GO Public Schools Fresno has released a comprehensive guide designed to help parents navigate and advocate for their children who need special education services.

The 111-page “A Parent’s Guide to Special Education” is free and contains information about how to apply for services, defines and explains the various available programs, provides templates and checklists that parents may find handy, and also provides links to local parent support groups and Fresno Unified administrators and program managers.

“This guide is not just a resource for families — it’s a lens into the broader systemic issues impacting students with disabilities in Fresno and across California. It provides real, actionable insights for families and signals areas where urgent policy reforms are needed,” spokeswoman Lexi Lopez Crothers said in a news release.

The guide is downloadable and is available in English and Spanish.

According to Fresno Unified’s 2024-25 Special Education Local Plan Area report, the district provides special education services to nearly 11,000 students from birth to age 21. The district’s special education local plan budget is $240,325,255.