“All kids need is a little help, a little hope and somebody who believes in them.” Earvin Magic Johnson

 

If you are a parent, you may ask: “How do I know my child is eligible for special education?” The IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) site provides more information but to summarize, there are a few steps that need to take place:

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1. A child needs to be identified as needing special education services. There are two ways through which this identification may happen:

• Through Child find, which is a program (required under Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) designed to locate, identify, and refer as early as possible all young children with disabilities in need of services. (Definition of ‘Child find’ can be found in the TITLE I, Part B, Section 612, a, 3 of the IDEA). Read more about the initiative here.

  • If your child is an infant or a toddler under 3 years of age and you are concerned about your child’s language, motor or cognitive development, you should call your local Early Intervention agency (also called Birth to Three). For a list of Early Intervention Organizations, visit CDC Early Intervention site.

  • If your child is 3 years of age or older, the local education agencies (LEA) has the responsibility to ‘seek out’ the children who may benefit from special education. If your child is not yet in school (3-4 years), the parents should contact the special education department in their school district.

• A request for an evaluation from a school official or a parent, which should be done in writing. Under federal guidelines, if the request is placed by school, the school must give notice to parents requesting an evaluation and parents must consent to the evaluation. If parents agreed to an evaluation, the evaluation must take place after the consent is given (unless the state’s timeline differs, at which point the state’s timeline applies).

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2. An evaluation will take place. For more information on policies and answers to most common questions about eligibility, evaluations and notices, visit Center for Parent Information and Resources. 

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3. If the child is found eligible to receive services, then the school officials and parents must meet to create an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for the child.

 

For infants and toddlers through age 3, services are provided through Early Intervention program in each state and Individual Family Services Plan (IFSP) is created.

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Below are some definitions/explanations of what you may find in the pages or your search in special education:
ADA – Americans with Disabilities Act (hearing loss is included and children with hearing loss are eligible for protection under ADA).
IDEA – Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 
Prior written notice (PWN) – one of the most important parental rights under IDEA 
IEP – Individualized Education Plan
IFSP – Individualized Family Service Plan (for children from birth to age three)
504 plan – the ‘504’ refers to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act, which specifies that no one with a disability can be excluded from participating in federally funded programs or activities, and needs to be provided reasonable accommodations (elementary and secondary education).
PPT – Planning and Placement Team
FERPA – Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act​

 

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