Sonoma County Office of Education

Referral Process

Referrals to SCOE special education classrooms may be submitted by districts as described below.

Preschool

Referrals to SCOE’s Special Education Preschool come from the student's district of residence. Parent and physician referrals should be submitted through the student's district of residence.

Form: Referral Form

District completes the two-page Preschool Referral Form and compiles necessary attachments. Referral packet is sent to the SCOE Principal, Jennifer Lux, jlux@scoe.org.

Kindergarten to High School

Form: Kindergarten to High School Referral Form (doc)

  1. District sends referral packet to regional psychologist (see list below for appropriate psychologist). Packet includes referral form, current IEP, and psycho-educational report, as well as any other relevant information – e.g., speech and language, adaptive PE, behavior reports, etc. See note below regarding EBD referrals.
  2. SCOE personnel review the referral packet.
  3. Once the packet is complete, the SCOE psychologist arranges classroom visit(s) with the family and district.
  4. A student requiring a triennial IEP within six months of the referral must have the triennial prior to placement.
  5. If the placement is agreed upon, an IEP meeting is scheduled between SCOE, the referring district, and the student/family.
  6. Parents are asked to complete forms from the SCOE parent packet. An immunization record is required for placement.

Note on EBD Referrals
Students are referred to the EBD program, known as TREC Plus, by their district of residence using the Referral Form (doc). Once a referral is received, the SCOE school psychologist or principal contacts the district representative to discuss the student’s educational needs.

If it is determined that those needs are likely to be addressed in the SCOE program, a classroom visit is scheduled for the parents, followed by an IEP meeting attended by the student, parent, SCOE administrator, and district representatives. Other participants may include the SCOE teacher, support agencies, and/or the child’s classroom teacher. The intent of this IEP meeting is to discuss placement options and program details, and to address all concerns.

In some situations, a 30-day IEP review will be scheduled if the SCOE placement option is selected in order to confirm that this setting is appropriate for the student. If the IEP team determines that the student requires a more restrictive setting, SCOE will support the district with information about potential non-public school options.

Transition Program (18-22)

Form: Referral Form (doc)

  1. District sends referral packet to regional psychologist (see list below). Referral packet must include the SCOE Transition Program Referral Form, current IEP, psycho-educational report, social security card, California ID, work history, and any other relevant information – e.g., speech and language, adaptive PE, behavior reports, etc. Referrals must be made through the student’s district of residence. Non-Public School (NPS) or residential placements must contact the student’s district of residence to refer. See note below regarding Summer and Fall placements.
  2. SCOE personnel review the referral packet.
  3. All potential students and their families are encouraged visit at least one Transition Program site. The visitations are meant to educate students, families, and referring district personnel about the program. The site that is visited may not be the one where the student is placed, but the classes are similar in structure and purpose. Visits are set up upon receipt of the referral packet.
  4. A student requiring a triennial IEP within six months of the referral must have the triennial IEP held prior to placement.
  5. The Transition Program team meets to determine ESY/Fall placements. Once class placement has been determined, SCOE notifies the district to schedule an intake IEP between March 15 and May 31.
  6. A SCOE administrator completes the IEP paperwork. The SCOE teacher provides Goals and Objectives for the upcoming school year. If the student has an annual or triennial IEP—in addition to the Transition IEP—the district is asked to provide current Present Levels and testing as appropriate.
  7. Parents are asked to complete forms from the SCOE parent packet. An immunization record and birth certificate are required for placement.

For summer school (ESY)/Fall placements, referral packets are requested no later than March 1. This date is very important because the transition team meets shortly after this date to discuss ESY/Fall placements and the information provided in the referral is necessary to ensure the most appropriate placement.

SCOE School Psychologists