REGISTRATION ALERT:

EACH PARTICIPANT MUST REGISTER THEMSELVES BY LOGGING INTO THEIR ACSA MEMBER ACCOUNT OR BY CREATING A NON-MEMBER ACCOUNT.  PARTICIPANTS MUST PERSONALLY AGREE TO THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND ACADEMY CODE OF CONDUCT.   

DO NOT REGISTER ANYONE OTHER THAN YOURSELF.

SUMMARY

The Association of California School Administrators provides a full range of academies, in nine leadership specializations, to meet your needs as a school administrator, confidential employee or classified manager. Because ACSA represents all members of the district management team, we can help you build the administrative and leadership skills needed in your current job, while preparing you to take advantage of career advancement opportunities.

ACSA’s job-specific academies provide a solid foundation in the application of leadership and management fundamentals for administrators who are new or aspiring to advanced leadership positions. The academies are seen as the “fast track” into your career as a superintendent, principal, business manager, curriculum and instruction or personnel administrator, special education/pupil services director, confidential employee or classified manager. We invite you to take advantage of these exceptional high quality professional learning opportunities as ACSA continues to innovate to better meet your needs.

The academies attend to the California Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (CPSEL) and the standards for the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing’s (CTC) Professional Clear Administrative Services Credential (CASC) program. The ACSA Clear Administrative Credential Program is CTC-approved (see additional information at www.acsa.org/credentialing).

Special Education Academy

Intended Audience

Assistant Superintendents and Directors of Special Education or Student Services; program coordinators, intervention specialists; county office, charter, district and site administrators responsible for special education at the school, district or SELPA levels; aspiring special education administrators; those seeking to improve their knowledge and skills in service to students

The ACSA Special Education Academy provides current and relevant training for successful administrators at all levels and areas of responsibility related to special education programs and services. Participants are provided essential information and resources through a consistent academy focus through the lenses of equity, leadership, communication, prevention and intervention, partner involvement, and fiscal responsibility. The academy integrates:

• principles of organization and cultural environment,
• dynamics of strategic issues management,
• ethical and reflective leadership,
• analysis of public policy, and
• management of information systems, and human and fiscal resources in consideration of the larger implications of funding and accountability relevant to special education, and to local control accountability planning and the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF).

The academy highlights legal and practical implementation features related to special education topics and themes, and provides a firm foundation for working within the educational services realms of general education and special education at the site and district level.

For CTC-approved Clear Administrative Services Credential programs, and with prior approval of the credentialing program leadership, academy hours may be used toward completing annual required professional development requirements.

Specific themes include:

• Historical and statewide perspective of special education.
• Section 504 and ADA regulations and requirements.
• Multi-Tiered Systems of Support and Universal Design for Learning for all students.
• Assessment and procedural safeguards for ensuring a quality IEP.
• Alternative Dispute Resolution.
• Mediation and Due Process hearings.
• Disciplinary protections for students with disabilities.
• Special education transitions.
• Curriculum, instruction and California State Standards for special education students.
• State and Federal laws affecting special education.
• Disproportionality and Significant Disproportionality.
• Emerging multilingual and multicultural learners.
• Advocacy for students with disabilities.
• Current issues facing special education, including legal hot topics.
• Funding and budget development.
• Human resources, credentialing and staffing, and evaluation of special education programs.
• Educational reform inclusive of special education.
• Expansion of early learning programs.
• State and Federal accountability and evaluation.

The course syllabus and materials provided to participants are excellent resources for ongoing reference and career planning.

2026-27 meeting format

Participants experience 70 hours of professional learning over seven weekends in a Virtual/Online format for 10 hours per Academy weekend.