Charter SELPA Application Process

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SELPA Application Requirements

For existing Charter Schools, the following guidelines must be met:

1. Charter Schools must give a one-year and one day notice of intent to leave their current/geographic SELPA.  For each school year this notice should take place by the previous June 30th. Notice should also be sent to Fred Balcom (Director, Special Education Division, California Department of Education), the El Dorado County Charter SELPA office, and the Charter School’s authorizer.
   
   
2. The Charter SELPA is additionally designed to assist charter schools that have been unable to develop a “workable” relationship in the area of special education with their authorizer and/or SELPA and have sought relief from the Charter SELPA. A one year and one day notice of intent to leave their current SELPA is required, unless a shorter timeline is mutually agreed to by the current SELPA serving the charter school. During the one-year notice period, the Charter School must work collaboratively with its geographic SELPA and the El Dorado County Charter SELPA to attempt to mitigate the differences in order to determine if remaining in the geographic SELPA is a viable alternative.  This will include informing both the authorizer and the current SELPA of the interest that the charter school has expressed to join the El Dorado County Charter SELPA. Ultimately the decision of whether a “workable” relationship exists between the charter school and their authorizer and/or SELPA will rest with the charter school as evidenced by whether they continue to seek admission into the El Dorado County Charter SELPA.
   
   
3. The reason for the Charter School to leave their geographic SELPA must not primarily be a fiscal decision.  The primary reasons must be a desire for increased access to appropriate Special Education services and a desire to implement quality programs for students with disabilities.
   
   
4. The El Dorado County SELPA firmly believes in adherence to California Grade Level Curriculum Content Standards for all students.  Therefore Charter Schools wishing to join this SELPA must assure that these Standards are strictly followed in their programs.  Charter SELPA members will be subject to the same self review and monitoring process as the SELPA in general.
   
   
5. Charters that are authorized by LEAs currently participating in the El Dorado County SELPA are not eligible for participation in the Charter SELPA.