About Us
Trinity County is located in rural Northern California between Shasta and Humboldt Counties. Trinity County is a large and mountainous county, spanning 3,200 square miles. While it is geographically large, the county has one of the smallest populations of any county in the state. The students of Trinity County are served by nine school districts and the Trinity County Office of Education. Many of the districts in Trinity County are single school districts, offering a unique, hands on learning experience for students. Approximately half of our school districts are located in remote locations within very small communities. These communities are located anywhere from one to three hours from the Trinity County Office of Education, centrally located in the town of Weaverville.
What is a Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA)?
In 1977, all school districts and county offices of education in California were required to join to form geographical regions of sufficient size and scope to provide for all of the special education service needs of children residing within the region boundaries. Each region developed a local plan describing how it would provide special education services. SELPA governance structures vary in form. Very large districts may form their own SELPA. Most districts form consortia in order to provide the full range of services. The Trinity County Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) comprises 10 school districts and the Trinity County Office of Education. Each SELPA must have an Administrative Unit, the legal entity that receives funds and is responsible for seeing that every eligible child receives appropriate services. The County Office of Education is the Administrative Unit for Trinity County.
The Purpose of the SELPA is to:
- Ensure a continuum of services for all children with disabilities
- Ensure compliance with all state and federal regulations
- Provide fiscal management of special education funding
- Support a Community Advisory Committee
- Manage data and submit state and federal reports
Governance and Structure
Member local educational agencies of the Trinity County SELPA participate in the SELPA under the terms of the Local Plan and SELPA policies and procedures. These policies and procedures are developed, adopted, or revised by the SELPA Governance process. SELPA policies and procedures have the same weight as local governing board policies and procedures. The SELPA Administrative Team is composed of the superintendent (or designee) from each school district and the Trinity County Office of Education.
