Section B - Diagnostic Centers
California Education Code § 59201. The diagnostic centers are a part of the public school system of the state, except that they derive no revenue from the State School Fund. The diagnostic centers provide services, including pupil assessment, consultation, technical assistance, and training, to school districts, county offices of education, and special education local plan areas. The Diagnostic Centers, which were established nearly 50 years ago, are the California Department of Education’s (CDE) foremost providers of specialized services and assistance to students with disabilities, their families, and LEAs. The Diagnostic Centers provide high quality assessments to hundreds of students each year and conduct valued training programs for thousands of educators and families across the State of California. The services offered include assessment, technical assistance, transition services, and staff development training.
The Referral Process
Referrals to the Diagnostic Centers are accepted from LEAs and may be made if a child is making inadequate progress. The Diagnostic Centers provide in-depth information regarding the learning styles, behavioral needs, and academic needs of children by providing assessment service and support, after local resources have been exhausted. Assessments may occur at the center or the LEA depending on the needs of the child. A team of Diagnostic Center staff members work in collaboration with local educators and the child ’s parents to provide in -depth information to assist with decision-making regarding a child ’s needs . In addition to assessment services, the Diagnostic Centers offer technical assistance, consultation, and staff development. There is no cost for Diagnostic Center services to the referring agency or parent.
Referrals are only accepted from LEAs and may be made if:
• A child is making inadequate progress despite utilization of all LEA resources; and /or
• A child has complex behavioral and/or learning profiles and assessment needs that cannot be addressed locally by the LEA.
Diagnostic Center Service Description
A description of the Diagnostic Center services follows:
1. Assessment services and technical assistance are dynamic, transdisciplinary processes. The Diagnostic Centers utilize expert teams of assessment specialists. A team may include an educational specialist, a language speech and hearing pathologist, a school psychologist, a clinical psychologist, a transition specialist, a pediatrician, or a motor specialist. Assessments are carefully planned and include a dynamic individualized process with educationally relevant diagnostic questions. The outcome is a student profile with a specialized intervention plan that includes strategies and programming options.
Chapter 14 - State Special Schools and Services, Desert/Mountain SELPA
Page 3
As of 04/6/2018
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