The Lake County Special Education Local Planning Area (SELPA) is made up of the six Lake County school districts and the County Office of Education. These Local Education Agencies (LEAs) collaborate to offer a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) to every Individual with Exceptional Needs.

A SELPA is a state-mandated consortium that provides for all the special education service needs of children residing within the regional boundaries. There are approximately 116 SELPA's in California. Each SELPA develops and is governed by a Local Plan describing how it provides special education services.

Responsibilities of the SELPA include:

• Ensuring Program Availability for all Children with Disabilities
• Low Incidence Services
• Liaison with California State Dept. of Education
• Curriculum/Program Development Support
• Staff development
• Community Advisory Committee Support
• Management Information System
• Transition Planning
• Legal Assistance
• Personnel Development
• Budget Planning and Review
• Evaluation
• Interagency Coordination
• Program Coordination
• Fiscal Management
• Program Specialists

The SELPA Administrator is responsible for assuring that:

• All individuals with disabilities receive a free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment.
• All regular education resources are considered and, where appropriate, utilized on a local or regional basis to meet the needs of students with disabilities.
• A system exists at the regional level for identification, assessment and placement of disabled students.