Information for parents of children ages 3-5 who:
If your child has not received any services from Early Intervention but you now have questions about his development (ages 3-5), you should direct your questions to your local school district. Although Special Education services are delivered through your school district, you may first want to discuss your concerns with someone outside the school district. I recommend first discussing your concerns with your child's physician. If you are not satisfied with the results of that conversation there are many other places you can turn. In New York State, I recommend calling your local Early Childhood Direction Center. This is a good place to call if you simply question or wonder about your child's development but do not feel comfortable contacting your school district in fear it may be detrimental to your child's educational experience to indicate a problem when you are not sure whether one truly exists. The Early Childhood Direction Center can address your concerns and provide you with information and support as to how to proceed. If you live in another state, try calling your Public Health Department for information on who to call for information and support.
NOTE: Although the definitions of "Disability" and "Delay" are debated within the medical community (Disability meaning permanent and Delay meaning it will be overcome in time with proper intervention), for educational purposes the term disability is used to cover both circumstances.
If a child aged 3 - 5 is suspected of having a disability (or delay) that may require special educational services, these services are delivered by your local school district. The process begins with a referral to your local school district and continues with an evaluation and then a meeting with a number of individuals. In New York State, the team of individuals that meet to determine eligibility and needed services for children ages 3-5 is called the Committee for Preschool Special Education (CPSE). For school-aged children, the team is called the Committee for Special Education (CSE).-
The bulk of this process occurs during the IEP Team (CPSE) meeting. At this meeting the evaluation findings are presented and discussed and eligibility is determined. If the child is determined eligible for Preschool Special Education Services, the type, frequency, and duration of services is determined. During this meeting it is also determined what would be the best environment for the child to receive the needed services. This is called "Least Restrictive Environment". All of these items are written into an Individualized Education Program (IEP).
With so much happening during this meeting, naturally, you want to know who is on the IEP Team. The members of this team may include:
Your State's Education Laws may also add members to this list. For instance, in New York State members further include a Parent Representative (this is a parent of a child with a disability residing in your school district) and a representative of the city, county or borough.
It is important that you take note that with the 1997 Reauthorization of IDEA, the parents' role on the IEP Team has changed. Parents are now key decision-makers on the Team and are not just there to provide information about their child. Parents are now considered an equal member of this Team in all regards. Parents are expected to be equal participants in developing, reviewing and revising their child's IEP. Furthermore, parents are also expected to be an equal member of the Team in determining their child's eligibility and educational placement.
If your child has been receiving services form Early Intervention and the IFSP Team finds your child potentially eligible for Preschool Special Education, the referral will be made to your local school district.
If your child has not received services from Early Intervention, the referral can be made by your child's physician or any other professional. You, the parent, can also refer your child to the IEP Team by simply writing a letter stating that you are referring your child and why.
After your school district has received the referral for your child, you will be asked to sign a form giving the school district "Parental Consent" to perform an initial evaluation. You are to be given information that describes any evaluation procedures that they propose to conduct.
Parental consent for evaluation is not consent for placement or receipt of special education and related services -- it is just for the evaluation. If you refuse consent for the evaluation, the school may continue to pursue an evaluation through Due Process procedures.
The evaluation is at no cost to you, the parents, and must be completed within 30 school days. The CPSE meeting must also take place within this 30-day period.
The initial evaluation is to consist of procedures that will determine whether a child is a child with a disability and to determine the educational needs of the child. In conducting the evaluation, the school is to use a variety of assessment tools and strategies to gather relevant functional and developmental information, including information provided by the parent. IDEA states that the evaluating agency is not to use any single procedure as the sole criterion for determining whether a child is a child with a disability or determining an appropriate educational program for the child.
A summary report of the findings is sent to the IEP Team and to you, the parent.
The meetings differ slightly from school to school, but the same things need to be accomplished. Generally, the evaluation findings are presented and discussed first. Also, if your child has been previously receiving services (from Early Intervention, etc.) the service providers will read recent progress reports they have written about your child. You, as an equal member of this Team, are also expected to add any relevant information and concerns.
Usually, it is at this point that the Team determines eligibility. In New York State, "A Preschool Child With a Disability" is a child with a 12 month delay in one or more areas; OR a 33% delay in one area or a 25% delay in two areas; OR a score of 2.0 standard deviations below the mean in one area or a score of 1.5 standard deviations below the mean in two areas of standardized test. However, children are also eligible if they have a specific diagnosis of autism, deafness, deaf-blind, hard of hearing, orthopedically impaired, other health-impaired (which is where a diagnosis of ADHD commonly falls), traumatic brain injured, or visually impaired.
