Child Find, Evaluation, and Eligibility

Child Find is a proactive process mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Its purpose is to locate, identify, and evaluate children with disabilities who are residing within a school district's boundaries, including those attending private schools, and those who are homeless or highly mobile. Think of it as the school district's responsibility to find children who may need special education services, even if their parents haven't recognized it or requested it. The school uses various methods such as screening programs (e.g., vision and hearing screenings, developmental screenings for preschoolers), public awareness campaigns (flyers, website information), and referrals from teachers, parents, or other professionals.

Example: Imagine a young child displaying significant speech delays. A preschool teacher notices this and, through Child Find procedures, the child is then referred for evaluation to determine if they qualify for special education services.

Once a child is identified as potentially having a disability, the evaluation process begins. This involves a comprehensive assessment to determine the child's specific needs and the impact those needs have on their educational performance. The evaluation must be individualized and consider all areas of suspected disability. A team of professionals (including a school psychologist, special education teacher, parents, and sometimes a speech-language pathologist or other specialists) collaborates to conduct the evaluation. The evaluation process involves:

• Parental Consent: Parents must provide informed consent before any evaluation can begin.
• Assessment Tools: A variety of assessment tools are used, including:
  • Cognitive Assessments: These assess intellectual abilities (e.g., IQ tests) to help determine if a learning disability may be present.
  • Academic Assessments: These assess a child's skills in reading, writing, and math.
  • Behavioral Assessments: These assess behaviors and social-emotional functioning.
  • Observation: Observing the child in the classroom and other settings.
  • Parent and Teacher Input: Gathering information from parents and teachers about the child's strengths and weaknesses.
• Multi-Factored Evaluation (MFE): Data from different tools are considered and are not based on only one piece of data.

Example: A student is referred for evaluation due to concerns about reading comprehension. The school psychologist might administer a standardized reading test, conduct classroom observations, and review the student's previous school records. They will also speak to the teacher and the student's parents to gather more details.

Once the evaluation is complete, the team meets to determine if the child is eligible for special education services. This decision is made based on the evaluation results and whether the child meets the specific criteria for one or more of the 13 disability categories defined by IDEA (e.g., specific learning disability, autism, intellectual disability, emotional disturbance). The team must consider whether the child's disability adversely affects their educational performance and if they need specialized instruction to benefit from their education.

Eligibility must be determined by an Individualized Education Program (IEP) team, which includes:

• Parent(s) or guardian(s)
• At least one special education teacher
• At least one general education teacher (if the child is, or may be, participating in the general education environment)
• A school psychologist or other qualified professional
• School administrator or district representative

Example: After an evaluation, the team determines that a student meets the criteria for a specific learning disability in reading (dyslexia). Because the student struggles significantly with reading and this impacts their ability to access the general education curriculum, they are found eligible for special education services.