The Ventura County Office of Education (VCOE), Special Education Department provides special education services to the 21 school districts in Ventura County and the Las Virgenes Unified School District in Los Angeles County.
The department operates 68 special day classes on 22 different school sites throughout Ventura County. The department serves students with developmental delays, students with emotional disturbances, and students on the autism spectrum. All classrooms align curriculum goals with the California content standards. Students with developmental delays are instructed in a Functional Skills Curriculum in the seven curricular domains:
- communication
- self-care/independent living
- recreation/leisure
- vocational
- community access/motor skills
- social emotional and
- functional academics.
Students receive instruction on the subset of the California Content Standards which are included in the California Alternate Performance Assessment (CAPA). Students with emotional disturbances (in the Phoenix School) receive instruction in the regular core curriculum in the state content areas and participate in all of the state testing programs.
Each student has an Individualized Educational Program (IEP) which is a plan developed by a team, including the parent(s) of each child, to address that student’s individual needs. Additionally, as determined by the IEP team, support services may be provided in the areas of speech therapy, occupational therapy, vision services, nursing services, psychological services, and translation services. Individual Transition Plans (ITPS) are written with graduating students and their families to facilitate appropriate adult life post-school options. The department also provides speech and/or psychological services to five small school districts located in Ventura County.
Transportation is provided to over 850 students, of which over 150 are students in wheelchairs. In order to accomplish this, the department operated 75 busses, which serviced 71 different school sites.
Resource Specialist services are provided through the Court and Community School Program.