What is Referral?
A referral is a written request for an evaluation that is given to the school district when a child is suspected of having a disability and might need special education services. Typically, the student suspected of having a disability should first be referred to the Intervention and Referral Services I&RS) Team, to put interventions in place to support the student's suspected needs. If, as a result of the interventions recommended by the team, the student continues to experience difficulties in the general education classroom, the I&RS Team will determine the next course of action which could include amending the Action Plan, determining 504 eligibility, or referring the student to the Child Study Team for evaluation.
How is a student referred for a Child Study Team Evaluation?
Students between the ages of 3 and 21 suspected of having an educational disability may be referred to the Child Study Team for an evaluation.
Who can make a referral?
I&RS: School staff and/or the building administrator(s) can refer a student to the Child Study Team through their school-based Intervention and Referral Service(I&RS) Teams. The I&RS Teams are building-based, interdisciplinary teams that meet regularly to develop intervention plans for students experiencing significant academic and/or social/emotional difficulties in the classroom. Once the I&RS Team has exhausted its resources and determines that additional information may be necessary, or feels that the student may demonstration an educational disability, the I&RS Team forwards a Child Study Team referral to the Direct or Special Services. The Director of Special Services forwards the request to the school’s Child Study Team who schedules an Initial Planning Meeting with the parent(s), Child Study Team and the student’s teacher(s) to discuss the student’s academic and/or social/emotional difficulties. The need for further evaluation for Special Education and Related Services is determined at this meeting.
PARENT(S): Parent(s) may initiate a Child Study Team referral for their child who may be experiencing significant academic and/or social/emotional difficulties in the classroom by forwarding a request in writing to the Director of Special Services. The referral must be an original hard copy document signed in ink with a pen.
ADMINISTRATORS or OUTSIDE AGENCIES: If a student is experiencing significant academic and/or social/emotional difficulties in the classroom and the intervention plan has been unsuccessful in mitigating these difficulties the Principal, other building administrators or an individual from a state agency may refer a student to the Child Study Team.