Centralized Programs and Services
Early Start Program
Preschool Programs (South Butte County)
Related Services, also known as Designated Instruction and Services (DIS)
Program for Students With Significant Disabilities
Program for Students with Emotional Disturbance
Program for Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
Specialized Academic Instruction
The Butte County Office of Education Special Education department provides educational services to individuals ages birth to 22 years with special needs. In addition to providing Designated Instructional Services (DIS) to local school districts, BCOE Special Education operates Mesa Vista School, as well as individual classrooms on general education campuses throughout Butte County. Butte County Office of Education (BCOE) programs and services include:
Early Start Program
Butte County Office of Education’s Early Start Program provides a variety of services to eligible children aged birth to three and their families throughout Butte County. Eligible children include those who are experiencing developmental delays or who have a condition that is an established risk for developmental delays. Children with “low incidence” disabilities are also eligible; such as children with hearing impairments, vision impairments and orthopedic impairments. The educational team is composed of specialists designed to meet the unique needs of the child. The collaborative team works with families to provide instruction and related services through the development of an IFSP (Individual Family Service Plan). Services can include assessment, direct instruction, collaboration and support for families, deaf and hard of hearing services, occupational therapy, orientation and mobility services, speech therapy, transition planning, and visual impairment services. Anyone can make a referral by calling 530-532-5740 and speaking with an Early Start staff member.
Preschool Programs (South Butte County)
Centralized Preschool Programs for districts in Southern Butte County are provided at Sierra del Oro Elementary School in Oroville City Elementary School District. These programs include special day classes and related services for students aged 3 to 5 with moderate to severe disabilities.The instructional model of the Special Education Preschool program is based on the knowledge that children learn through activities and materials that are concrete and relevant to their lives. Sierra Del Oro Preschool and Programs focus on growth in the areas of learning, play, and communication. Chico Unified School District also operates similar preschool programming in Northern Butte County at Loma Vista School. All such classrooms are staffed with credentialed and/or licensed teachers and service providers as well as instructional paraprofessionals.
Related Services, also known as Designated Instruction and Services (DIS)
The following Related/DIS services are provided to eligible students who have active Individualized Educational Programs (IEP). Our staff are credentialed in the appropriate area of specialty.
Adapted Physical Education
Deaf/Hard of Hearing Services
Nursing Services
Occupational Therapy
Orientation and Mobility Education
Orthopedic Impairment Education Services
Speech and Language Therapy
Visual Impairment Education Services
Program for Students With Significant Disabilities
These programs are of two main types, the first of which we refer to as FOCUS classes. These settings include intensive instruction and services for students with moderate to severe disabilities for students ages 5-22. Similarly, BCOE also provides STRIVE classes ("Structured Teaching Reinforced in Visual Environments"), which are tailored to support students with eligibility for autism. Curriculum and instruction emphasize skill acquisition in functional academics, vocational, community, leisure, self-help, social, and behavior. Classrooms are staffed with credentialed teachers and instructional paraprofessionals.
Program for Students with Emotional Disturbance
Our ACCESS programs ("All Children Can Experience School Success") provide an intensive, school-based therapeutic classroom program that is offered for students in kindergarten through twelfth grades. This program is operated in conjunction with the Butte County Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA). Classrooms are staffed with a credentialed teacher, licensed therapeutic staff and instructional paraprofessionals. Additionally, students with more significant social and emotional challenges who are not able to achieve success on a comprehensive campus may be considered for enrollment at BASES Learning Center ("Butte Area Social Emotional Solutions"), a BCOE-authorized, SELPA-operated school located at Eastside Elementary School in Oroville City Elementary School District.
Program for Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
This program is for preschool through twelfth-grade students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing (DHH). The program includes direct academic instruction, consultation, language remediation, auditory training, sign language, total communication, monitoring of hearing aides, maintenance of amplification equipment, interpreter services, and collaboration with other professionals and families. Classrooms are staffed with a credentialed teacher and Educational Sign Language Interpreters.
Specialized Academic Instruction
BCOE offers instructional services to eligible students with special needs who require small group or individual instruction and services in Table Mountain School in Butte County Juvenile Hall. These services are provided by a credentialed special education teacher and instructional paraprofessionals.
PLEASE NOTE: Students are recommended for the above programs pursuant to the Individual Education Plan (I.E.P.) process, which starts with communications with school site and/or district staff. Contact information for any of the above programs is located on the Our Services Page under Referral Information.
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