Authority:  34 C.F.R. Part 300;  19 T.A.C. Chapter 89, Texas Education Code (TEC);

INITIAL REFERRAL FOR EVALUATION

  FEDERAL AND  STATE REQUIREMENTS CITATIONS

Referral of students for a full and individual initial evaluation for possible special education services shall be a part of the district’s overall, general education referral or screening system.

89.1011

TEC 38.016(c)(1)

All children with disabilities residing in the State, including children with disabilities attending private schools, regardless of the severity of their disability, and who are in need of special education and related services, shall be identified, located, and evaluated. 300.125(a)(1)(i)

 

  • The term child with a disability means a child evaluated in accordance with Full and Individual Evaluation as having mental retardation, a hearing impairment including deafness, a speech or language impairment, a visual impairment including blindness, serious emotional disturbance (hereafter referred to as emotional disturbance), an orthopedic impairment, autism, traumatic brain injury, an other health impairment, a specific learning disability, deaf-blindness, or multiple disabilities, and who, by reason thereof, needs special education and related services.
300.7(a)(1)

 

  • If it is determined, through an appropriate Full and Individual Evaluation, that a child has one of the disabilities, but only needs a related service (under Federal and State standards) and not special education, the child is not a child with a disability under IDEA.
300.7(a)(2)

 

  • The term special education means specially designed instruction, at no cost to the parents, to meet the unique needs of a student with a disability.
300.26(a)(1)

 

  • Specially-designed instruction means adapting, as appropriate to the needs of an eligible student under this part, the content, methodology, or delivery of instruction:
300.26(b)(3)

 

  • To address the unique needs of the student that result from the student's disability.
300.26(b)(3)(i)
  • AND to ensure access of the student to the general curriculum, so that he or she can meet the educational standards within the jurisdiction of the public agency that apply to all students.
300.26(b)(3)(ii)

 

  • The obligation to make FAPE available to each eligible child residing in the State begins no later than the child's third birthday; and an IEP must be in effect for the child by that date.
300.121(c)(1)

 

  • If a child's third birthday occurs during the summer, the child's IEP team shall determine the date when services under the IEP will begin.
300.121(c)(2)

 

These child find requirements apply to: 300.125(a)(2)
  • Highly mobile children with disabilities (such as migrant and homeless children).
300.125(a)(2)(i)
  • Children who are suspected of being a child with a disability and in need of special education, even though they are advancing from grade to grade.
300.125(a)(2)(ii)
Document that prior to referral, the student was considered for all support services available to all students, such as: 89.1011
  • Tutorials.
89.1011
  • Remedial services.
89.1011
  • Compensatory services.
89.1011
Document that the student continued to experience difficulty in the general classroom after the provision of interventions. 89.1011
Provide a copy of the procedural safeguards  notice. 300.504(a)(1)
Provide a copy of A Guide to the Admission, Review, & Dismissal Process as soon as practicable after a child is referred to determine the child's eligibility for admission into the district's special education program, but at least five school days before the date of the initial meeting of the admission, review, and dismissal committee. TEC 26.0081(b)(1)
Conduct a Determination of Needed Evaluation Data, if appropriate. 300.533
Provide Notice of Evaluation. 300.503(a)(1)(i)
Obtain CONSENT FOR A FULL AND INDIVIDUAL EVALUATION. 300.505(a)(1)(i)
A written report for a full individual and initial evaluation of a student shall be completed not later than sixty calendar days following the date on which the school district receives written consent for the evaluation signed by the student's parent or legal guardian.

TEC 29.004

TEC 29.0041