Early Start

Early Start Program, 0-3

Publications

Early Start is a program mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to provide early intervention services to infants 0-3 with developmental disabilities or at risk for developmental disabilities. In California, the law has been put into place under the California Early Intervention Services Act.

The lead administrative agency for Early Start in California is the Department of Developmental Services (DDS), which implements services through the Regional Centers. The two Regional Centers that we interact with in the Ventura County SELPA are the Tri-Counties Regional Center (serving residents of Ventura County) and the North Los Angeles County Regional Center (residents of Los Angeles County).

The Early Start Service Coordinator and family use assessment information to develop a plan to assist the family in meeting their child's needs, called an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP). (Click here for IFSP Forms)

The public schools are required by law to collaborate with the Regional Centers to provide services to a limited number of Early Start eligible children. In the Ventura County SELPA, the program is operated by four local school districts, which operate as regional providers for all other districts in their area:

Ventura Unified School District

Simi Valley Unified School District

Oxnard School District

Conejo Valley Unified School District
Click her for a copy of the Interdistric Chart for 0-3.

These districts provide Service Coordination, special education services, and other services such as respite, therapies, and transportation (as appropriate) to any student with solely:

vision impairment

severe orthopedic impairment

hearing impairment

The public schools also provide ONLY special education services to a limited number of children also served by the Regional Center. School-Based Early Start Services (Spanish)

The majority of children eligible for services under Early Start are served by the Regional Center alone.

The publicly-funded agency to provide information and support for families in the Early Start program is the Rainbow Connection Family Resource Center, (800) 332-3679.

Additional information and resources:
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