(a) Words shall have their usual meaning unless the context or a definition of a word or phrase indicates a different meaning. Words used in their present tense shall include the future tense; words in the singular form shall include the plural form; and use of the masculine gender shall include the feminine gender.

(b) “Administrative designee” means the individual who fulfills the role as described in paragraph (4) of subsection (b) of Section 56341 of the Education Code and paragraph (4) of subsection (a) of Section 300.321 of Title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

(c) “Assessment” means an individual evaluation of a pupil in all areas of suspected disability in accordance with Sections 56320 through 56329 and Section 56337 of the Education Code and Sections 300.300 through 300.311 of Title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

(d) “Assessment plan” means a written statement that delineates how a pupil will be evaluated and meets the requirements of Section 56321 of the Education Code.

(e) “Confidentiality” means the restriction of access to verbal and written communications, including clinical, medical and educational records, to appropriate parties under Section 99.30 of Title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Section 300.610 et seq. of Title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Sections 827, 4514, 5328, and 10850 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, and Sections 49060 through 49079 of the Education Code.

(f) “County superintendent of schools” means either an appointed or elected official who performs the duties specified in Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 1240) of Part 2 of Title 1 of the Education Code.

(g) “Day” means a calendar day pursuant to Section 56023 of the Education Code.

(h) “Designated instruction and services” means specially designed instruction and related services described in subsection (b) of Section 56361 and subsection (b) of Section 56363 of the Education Code, and Section 3051 of Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations, as may be required to assist a pupil with a disability to benefit educationally.

(i) “Individualized education program,” hereinafter “IEP,” means a written statement developed in accordance with Section 7575 of the Government Code, Sections 56341 and 56342 of the Education Code and Sections 300.320 through 300.328 of Title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations, which contains the elements specified in Section 56345 of the Education Code and Section 300.320 of Title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

(j) “Individualized education program team,” hereinafter “IEP team,” means a group which is constituted in accordance with Section 56341 of the Education Code and Title 20, United States Code Section 1414(d)(1)(B).

(k) “Local education agency,” hereinafter “LEA,” means a school district or county office of education which provides special education and related services.

(l) “Local interagency agreement” means a written document negotiated between two or more public agencies which defines each agency's role and responsibilities for providing services to pupils with disabilities and for facilitating the coordination of these services in accordance with the provisions of Section 56195.7(d) of the Education Code.

(m) “Necessary to benefit from special education” means a service that assists the pupil with a disability in progressing toward the goals and objectives listed in the IEP in accordance with subsection (c) of Section 7572 and paragraph (2) of subsection (a) of Section 7575 of the Government Code.

(n) “Nonpublic, nonsectarian agency” means a private, nonsectarian establishment or individual that is certified by the California Department of Education and that provides related services and/or designated instruction and services necessary for a pupil with a disability to benefit educationally from the pupil's IEP. It does not include an organization or agency that operates as a public agency or offers public service, including but not limited to, a state or local agency, or an affiliate of a state or local agency, including a private, nonprofit corporation established or operated by a state or local agency, a public university or college, or a public hospital.

(o) “Nonpublic, nonsectarian school” means a private, nonsectarian school that enrolls individuals with exceptional needs pursuant to an IEP, employs at least one full-time teacher who holds an appropriate credential authorizing special education services, and is certified by the California Department of Education. It does not include an organization or agency that operates as a public agency or offers public services, including but not limited to, a state or local agency, or an affiliate of a state or local agency, including a private, nonprofit corporation established or operated by a state or local agency or a public university or college.

(p) “Parent” includes any person having legal custody of a child. “Parent,” in addition, includes any adult pupil for whom no guardian or conservator has been appointed and the person having custody of a minor if neither the parent nor legal guardian can be notified of the educational action under consideration. “Parent” also includes a parent surrogate who has been appointed in accordance with Section 7579.5 of the Government Code and Section 56050 of the Education Code. The term “Parent” does not include the state or any political subdivision of government.

(q) “Pupil” or “Pupil with a disability” means those students, birth through 21 years of age, as defined in Section 300.8 of Title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations, who meet the requirements of Section 56026 of the Education Code and Sections 3030 and 3031 of Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations and who, because of their impairments, need special education and related services as defined in subsections (26) and (29) of Section 1401 of Title 20 of the United States Code. This term includes handicapped children, children with disabilities and individuals with exceptional needs as defined in Section 56026 of the Education Code. The determination that an individual is a pupil with a disability is made only by an IEP team pursuant to Section 56342 of the Education Code.

(r) “Qualified” means that a person has met federal and state certification, licensing, registration, or other comparable requirements which apply to the area in which he or she is providing special education or related services, or, in the absence of such requirements, meets the state-education-agency-approved or recognized requirements and adheres to the standards of professional practice established in federal and state law or regulation, including the standards contained in the California Business and Professions Code.

(s) “Related services” means those services that are necessary for a pupil with a disability to benefit from his or her special education program in accordance with Title 20, United States Code Section 1401(26).

(t) “Special education” means specially designed instruction and related services to meet the unique needs of a pupil with a disability, as described in Section 56031 of the Education Code and Section 300.39 of Title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

(u) “Special education local plan” means a plan developed in accordance with Sections 56205 through 56213 of the Education Code which identifies each participating LEA's roles and responsibilities for the provision of special education and related services within the service area.

(v) “Special education local plan area,” hereinafter “SELPA,” means the service area covered by a special education local plan, and is the governance structure created under any of the planning options of Section 56205 of the Education Code.