Referral for Special Education
For the purpose of this guide, a written referral for Special
Education means you are ready to begin the process of determining
eligibility. Referrals for special education must be made in writing
and should be sent to the Special Education Director. Include
a statement within your referral that you want to determine eligibility
for special education. Once the referral is received the school
has 15 school days to convene a Pupil Evaluation Team (PET). This
is the first step in the process of determining eligibility. Refer
to Sample Letter titled Request For Referral for Special Education
Initial PET Meeting and Educational Evaluation(s) at the end of
this Chapter.
| Timeline
for Written Referral for Special Education |
| School
provides parental consent form 15 school
days after receipt of the written referral. |
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For a child that has been served by CDS, there will be a transition
team meeting scheduled the spring prior to school entry. The CDS
site that has been providing services is responsible for notifying
the local school district before your child enters public school.
The Transitional ECT/PET will review ongoing special education
eligibility within the public school setting.
| “The regional
site Board is responsible for ensuring that all children
age 5 being served by the regional site have transition
ECT meetings with the receiving public school no later
than spring of the year in which the child becomes eligible
for public school.” (Chapter 180, IX, (7). |
|
Other Reasons For Referrals
- A kindergarten screening;
- Through direct assessment or indirect means within the first
30 days of the school year (by classroom observations or academic
performance); and
- During the first 30 days of enrollment for any student transferring
into the school district.
A school must have a written policy regarding these referrals
and act upon them in a timely manner. All referrals for special
education and educational evaluation need to be directed to a
PET and a meeting must be convened within 15 school days.
The Four Ways Referrals Can Be Made
- School Staff - professionals (i.e.: teachers,
guidance counselors); or
School's Team - STAT, CARE, and Staffings;
- Parents - made in writing directly to the
Special Education Director, Principal, or Superintendent;
- Others - made by professionals external to
the school (DHS, DBDS); and
- CDS - made by CDS personnel prior to enrollment
in public school.
As a parent you may make a referral to special education for
your child at any time. The school cannot require you to access
a "pre-referral” or "Student Assistance Team”
process prior to convening a PET Meeting to review your referral.
This PET Meeting is the initial meeting to review the referral,
review any existing evaluation data and to determine the need
for additional evaluations.
A school must have a procedure in place that ensures all students
between the ages of 3 and 20 years old, who are in need of special
education and supportive assistance, are located, evaluated, and
identified.
FMI: See, MSER, Chapter 101, "Child
Find" Section 7.9 for a complete description of the term
"all students."
| “Each unit shall
develop a written policy, consistent with this rule,
regarding referral to the Pupil Evaluation Team. All
referrals to the Pupil Evaluation Team will be acted
upon in a timely manner and a Pupil Evaluation Team
shall convene within 15 school days of the receipt of
the referral to review existing evaluation data and
determine the need for additional evaluations (see p.
9.8, Determination of Needed Evaluation Data, and p.
9.9, Requirements if Additional Data Are Not Needed).”
(MSER, Chapter 101, Section 7.7, page 36) |
|
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If the
referral isn't made in writing, there is no way to ensure
that the timeline for response will be followed. |
| What Has Worked For Me As
A Teacher |
|
Most of my students are already
identified when they come to middle school. On occasions
when I do receive a referral, special education procedures
are followed. I always talk to the parents by phone
or in person prior to the PET so they will know what
to expect.
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| What Has Worked For Me As
a Parent ... |
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“When I first started talking
about my concerns about my child reversing letters,
I was told she would grow out of it. When I finally
requested in writing that she be referred for testing
to find out if she had learning disabilities, we found
out how to help her and she got the services she needed.
She used to cry and feel badly that she wasn’t
doing well at school. A year and a half later, she
made honor roll and loves school.”
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