A MOMENT FOR CLARIFICATION: Your school district is not qualified to medically diagnose your child with any disability. If you suspect that your child has a disability, you need to seek out the appropriate medical specialist to obtain such a diagnosis and develop a treatment plan. The school district is responsible only for the education of your child. If you have a medical diagnosis of disability, the IEP Team can take this diagnosis and use it to determine eligibility for Special Education services. However, if you do not have a medical diagnosis from the appropriate specialist, the IEP Team may find your child eligible for Special Education by using the other qualifications. It is important for you to understand the very different roles of the school district and medical professionals. However, it is also very important that your school district and the medical professionals work together as each of these areas directly affect each other. It is, therefor, very important that you maintain complete records on your child so you can be sure that all these different professionals can remain informed about what the others are doing. (And take these records with you to every single appointment -- just in case!)
From the Individuals with Disabilities Educational Act Amendments of1997, Section 602. DEFINITIONS
"CHILD WITH A DISABILITY
A) IN GENERAL -- The term "child with a disability" means a child --
i) with mental retardation, hearing impairments including deafness), speech or language impairments, visual impairments (including blindness), serious emotional disturbance (hereinafter referred to as emotional disturbance), orthopedic impairments, autism, traumatic brain injury, other health impairments, or specific learning disabilities; and
ii) who, by reason thereof, needs special education and related services.
B)children aged 3 through 9 -- The term "child with a disability" for a child aged 3 through 9 may, at the discretion of the State and the local educational agency, include a child
i) experiencing developmental delays, as defined by the State and as measured by appropriate diagnostic instruments and procedures, in one or more of the following areas: physical development, cognitive development, communication development, social or emotional development, or adaptive development; and
ii) who, by reason thereof, needs special education and related services"
If your child is determined as a child with a disability, the Team will then move on to developing an IEP for your child.
Now would be a good time to visit The IEP! (Not Up Yet, Sorry!)
Preschool Special Education services available in your school district may include the following:
Related Services -- The most common related services are Speech, Physical and Occupational Therapies.
Special Education Itinerant Teacher (SEIT) services -- Provides the services of a certified Special Education Teacher who works directly with the student and/or indirectly with classroom teachers.
Special Class in an Integrated Setting -- Disabled and nondisabled children are together in a class that includes a Special Education Teacher and other support personnel. The class size may range from 12 - 24 students. Related services are provided as needed and classes are about 2 1/2 hours per day.
Special Class -- These typically have 12 students, 1 teacher, and 1 aide. Classes are 2 1/2 hours per day and related services may also be provided.
Residential Services -- For children who require intensive 24 hour per day care. Special Education and other related services are provided for a minimum of 5 hours per day, 5 days per week.
Go To MEETING TIPS
TRUST. Parents of special needs children find it very difficult to find the courage to trust the care and development of their child to others. Parents who have been involved with Early Intervention or receiving other services for their child in their home find it particularly difficult to send their special needs child off to school. What is most difficult is to determine whether your fears are due to your own emotional ties or genuinely based on what you feel is best for your child. Most often, our children handle this transition fine given some time and we learn from hindsight that we, the parents, had more trouble "letting go" than our child did with doing something new.
TRANSPORTATION. In addition to concerns about the quality of care, amount of attention, and educational experiences that your child will receive in the classroom, parents often find themselves struggling with the aspect of transportation. Often the thought of putting a young child with special needs on a school bus arouses questions about the bus driver and monitor's background and experience.
POTTY TRAINING. Although I believe it is up to each individual program to decide whether they require children to be potty trained, it is very unrealistic for a program specializing in special education to have such a requirement. Often it is these programs that help parents of special needs children answer questions such as "How can I potty train my child when he can't talk, walk, etc.?"
STAYING INVOLVED. If your child has been receiving services in your home, making the transition to a preschool setting can make you feel out of touch. Especially if you have been very involved with your child\rquote s therapy or other services. Visiting your child in the classroom, calling the teacher, or keeping a notebook in your child's back pack, are all good ways of staying involved and up-to-date.
MY CHILD IS NOT AT THE LEVEL OF THE OTHER CHILDREN IN THE CLASS. When I visited the Preschool Special Education classroom prior to Emily's transitioning, I was very hurt by how far behind she was from the other students. I am now passing along the advice that I was given: Keep in mind that the make-up of the class is very likely to change, with many moving on to Kindergarten and many new students entering the program. Also, Emily's progress was remarkable after only a couple weeks in preschool. And remember that at this stage, your decisions may be reversible given your state's laws regarding the "window" around the child's age.
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