As part of the federal Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the San Diego County Office of Education Special Education Department provides a special education program for school age multi-handicapped students at Friendship School and special education services for students at Juvenile Court and Community Schools throughout San Diego County.

The HOPE Infant Program and provides early intervention services for eligible children birth to three and their families as mandated under the California Early Start Program, Part C of IDEA, for four Special Education Local Plan Areas (SELPAs): NCCSE, NISER, Poway and South County.

In addition to direct services to students, the County Office Special Education Department provides leadership, support, coordination and technical assistance to the six SELPAs, school districts, agencies and families in San Diego County. Services provided include:

• development of interagency agreements and memorandums of understanding
• leadership of countywide special education staff development
• facilitation of countywide low incidence groups
• coordination of non-public school and agency services including development of master contracts, rate setting and program quality review

The Special Education Department also coordinates expulsion appeals for the County Board of Education and is represented on a number of statewide special education groups and organizations.