Administrative Resources

CDE News Room Information from the Communications Office which oversees all public relations and media activities from Jack O'Connell, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the California Department of Education (CDE).

California Education and Other Codes is an absolutely invaluable site if your job requires that you muck around in the law. This service offers a good search function once you get to the code you're dealing with.

California Department of Finance maintains a page devoted to keeping folks abreast of what's happening with the State budget.....a good place to hear the latest.

Legislative Update offers current information about the status of emerging laws as well as thorough analysis by the Legislative Analyst and committees.

National Clearinghouse for Professions in Special Education - Employment information, as well as information on recruitment and retention of quality special educators.

Office of Public School Construction gives information on funding for new school construction, improvements, deferred maintenance, relocatables and more. In the future, this site promises to have project tracking, project accounting, approved projects lists by priority, applicants handbook, and forms.

Special Education Composite of Laws - This site allows the user to enter keywords and search the Composite of Laws database to find information on laws related to special education.

U.S. Office of Special Education Programs provides the latest information on special education from Washington, D.C.

The Internet can be a wonderful tool in your search for information on your child's unique needs. You can access the latest research on treatments and instructional technology. There is information from special interest groups and advocates for various methodologies. The information can range from wonderfully informative to blatantly misleading. In using the Internet, we recommend you search the websites of nationally recognized organizations with established credibility. Here are a few you might want to check out:

American Association on Mental Retardation - AAMR is the oldest and largest interdisciplinary organization of professionals (and others) concerned about mental retardation and related disabilities.

American Foundation for the Blind - A one-stop information and referral resource for people who are blind or visually impaired, the organizations and individuals that serve them, and the general public.

Autism Society of America - A leading source of information and referral on autism.

California Parent Training & Information Centers - A list of California agencies providing resources for families of children with disabilities.

Care Parent Network - A one-stop family resource center serving families of children with disabilities and special health care needs.

Children & Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder - The nation's leading nonprofit organization serving individuals with ADHD.

Council for Exceptional Children-Division for Learning Disabilities - Information and resources for teaching children with learning disabilities.

Contra Costa ARC- A non-profit membership-based community organization which exists to enhance and enrich the lives of children and adults with developmental disabilities. They provide direct services and advocacy to assist those they serve in achieving their highest level of personal independence and self-sufficiency.

Contra Costa Crisis Center - Maintains a database of 24,000 sources for help or information on a variety of human services.

Contra Costa Community Services Bureau - CSB provides child development programs across Contra Costa County for children 0-5 years old and reserves 10% of their enrollment to serve children with suspected or diagnosed disabilites.

Contra Costa Employment and Human Services- In partnership with the community they provide services that support and protect adults, children, families and the elderly and promote personal responsibility, independence and self-sufficiency. The Children and Families Services Department is the connection to Child Welfare Projects and Programs that ensure safety of children and work to toward healthy independence for families and their children.

Family Stress Center- The Family Stress Center is a community based organization serving Contra Costa County with counseling, educational programs, social services and in-home support to strengthen families and to treat and prevent child abuse and neglect.

Each year over 7,000 children and their family members are served from offices in Concord, Antioch, and Richmond and program sites in Bay Point and Martinez. Our parent education classes are offered in community buildings throughout the county.

National Institute of Mental Health - Information about the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of learning disabilities, ADHD, autism, and many other disabilities and illnesses.

POISE - (Parents of Orinda Individuals in Special Education) is a resource for support and information - even mentorship among families of differing ages with similar circumstances in the Orinda School District.

Simplified Technology for Children with Communication Disorders - Information and resources regarding Augmentative and Assistive Communication Technology.

Special Education Services and Resources - Programs and services available to students with disabilities, publications, training and technical assistance opportunities and recruitment resources and materials.

Spina Bifida Association of America- The Spina Bifida Association of America (SBAA) serves the 70,000 adults and children who live with spina bifida. SBAA’s programs give hope and strength to people confronted with the challenges of spina bifida.

California School Services

California Education and Other Codes

Specialized Media & Technology, the California Dept. of Education provides FREE Braille, large-print, audio cassettes and American Sign Language VideoBooks to California's public schools.

CLAS Early Childhood Research Institute is developing a resource bank of materials for families and practitioners working with young children who are disabled or at risk for disabilities from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

Do you need information about ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY DEVICES, SERVICES or FUNDING for a person with any disability? Check out www.php.com. Made available through the California Department of Rehabilitation's California Assistive Technology System and the iTECH Center at Parents Helping Parents.

DON'T LAUGH AT ME PROJECT (DLAM) is working to transform schools, camps and other youth organizations into more compassionate, safe and respectful environments for children. Founded by Peter Yarrow of the folk group Peter, Paul & Mary, the project disseminates educational resources that are designed to establish a climate that reduces the emotional and physical cruelty some children inflict upon each other by behaviors such as ridicule, bullying and - in extreme cases - violence. Their website is: www.dontlaugh.org. Video and curriculum materials are available for age specific groups for free.

Ed-Join is an education job opening network portal to thousands of teaching and other education job openings throughout California.

National Clearinghouse for Professions in Special Education - Employment information, as well as information on recruitment and retention of quality special educators.

Schwab Foundation for Learning, information, support and hope for parents and educators helping kids with learning differences.