Child Find

To qualify for special education:

• A student must have a disability as defined by the Individuals with Disability Education Act (IDEA)
• That disability must adversely impact their education
• That adverse impact must require specially designed instruction.

This is determined through the evaluation.

1) Referral for Special Education:

Children may be eligible for special education services at birth. Identification of school-age children is usually based on the child’s performance in school.

Pre-referral: Before referring a school-aged child for an evaluation, the classroom teacher may plan strategies to see if his or her performance improves with simple changes in curriculum or environment. These are called “pre-referral interventions.” At least two pre- referral interventions must be tried and documented. If your child’s performance improves, an evaluation may not be needed. If problems continue, an evaluation will help identify more specific ways to help your child learn. A pre-referral intervention does not require parent permission. It is important for parents to know what interventions are to be tried and the amount of time that they will be attempted before it is decided if they are working or not.

Referral: When classroom interventions are not successful, the classroom teacher may make a referral for a Child Study Team to consider whether the child should receive further evaluation. This team decides the areas to be evaluated and the types of evaluation(s) to be completed.

The referral is the starting point of the special education process. A referral is simply a written document requesting an evaluation. This referral can be made by a parent or guardian, the classroom teacher, any member of the school district (public or private), a judicial officer, or a student (18 years or older, or an emancipated minor). A meeting may be scheduled to voice concerns.

Parents may initiate a request for an evaluation. In order to do this, you should submit a written request for an evaluation to the school. One copy of the letter should go to the school principal and school psychologist and one should be kept for your files. This document should include the reason for the referral and details describing academic or behavioral concerns.

You also may be asked to provide additional details regarding concerns about school performance. Once the request is made, the team will determine if interventions need to be implemented or if the assessment process should begin.

A referral does not mean the student has a disability. It is the first step to determine if concerns are due to a disability. Following the referral, the school district will invite you to an evaluation-planning meeting. You will work with the school team to determine what areas will be evaluated, what tests will be used and who will do the testing. The evaluation cannot take place without your written consent.

2) 25 school days to decide:

Once a request is made, the school team has 25 school days to determine if they will move forward with a special education evaluation. During this time, the team will review data, talk with people who know the student (you, teachers, etc.), and review any outside relevant reports about the student. The school will notify you of the decision.

3) Written parental consent:

The school must obtain written parental consent before an evaluation can begin. This consent can be revoked at any time by the legal guardian.

4) 35 school days to complete evaluation:

The special education evaluation is conducted by the school psychologist. School psychologists have a variety of standardized tests that are used to determine eligibility. Tests are chosen based on identified areas of concern. During the evaluation, other data will also be reviewed such as classroom observations, grades, state testing results, and input from teachers/providers who are familiar with the student. Rating scales may also be used and parents may be asked to complete one about their child. The team has 35 school days to complete this.

5) Review evaluation results

After the evaluation, the case manager or school psychologist assigned to your child will contact you. This person will coordinate a date and time for you to discuss the results of your child’s evaluation with members of the evaluation team along with at least one classroom teacher. The student’s participation is determined on an individual basis and is up to you.

The assessment results will be summarized in an evaluation report. You should receive a draft of the report prior to the meeting. You will be able to have input into the final report.  Your child’s eligibility for special education services is determined by very specific criteria outlined by State and Federal Law.

If your child is found to meet the eligibility criteria for any of the identified educational disabilities the evaluation team can recommend moving on to the development of an Individualized Education Plan or IEP.

If your child does not qualify for special education and still struggles in school, there are other options that may be available to him or her. General education supports including:

• title services
• student advocates
• guidance counselors
• 504 Plans
• reading/math interventionists

6) 30 calendar days to develop IEP:

The IEP team has 30 calendar days to develop an Individual Education Program (IEP). Learn more about IEPs here (insert link). It is important to note that parent(s) must be notified and offered an opportunity to participate in all meetings with respect to the identification, evaluation, educational placement, and provision of free and appropriate education for the student. Interpreters are available, if needed

7) As soon as possible, services begin:

The school will seek your consent for the initial provision of services either before or at the initial IEP team meeting. Your initial consent is for services only, not necessarily for what is in the IEP.

You can watch a past information session about the evaluation process presented by BSD school psychologists