Special Education
The San Benito High School District Special Education Department serves over 300 students and runs programming for all thirteen areas of qualifying disability. See a list and brief description of our programs and services below. Parents, for more information on your students’ participation in any of our programs, please contact us.
Special Education in San Benito County:
A Handbook for Parents
Special Education Programs
E.D. Program
Students who have a history of emotional/behavioral problems that have adversely affected their educational development are placed in this highly structured, self-contained classroom. The focus of the program is to foster social and emotional growth while challenging students academically. Levels of integration with the general education population are determined by the IEP team.
IXL Math Practice Program
Click here to access the online math skills practice site. IXL’s immersive, adaptive curriculum accelerates growth with continuous insight into student progress and targeted recommendations for next steps. Practice thousands of math skills at school, at home, and on the go.
Language, Speech, and Hearing (LSH) Services
Students exhibiting difficulties with language skills work with the Speech and Language Specialist to develop strategies for effective communication.
Life Skills Program (SD)
Students with severe cognitive and developmental delays are served in the Life Skills classes. The curriculum emphasizes community-based instruction, vocational education, functional academics, social, domestic, and independent living. This approach provides students with opportunities to learn skills within the local community and receive specific career training. One of the Life Skills classes offers specified interventions to medically fragile students with severe disabilities.
Low Incidence Program
This program is designed to service blind or partially-sighted, orthopedically impaired, and hard-of-hearing or deaf students by improving academic skills with the use of specialized techniques and/or materials. The specialists also assist students with accommodations and access to the general curriculum.
Resource Specialist Program (less than 50% of day)
This program is designed for students who need minimal assistance and who can succeed in general education classes for at least half of their school day. Resource Specialists also provide consultative services to students and regular classroom teachers.
Resource Specialist Program/Special Class (more than 50% of day)
Students whose educational needs require more intense services in the curricular areas are placed in the RSP/SC for the majority of the day. These students rotate from one RSP/General Ed. class and teacher to another.
School Psychologist
The school psychologist provides evaluation and assessment reports and develops positive behavior plans.
SELPA (Special Education Local Plan Area) Community Advisory Committee Parent Survey
Parents are asked to click on the following links to take a SELPA survey for parents of students receiving special education service. Your response will help guide efforts to improve services and results for children and families. This will help us plan for workshops and activities to assist families of students with special needs. Click for English. Esta es una encuesta para padres que reciben servicios de educación especial. Sus respuestas ayudaran a guiar los esfuerzos para mejorar servicios y resultados para niños y familias. Para cada declaración abajo, por favor seleccione una de los opciones de respuesta a la derecha. Click for Spanish.
Special Day Class (Self-Contained) Program
Students whose educational needs require close attention and a smaller student-to-teacher ratio for academic, social and emotional support are placed in self-contained Special Day Classes. Students spend the majority of their day with one core teacher. These students may be considered for a certificate of completion if the Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) Team determines that earning a diploma is not realistic.
Transition Partnership Program (TPP) & WorkAbility1 (WA1)
The Transition Partnership Project was designed to build partnerships between local education agencies (LEAs) and the Department of Rehabilitation (DOR) for the purposes of successfully transitioning student-DOR consumers into meaningful employment and/or secondary education. Under these contractual agreements, the DOR assigns vocational rehabilitation counselors to be actively involved with the students and TPP. The DOR counselor determines eligibility and provides enhanced vocational rehabilitation services for at least one year prior to the student leaving high school. San Benito High School TPP provides exclusive training and enhanced programming to enable students to achieve employment utilizing community-based instruction, vocational and work site training, job placement, and follow-up services to exiting studentconsumers.
The mission of WAI is to promote the involvement of key stakeholders including students, families, educators, employers and other agencies in planning and implementing an array of services that will culminate in successful student transition to employment, lifelong learning and quality of life.
Special Education Staff

Emmanuel Nelson
Director, Student Support Services
831-637-5831 Ext. 139
Email

Paulette Cobb, Ed.D.
Director, Specialized Student Services and Special Education
831-637-5831 Ext. 130
Email

Cassandra Guerrero
Program Specialist
831-637-5831 Ext. 138
Email

Joan Burley
Program Specialist
831-637-5831 ext. 149
Email

Nydia Buelna
Secretary to Special Education
831-637-5831 Ext. 131
Email