Referrals, Evaluations and IEPs

Defining Disability

A child with a disability means a child evaluated in accordance with 34 CFR §300.304 through 300.311 as having an intellectual disability, a hearing impairment (including deafness), a speech or language impairment, a visual impairment (including blindness), a serious emotional disturbance (referred to in this part as “emotional disturbance”), an orthopedic impairment, autism, traumatic brain injury, another health impairment, a specific learning disability, deaf-blindness, or multiple disabilities, and who, by reason thereof, needs special education and related services.

ReFERRAL AND EVALUATION

A referral or request for special education services is made through the child’s home school. Please contact your child’s school psychologist Contact Page. Students who attend a private school within the school districts boundary may request and evaluation by contacting the Special Services Department at 495-3770.

Prior to or as part of the eligibility process, a child must receive continuous, quality general education instruction coupled with scientific, research-based interventions. This process is a problem-solving model referred to as Response to Intervention (RtI). Data collected through RtI is essential in determining the presence of a possible disability.

Special education eligibility is determined by a multi-disciplinary team that follows very specific criteria for each of the thirteen disability categories. A psycho-educational evaluation is completed by a qualified examiner to assist the team in determining eligibility for specific disability categories. Psycho-educational evaluations are batteries of norm-referenced tests that are used to determine if a child is eligible for special education services and what those services might be. If a child is found eligible for special education services, an Individualized Education Program (IEP) must be written by the IEP team. The IEP team includes the parent as an integral member. If you feel your child needs special education, please contact your child’s teacher to make an appointment with the campus’ school psychologist.

IEP (INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PROGRAM)

The individualized education program (IEP) is a written document that is developed for each eligible student with a disability and documents specially designed instruction and related services. The IEP is the product of a team that collaborates with parent(s), student (as appropriate), Local Education Agency (LEA) personnel, and other IEP team members who, through full and equal participation, identify the unique needs of a student with a disability and plan the special education services to meet those needs.