The Special Education Process Under IDEA and the Wyoming Chapter 7 Rules Governing Services for Children with Disabilities.

Child Find

Child Find –

Child Find is a process that SCSD #l uses to identify, locate, and evaluate all children, in the district, ages 3 through 21, who are suspected of having disabilities that may result in a need for special education and related services. SCSD #l must have policies and procedures in place to ensure the identification, location, and evaluation of these children; and public notification must be given before any significant Child Find activities are implemented.

 

SCSD #l has a Child Find responsibility for all children suspected of having disabilities, regardless of the severity of their disabilities. This includes:

 

1. Children who are enrolled in a public school within the district, including public charter schools;

 

2. Children who are parentally placed in private and home schools (refer to the Private Schools Chapter of this manual for additional information on private school Child Find responsibilities);

 

3. Children who are attending charter schools within the district or in the area if it is designated as an individual district;

 

4. Highly mobile children, including migrant, homeless, and children who are wards of the state;

 

5. Children served in community programs such as rehabilitation centers, daycare centers, etc.;

 

6. Children, ages 18 through 21, who are incarcerated in facilities operated by the local sheriff's office or other municipalities; and

 

7. Any other children suspected of having disabilities.

 

SCSD #l may employ a variety of strategies to ensure that students who may need special education and related services are identified and evaluated. For example, SCSD #l may annually place printed notices in local newspapers and local public agencies such as the Department of Community Health and the Division of Family and Children Services. When appropriate, SCSD #l may promote Child Find on local television and radio stations. They may also notify public and private childcare facilities and private preschools of Child Find activities. SCSD #l may also utilize their websites as a means for disseminating Child Find information. Regardless of the methods employed, SCSD #l must conduct comprehensive Child Find activities.

 

SCSD #l is required to meet annually with representatives from home schools and private schools to inform them of our obligation and Child Find procedures.

 

Child Find

 

(a)              Child Find. Consistent with 34 C.F.R. §300. 111, each school district or public agency shall adopt and implement policies and procedures to ensure that all children with disabilities who reside within the school district's or public agency's educational jurisdiction, including children with disabilities attending private schools or facilities such as residential treatment centers, day treatment centers, hospitals, mental health institutions, detention and correctional facilities, children who are highly mobile, and children who are advancing from grade to grade, regardless of the severity of their disability, and who are in need of special education and related services, are located, evaluated and identified in compliance with all applicable requirements of IDEA, including but not limited to 34 C.F.R. §§ 300.111, 300.131, 300.301 through 300.306 and these WDE rules and standards.

 

300.          School districts or public agencies must provide parents with public notice of its child find activities pursuant to 34 C.F.R. §300.612(b).

 

300.          School districts or public agencies must implement procedures to ensure protection of the confidentiality of any personally identifiable information collected, used, or maintained in child find activities in accordance with the federal regulations, including but not limited to 34 C.F.R. §§300.32, 300.134, and 300.610 through 300.627.

 

                        iii.         Consistent with 34 C.F.R. §§300.130 through 300.144, if a child is parentally enrolled in a private elementary or secondary school outside the boundaries of the school district or public agency in which the student is living, the school district or public agency where the private school is located is responsible for child find activities, evaluations, and provision of services.

 

1.          School districts and public agencies shall coordinate child find responsibilities for children- ages birth through two (2) with early intervention providers or agencies.

 

See also: 

SCSD #1 Policy IGBA - PROGRAMS FOR STUDENTS WITH IDENTIFIED DISABILITIES UNDER IDEA

 

2.  Child is evaluated

Parent will receive a copy of the Procedural Safeguards and informed parental consent is required before the child may be evaluated. A Multidisciplinary Evaluation Plan will be developed and the evaluation must assess the child in all areas related to the child's suspected disability. Evaluation needs to be completed within 60 calendar days after the district receives the parent's informed consent for evaluation. The evaluation results will be used to decide the child's eligibility for special education and related services and to make decisions about an appropriate educational program for the child. If the parents disagree with the evaluation results, they have the right to request an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE), at the school district's expense. The parent also has the right to revoke consent at any stage of the Evaluation or Individualized Education Program (IEP) Process. 


3.  Eligibility is decided

When assessments are completed, the Multidisciplinary Assessment Team including the special education teacher, general education teacher, appropriate related services personnel, school administrator, and the parent(s) reviews the child's evaluation results. Together, they decide if the child meets any of the 13 eligibility categories in Wyoming and demonstrates the need for specialized instruction, therefore qualifying as a "child with a disability," as defined by IDEA. Parents have the right to ask for a hearing to challenge the eligibility decision. 


4.  Child is found eligible for services

If the child is found to be a "child with a disability," as defined by IDEA, he or she is eligible for special education and related services. Within 30 calendar days after a child is determined eligible, the IEP team must meet to write an IEP for the child. Typically, this IEP meeting is held immediately following the eligibility determination meeting. 


5.  IEP meeting is scheduled (Initial or Annual Review)

To schedule the IEP meeting, the student's assigned case manager will:
- contact the participants, including the parents;
- notify parents early enough to make sure they have an opportunity to attend;
- schedule the meeting at a time and place agreeable to parents and the school;
- notify the parents of the purpose, time, and location of the meeting;
- notify the parents of who will be attending; and
- notify the parents that they may invite people to the meeting who have knowledge or special expertise about their child?

6.  IEP meeting is held and the IEP is written

The IEP team including the special education teacher of the child, a general education teacher, parents, school administrator, related services personnel, and students (when age appropriate) gathers to discuss the child's strengths and needs and write the student's IEP. Parents and the student (when age appropriate) are an important part of the team. 
Before the district can provide special education and related services to the child for the first time, the parents must give informed consent and receive Prior Written Notice (PWN) of the proposed district actions/program. ˇ
If the parents do not agree with the IEP and placement, they may discuss their concerns with other members of the IEP team and try to work out an agreement. If they still disagree, parents can ask for mediation, or the school may offer mediation. Parents may file a complaint with the state education agency and may request a due process hearing, at which time mediation must be available. Parents also have the right to revoke consent at any time after the IEP had been implemented. 
Wyoming Indian School staff members make sure the child's IEP is being carried out as it was written. Parents are given a copy of the IEP. Each of the child's teachers and service providers has access to the IEP and knows his or her specific responsibilities for carrying out the IEP. This includes the accommodations, modifications, and supports that must be provided to the child, in keeping with the IEP.


7.  Progress is measured and reported to parents

ˇThe child's progress toward the annual goals is measured, as stated in the IEP. The student's parents receive quarterly progress notes of their child's progress and whether that progress is enough for the child to achieve the goals by the time of the IEP annual review.


8.  IEP is reviewed

The child's IEP is reviewed by the IEP team at least once in a calendar year or more often if the parents or school ask for a review. If necessary, the IEP is revised. Parents, as team members, must be invited to attend these meetings. Parents can make suggestions for changes, can agree or disagree with the IEP goals, and agree or disagree with the placement.


9.  Child is reevaluated 

At least every three years the child must be reevaluated for continued eligibility for special education and related services. This evaluation is often called a "triennial" or "3-year re-evaluation."ˇ Its purpose is to determine whether or not the child continues to be a "child with a disability," as defined by IDEA, and if the child's educational needs have changed. However, the child may be re-evaluated more often if conditions warrant or if the child's parent or other IEP team member requests a re-evaluation.