About SELPA
The mission of the San Luis Obispo County SELPA is to be capacity builders, facilitators, and connectors for students, families, and member districts within one statewide coherent system of support in which all students are provided inclusive opportunities for continuous improvement, especially those students who are furthest from success.
Include
We believe students with disabilities must be guaranteed equal opportunity to become contributing members of society.
Engage
We are capacity builders, facilitators, and connectors for students, families, and member districts within one statewide coherent system of support.
Inspire
We believe that all students can learn, especially those who are furthest from success. We are here for our students!
We Are Special Education Experts
San Luis Obispo County SELPA supports students with disabilities through Child Find activities, providing procedural safeguards for children and families, conducting program reviews, providing professional learning, engaging in community agency partnership, collecting data and reporting to the California Department of Education, facilitating a Community Advisory Committee as well as providing alternative dispute resolution and fiscal management.
Our Story
In 1977 all school districts and county school offices in California were required to form geographical regions to provide for special education service needs of children residing within the region’s boundaries; each region became known as a special education local plan area (SELPA). Today there are over 135 SELPAs in California. SELPAs are dedicated to the belief that all students can learn and that students with disabilities must be guaranteed equal opportunity to become contributing members of society.
Each SELPA has a local plan that describes how it provides special education services. In SLO County there are over 30,000 school age students. Nearly 6,000 of those students are students with disabilities receiving special education support. The San Luis Obispo County SELPA, located in Atascadero California strives to meet the needs of all students across the county.
Voices of our community…
“The SELPA team is always available to answer questions, be thought-partners, and discuss situations. Their wealth of knowledge and expertise in special education is invaluable. They make my job easier and provide peace of mind, knowing that I can reach out at any time for answers or support. They are truly caring individuals who work tirelessly to help districts and families navigate challenging situations and build strong relationships, always prioritizing the well-being of children and families.”
“My confidence has grown immensely since working with SELPA. I now have confidence in my ability to communicate effectively with my IEP team.”
“Our collaboration with SELPA has enhanced our organization by allowing staff and parents to gain valuable insight into SELPA who they are, what they do, and their genuine efforts to support families in becoming active participants in their child’s education. We find SELPA to be responsive to our questions and proactive in providing information and guidance to our staff as we continue to enhance our support for families in special education.”
Highlight
Supporting our Students
Of most importance is the work we do to support students and families in San Luis Obispo County. The SLO SELPA is here to support parents and caregivers navigating the complexities of special education. Whether the need is to build knowledge or share a concern, our primary goal is to ensure parents feel heard, connected and supported. At SLO SELPA we are here to include, engage and Inspire!
Meet Our Team
San Luis Obispo County SELPA supports students with disabilities through Child Find activities, providing procedural safeguards for children and families, conducting program reviews, providing professional learning, engaging in community agency partnership, collecting data and reporting to the California Department of Education, facilitating a Community Advisory Committee as well as providing alternative dispute resolution and fiscal management.
Dr. Amber Gallagher
Executive Director, SELPA
agallagher@sloselpa.org
Amber leads the work of SLO SELPA team with a focus on improvement and positive outcomes for students with disabilities.
Damien Capalare
SELPA Program Coordinator
dcapalare@sloselpa.org
The Coordinator provides support to new directors, oversees monitoring and compliance, supports out of county placements, and partners with community agencies.
Tricia Lomino
SELPA Program Specialist
tlomino@sloselpa.org
Tricia supports secondary transitions and leads the work on parent engagement and education.
Lindsay Flatos
SELPA Program Specialist
lflatos@sloselpa.org
Lindsay supports early learning and transitions and IEP implementation and documentation.
Terry Hollen
SELPA Program Specialist
thollen@sloselpa.org
Terry supports our newest educational specialists across SLO SELPA to find success in the first years of teaching.
Laura Esquivel
Mental Health Therapist
lesquivel@sloselpa.org
Laura provides mental health services and support to our Small LEAs in SLO SELPA.
Zola Moore-Stansbury
Classified Coordinator
zmoore@sloselpa.org
Zola supports all fiscal components of the SELPA Funding Allocation Plan.
Sheila Scott
Administrative Assistant III
sscott@sloselpa.org
Sheila assists in all aspects of SLO SELPA and ensures organizational efficiency.
Yesenia Leon
MIS Liaison
yleon@sloselpa.org
Yesi supports special education data collection, analysis, and certification through SEIS and CALPADS.
Mo Huckler
Job Developer
mhuckler@sloselpa.org
Under the We-Can-Work grant, Mo supports secondary students access job placements and skill development.
Livia Signorelli
Job Placement Specialist
lsignorelli@sloselpa.org
Under the Workability 1 grant, Livia supports secondary students access job placements and skill development.
Robert Headley
Job Placement Specialist
rheadley@sloselpa.org
Under the Workability 1 grant, Robert supports secondary students access job placements and skill development.