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District

Amador SELPA

Amador Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA)

In 1977, all school districts and county school offices in California were required to form geographical regions of sufficient size and scope to provide for all special education service needs of children residing within the region’s boundaries. Each region became known as a Special Education Local Plan Area – SELPA. 

Today, there are over 130 SELPAs in the State. The SELPA governance structures vary in form, including models for Multi-District SELPAs, Multi-District/County Office SELPAs, Single District SELPAs, Multi-District/Multi- County SELPAs, County SELPAs with Joint Powers Agreements, and Charter only SELPAs. Amador is a County SELPA. 

Each SELPA has a Local Plan describing how it provides special education services. Specific components to be included in the Local Plan are delineated in the Education Code. The SELPA fosters coordination between general and special education for prevention and early intervention of suspected disabilities. The SELPA also ensures appropriate education services for individuals with disabilities by working cooperatively with other public and private agencies to support a full complement of special education services for students. 

Each SELPA must have an Administrative Unit (also known as the Responsible Local Agency), which serves as the legal entity that receives funds. Amador is the County Office of Education.

Amador County SELPA Logo

Local Plan

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 20 United States Code (20 USC) Section 1400 et seq. and related federal regulations require each special education local plan area (SELPA) to ensure a continuum of program options are available to meet the needs of students with disabilities for special education and related services. Each SELPA has a Local Plan describing how it provides special education services. Specific components to be included in the Local Plan are delineated in the Education Code.

Amador SELPA Local Plan 2025-2026

 

Community Advisory Committee (CAC)

Community Advisory Committees (CACs) are vital components of effective Special Education programs in California. CACs are active, creative bodies that assist in advising local school districts, the School Board of Education and Special Education administration about the Special Education Local Plan, annual priorities, parent education and other Special Education related activities. Further, the goal of the Amador CAC is to bridge the communication between the Amador County SELPA and families of students with exceptional needs.

Community Advisory Committee Website

CAC Brochure (English) – PDF
CAC Brochure (Spanish) – PDF

Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)

  • Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) is a confidential, free, local, informal method of settling disagreements that may arise during an IEP meeting.

    ADR is designed to meet the interests of the parties involved and result in a mutually agreeable outcome rather than being directed with a decision made by a third party, such as a hearing officer or judge.

    The structure of ADR supports often depends on the circumstances of the dispute but may include staff training, consultative support for families, facilitated Individual Education Plan (IEP) meetings, or family and ACUSD/ACOE participation in a resolution session. 

    To request an ADR consultation, please contact the Amador SELPA Administrative Assistant, Shayla Wilder, or SELPA Director, Dr. Sadie Hedegard, at 209.257.5308. 

    For more information about Alternative Dispute Resolution from agencies outside of Amador, please consult the California Department of Education Family Resource Center and Seeds of Partnership.

  • ADR Coaches are identified through an application process with the California Department of Education’s Seeds of Partnership initiative. They are diverse, skilled individuals, with experience to assist Special Education Local Plan Areas (SELPAs) with Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) processes to effectively mitigate educational disputes related to students within the special education setting. They are also independent contractors that negotiate their own contracts with educational organizations. 

    Amador County/USD SELPA has established a contract with ADR Coach, Kimberley Schulist. Her photo and resume are highlighted below: 

    image of a woman with light brown hair smiling at the camera

    Resume

    Education

    2021 – L.L.M., Dispute Resolution, Pepperdine University School of Law’s Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution
    1997 – J.D., University of San Francisco, School of Law
    1994 – B.A., University of California, Davis

    Licenses

    1997-Present – California-licensed attorney
    Current Work Experience
    Special Education Mediator and IEP Facilitator, (Independent Contractor for several SELPAs in California)
    Special Education Mediator, Connecticut State Department of Education
    Special Education Mediator, New Jersey State Department of Education
    Special Education Mediator and IEP Facilitator, Ohio State Department of Education
    Special Education Mediator, Hawaii Department of Education (Mediation Center of the Pacific)
    Special Education Mediator and IEP Facilitator, Nevada State Department of Education
    Special Education Mediator and IEP Facilitator, Utah State Department of Education
    Trainer/Presenter on various special education Alternative Dispute Resolution topics
    ​​​​​​​Special Education Attorney (1998-2021)

    Training Received

    The Master of Laws (LLM) from Pepperdine’s Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution enabled Kimberly to hone her mediation and dispute resolution skills as she applied her coursework and research papers to the field of special education dispute resolution. She completed the following relevant courses for her (LLM): Apology and Forgiveness, Challenging Group Dynamics, Cross Cultural Dispute Resolution, Negotiations, Mediation, Advanced Mediation, Restorative Justice, Dispute Resolution in Education, and Psychology of Conflict Resolution.

    Kimberly also completed a 40-hour mediation training taught by Attorney and Mediator Steven Rosenberg in California prior to obtaining her LLM

     

  • To request ADR consultation, please contact the Amador SELPA Administrative Assistant, Shayla Wilder, or the SELPA Director, Dr. Sadie Hedegard, at 209.257.5308.

Medi-Cal Collaborative

Amador County Office of Education Medi-Cal Collaborative is composed of district employees and community partners with the main purpose of supporting the reinvestment of Medi-Cal monies available through the LEA Billing Option Program.

Medi-Cal Guidelines
Medi-Cal Application
Medi-Cal Budget Proposal Template (Google Drive link – please make a copy or download before entering your information)

Sample Applications: