Educational Acronyms

Acronyms are used in order to abbreviate names or phrases. The disability communityis full ofacronyms that are used in writing and conversation, and it is important to know what those acronyms stand for.


ADA - Americans with Disabilities Act
AD/HD - Attention Deficit/HyperactivityDisorder
ADR - Alternate Dispute Resolution
APE - Adapted Physical Education
ASL – American Sign Language

AT - Assistive Technology
AUT - Autism
BD - Behavior Disorder
BIP - Behavior Intervention Plan
BSP - Behavior Support Plan
CAC - Community Advisory Committee
CATS - Career and Transition Services
CBI - Community Based Instruction
CCS - California Children’s Services
CEC - California EducationCode
CEC - Council for Exceptional Children
CFR - Code of Federal Regulations
CMA -California Modified Assessments
CMH - County Mental Health
CSB - California School for the Blind
CSCD - Community Service Center for the Disabled
CSPD - Comprehensive System of Personnel Development
DB - Deaf-Blind
DE - Department of Education
DHH - Deaf and Hard of Hearing
DIS - Designated Instruction and Services
ED - Emotional Disturbance
EDGAR - Education Department General Administrative Regulations
EHA - The Education for All Handicapped Children Act
ESL - English as a Second Language
FAPE - Free Appropriate Public Education
FBA – Functional Behavioral Assessment

FERPA - Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
FM - Focused Monitoring
FR - Federal Register
HH - Hard of hearing
HH - Home Hospital
HI - Hearing Impaired
IA - Instructional Assistant
IBT - Instructional/Behavioral Technician
IDEA - Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
IDELR - Individuals With Disabilities Education Law Report
IEE - Independent Educational Evaluation
IEP - Individualized Education Program
IEPT - Individualized Education Program Team
IEU - Intermediate Educational Unit
IFSP - Individualized Family Service Plan
ILS - Integrated Life Skills
IT -Itinerant Teacher
ITP - Individual Transition Plan
IWEN - Individuals With Exceptional Needs
LCI - Licensed Children's Institution
LD - Learning Disabled
LEA - Local Education Agency (school district)
LEP - Limited English Proficiency
LRE - Least RestrictiveEnvironment
LSH - Language, Speech and Hearing
MD - Mentally Disabled
MR - Mentally Retarded
MS - Multiple Sclerosis
NCCSE - North Coastal Consortium for Special Education
NCLB – No Child Left Behind

NPRM - Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
NPA - Non Public Agency
NPS - Non Public School
O&M - Orientation and Mobility
OCR - Office of Civil Rights (U.S. Dept of Education)
OHI - Other Health Impaired
OI - Orthopedic ally Impaired
OMB - Office of Management and Budget
OSEP - Office of Special Education Programs(U.S. Dept of Education)
OSERS - Office of Special Education& Rehabilitative Services
OT - Occupational Therapy
PACE - Progressive Alternative Curriculum Environment
PE - Physical Education
PECS - Picture Exchange Communication System

PGT - Program Governance Team
PH - Physically Handicapped
PKU - Phelyketonuria
PLP – Present Level of Performance

PT - Physical Therapy
PWN - Prior Written Notice

QAP - Quality Assurance Process
RSP - Resource Specialist/Resource Specialist Program
SDC - Special Day Class
SDCC - San Diego Center for Children
SDCCD - San Diego Community College District
SDRC - San Diego Regional Center
SEA - State Education Agency
SEEC - Special Education Early Childhood
SELPA - Special Education Local Plan Area
SEPF - Special Education Parent Facilitator
SH - Severely Handicapped
SLD - Specific Learning Disability
SLP - Speech-Language Pathologist
SPED - Special Education
SST - Student Study Team
TBI - Traumatic Brain Injury
TBS - Therapeutic Behavior Services
TDD - Telecommunication Device for the Deaf
UDL - Universal Design for Learning
USC - United States Code
VI - Visually Impaired

504 - Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act