John Gahan
Assistant Superintendent of Special Education/Early Childhood Programs
jgahan@vcoe.org
It is the goal of the Ventura county Office of Education (VCOE) Special Education Department to provide a quality, meaningful and relevant educational program for the students we serve. Through our work, we seek to make a positive impact on the lives of our students both now and in the future. Currently the Department operates 75classes on 23 different school sites throughout Ventura County. The students serve come from all of the 21 school districts in Ventura County and the Las Virgenes Unified School District in Los Angeles County. The Department also provides speech, psychological, and nursing services to five small school districts located in Ventura County.
The Department operates three types of educational placements for students with disabilities. These include: 1) Classes for students with developmental delays; 2) A specialized program for students with emotional disturbances (Phoenix School); 3) A specialized program for students with autism (Triton Academy). All classrooms align curriculum goals with the California Content Standards.
Transportation is also provided to over 850 students, of which approximately 150 are students in wheelchairs.