Q: How does my child qualify for special education services?
A: There are several steps to be completed – referral, evaluation and
the diagnostic conference – and criteria that must be met before a
student begins to receive special education services.
Referral – a request for an evaluation of a student based on
educational problems that are identified through a screening process.
Students may be referred by teachers, counselors, principals, parents
or outside agencies.
1. Once an educational concern has been identified,
the child’s general education teacher, in consultation with the Student
Assistance Team (SAT), will attempt a variety of strategies with the
child prior to making a decision about evaluation. Each strategy and
its degree of success will be documented. The emphasis throughout the
entire intervention process is to meet the educational, social,
emotional and other needs of the student in a general education setting.
2. After approximately 30 days, the Student
Assistance Team reviews the data and determines whether the
intervention strategies have successfully addressed the educational
concerns. If not, the team communicates its continuing concerns with
the child’s parents and seeks their insight and support in developing
additional strategies for resolving the concerns.
3. A data-gathering packet that documents teacher
concerns and the basis for those concerns is completed. Developmental
history information from parents is included, as well as medical
diagnoses or educational testing results from other sources. The
intervention strategies used by the SAT are attached.
4. A referral review team determines whether the next
step – an evaluation – is warranted. Before a decision can be made,
the team reviews the data-gathering packet to determine whether the
SAT has identified specific educational concerns, and
to determine whether a disability is suspected.
5. If the referral review team determines that the
child should be referred for an evaluation, the Director of Special
Services/Don Loseke, will notify the parents and ask for permission to
test.
Evaluation – the process of testing, observing and gathering background
information about the student in order to understand his or her nature,
personality, learning style and the areas of abilities, strengths and
needs. The information is used to determine whether special education
is necessary and to help make decisions about the kind of educational
programming that may be required.
1. A notice of intent/consent to evaluate must be
provided prior to any tests being conducted as part of an initial
evaluation. Written parental consent must be obtained prior to
conducting any tests. Consent usually takes place at a pre-evaluation
conference.
This consent must meet the prior written notice requirements as defined
by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Prior
written notice includes:
* A description of the action proposed;
* An explanation of why the action is being taken;
* A description of the other options considered and why they were rejected;
* A description of each evaluation procedure, test, record or report used as a basis for the action;
* A description of any relevant factors considered (if there were none it must so state); and
* Information about how to obtain a copy of
procedural safeguards and who to contact for interpretive information.
2. After permission to evaluate
has been given, the diagnostic staff (Dr. Carol Thurman and Teresa Frields) assess the child in
the areas identified as concerns.
3. The next step is the MDT Conference – a meeting of the evaluators, teachers and other
individuals who have significant information to contribute about the
student’s functioning. Test results are reported and explained, and
strengths and needs are identified to determine whether or not the
student meets eligibility requirements, as indicated by state and
federal law, to receive special education services. The team will also
discuss issues related to access to the general education curriculum.
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Q: What happens after it is determined that my child meets the criteria to receive special education services?
A: After criteria are met, and the referral, evaluation and diagnostic
conference requirements are satisfied, an Individualized Education Plan
(IEP) is written for the child.
Individualized Education Plan (IEP) – a written plan developed annually
as directed by law for students identified to have educational
disabilities. The plan must include:
* The student’s present levels of educational performance;
* Measurable annual goals, including benchmarks or short-term objectives;
* The special education and related services,
including transportation, if needed, and supplementary aids and
services to be provided;
* An explanation of the extent, if any, to which the student will not participate with non-disabled students;
* Any modifications required in state or district assessments;
* Projected date for the beginning and the
anticipated frequency, location and duration of the services and
modifications;
* How the student’s progress toward the annual goals
will be measured and how the parents will be regularly informed; and
An IEP is a legal document written in accordance with the federal
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) that outlines the
complete educational program for a child with a disability. It is
written by an IEP team typically consisting of the child’s
parents/guardians, a general education teacher, a special education
teacher, a representative of the local school district and an
individual who can interpret the instructional implications of
evaluation results. An IEP is developed within 30 days of diagnosis.
