA (Special Education Local Plan Area) is located in San Bernardino and is overseen by the San Bernardino Superintendent of Schools. The SELPA’s website provides links to IEP forms and parents’ rights information.

Hope, Inc. Academy and Institute in Rancho Cucamonga, located about 20 miles west of San Bernardino, is a combined non-public school and mental health institute providing various services to special education students.  The Academy provides specialized classroom learning, while the Institute offers clinical programs for children with autism, AD/HD and other disorders. These programs include behavioral, speech and occupational therapy, memory training, neurofeedback and behavior analysis.

Support and Development Resources for Special Education Parents and Students

The Institute for Child Development & Family Relations at California State University – San Bernardino offers behavioral intervention programs. Parent support groups are also found at the Institute.

The Inland Regional Center serves adults and children with developmental disabilities in San Bernardino County. It offers an Early Start program as well as services for school age special needs children.

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San Bernardino Parents of Asperger Kids Meetup Group provides links and information about social activities and meetings in the area.

Beyond San Bernardino’s city limits, meetings of the Pomona Valley/Inland affiliate of the Learning Disabilities Association (LDA) of California are held in Rancho Cucamonga the third Thursday of each month. While these meetings provide an opportunity for face-to-face interaction with special education parents and professionals, the association offers many online resources as well.

Its website provides links to articles and books as well as other helpful websites. Updated information about special education laws and a quarterly newsletter addressing such topics as instructional strategies for teachers and current research and legislation are also available on the LDA site.

Based in Pasadena, California Special Needs Law Group (CSNLG) offers its services throughout California. These services include conflict mediation and assistance with IEP development.