Special Education and/or Section 504 Referral
Students who may require special education and related services in order to benefit from regular education are referred to special education through the Individual Education Program (I.E.P.) Team process. Section 504 is an anti-discrimination law that requires classroom accommodations for students who demonstrate a substantial limitation on major life activities that impacts that student’s education. At RSU16, the initial referral process and documentation is the same. Referrals may be made by parents/guardians, Department of Health and Human Services case managers, counselors, physicians, classroom teachers and/or administrators.
The following 13 disabilities may qualify a student to receive special education services: Autism, Deaf-Blindness, Deafness, Developmental Delay (preschool), Emotional Disturbance, Hearing Impairment, Intellectual Disability (formerly classified as Mental Retardation), Multiple Disabilities, Orthopedic Impairment, Other Health Impairment, Specific Learning Disability, Speech or Language Impairment, Traumatic Brain Injury, Visual Impairment including Blindness. See State Regulations in the Special Education office or contact the Department of Education for complete definitions.
Parents may refer their child by following the parent referral procedure, noted below.
Parent/Guardian/DHHS Referral
General Process:
1. Gather data such as medical documentation, outside evaluations, and/or work papers that relate to your concerns.
2. Consult with classroom teacher regarding concerns and alternate methods to try. Teachers are required to follow a Response to Intervention process. This means that various interventions must be tried to address the concern or lacking skill and documented regarding effectiveness. Interventions include any action, such as preferential seating, checking for understanding, use of behavioral feedback and support system, small group instruction, extra practices in area of concern, or alternate methods to get the concepts across. It can include Title I services for reading and/or math. Keep in mind that a special education setting is considered the most “restrictive” environment. Every effort must be made and documented to show that least restrictive options have been tried. The referral must document these interventions, the results of the intervention, and how long it was tried.
3. Teacher and/or parent consult with the Building Principal and/or Special Education Team Leader at your child’s school. A referral form is completed that has the following required information and input from parent and teacher:
a. Specific reason for referral
b. Procedures, tests, records, or reports used as a basis for the referral
c. Description of alternative actions/interventions that were attempted or considered that directly
address the specific reasons for the referral, results of the intervention, and timeline for how
long it was attempted
d. Reasons why alternative actions/interventions were rejected
e. Other relevant factors (could include vision/hearing screening results, behavior referrals, prior
testing results, students strengths, attendance records)
f. Contact between parent and teacher and how the parent has been involved in attempting to
address the presenting problems (such as consultation with the child’s doctor, pursuing
counseling, assisting with homework, tutoring, summer school)
4. Once the referral is edited, it is submitted to the principal for review and signature.
5. The referral is then sent to the Special Education Office for review and signature by the Special Education Director. This completes the initial phase of the referral process.
6. A copy of the referral is mailed home.
7. The Individual Education Program (I.E.P.) Team meets within 15 school days of the completed referral to discuss the referral concerns, determine if evaluations are required, and determine appropriate evaluations to conduct, if indicated. Parental Consent to Conduct Evaluations is completed and signed by the parent.
8. Within 45 school days of consent, the Individual Education Program (I.E.P.) Team meets to review the results, determines if the child meets the criteria for identification as a student with an educational disability as stated in the State and Federal Regulations and develops an Individual Education Program, if indicated.
* Of special note in this referral process: Certain diagnoses are medical in nature and are diagnosed only by medical doctors. Please bring any and all documentation to the school that relates to Attention Deficit Disorder with or without Hyperactivity, physical disabilities, congenital disabilities, traumatic brain injuries, visual or hearing impairments, and other health impairments. The job of the Individual Education Program (I.E.P.) Team is to determine if the medical disability results in a significant educational impact that requires specialized instruction through special education services.
Updated 12/2012/jow
The following 13 disabilities may qualify a student to receive special education services: Autism, Deaf-Blindness, Deafness, Developmental Delay (preschool), Emotional Disturbance, Hearing Impairment, Intellectual Disability (formerly classified as Mental Retardation), Multiple Disabilities, Orthopedic Impairment, Other Health Impairment, Specific Learning Disability, Speech or Language Impairment, Traumatic Brain Injury, Visual Impairment including Blindness. See State Regulations in the Special Education office or contact the Department of Education for complete definitions.
Parents may refer their child by following the parent referral procedure, noted below.
Parent/Guardian/DHHS Referral
General Process:
1. Gather data such as medical documentation, outside evaluations, and/or work papers that relate to your concerns.
2. Consult with classroom teacher regarding concerns and alternate methods to try. Teachers are required to follow a Response to Intervention process. This means that various interventions must be tried to address the concern or lacking skill and documented regarding effectiveness. Interventions include any action, such as preferential seating, checking for understanding, use of behavioral feedback and support system, small group instruction, extra practices in area of concern, or alternate methods to get the concepts across. It can include Title I services for reading and/or math. Keep in mind that a special education setting is considered the most “restrictive” environment. Every effort must be made and documented to show that least restrictive options have been tried. The referral must document these interventions, the results of the intervention, and how long it was tried.
3. Teacher and/or parent consult with the Building Principal and/or Special Education Team Leader at your child’s school. A referral form is completed that has the following required information and input from parent and teacher:
a. Specific reason for referral
b. Procedures, tests, records, or reports used as a basis for the referral
c. Description of alternative actions/interventions that were attempted or considered that directly
address the specific reasons for the referral, results of the intervention, and timeline for how
long it was attempted
d. Reasons why alternative actions/interventions were rejected
e. Other relevant factors (could include vision/hearing screening results, behavior referrals, prior
testing results, students strengths, attendance records)
f. Contact between parent and teacher and how the parent has been involved in attempting to
address the presenting problems (such as consultation with the child’s doctor, pursuing
counseling, assisting with homework, tutoring, summer school)
4. Once the referral is edited, it is submitted to the principal for review and signature.
5. The referral is then sent to the Special Education Office for review and signature by the Special Education Director. This completes the initial phase of the referral process.
6. A copy of the referral is mailed home.
7. The Individual Education Program (I.E.P.) Team meets within 15 school days of the completed referral to discuss the referral concerns, determine if evaluations are required, and determine appropriate evaluations to conduct, if indicated. Parental Consent to Conduct Evaluations is completed and signed by the parent.
8. Within 45 school days of consent, the Individual Education Program (I.E.P.) Team meets to review the results, determines if the child meets the criteria for identification as a student with an educational disability as stated in the State and Federal Regulations and develops an Individual Education Program, if indicated.
* Of special note in this referral process: Certain diagnoses are medical in nature and are diagnosed only by medical doctors. Please bring any and all documentation to the school that relates to Attention Deficit Disorder with or without Hyperactivity, physical disabilities, congenital disabilities, traumatic brain injuries, visual or hearing impairments, and other health impairments. The job of the Individual Education Program (I.E.P.) Team is to determine if the medical disability results in a significant educational impact that requires specialized instruction through special education services.
Updated 12/2012/jow