Each public school district is responsible for identifying, locating, and evaluating all children who may be eligible for special education. This is known as “Child Find.” Parents, teachers, or other school personnel may refer a child for evaluation to determine whether a child may be eligible for special education.

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  If a student is referred for special education services, a Planning and Placement Team meeting will be held to decide whether or not evaluations should be completed. The PPT is a team composed of the child’s parents or guardians, teachers, related service staff (such as speech pathologists, physical therapists, school psychologists, etc.), and school administrators.

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  Determination of Eligibility: To be eligible for special education and related services, a child must be determined to have one of the following disabilities, and due to this disability, require special education and related services:

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  • Autism • Deaf-blindness • Deafness • Emotional disturbance • Hearing impairment • Intellectual disability • Multiple disabilities • Orthopedic impairment • Other health impairment/attention deficit • Specific learning disability/dyslexia • Speech or language impairment • Traumatic brain injury • Visual impairment including blindness • Developmental delay (only for ages 3-5)

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  The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a federal law that sets forth specific requirements that must be met so that each child with a disability who is found eligible for special education will receive an appropriate program to meet their specialized educational needs. The PPT, or IEP Team creates the individualized education plan based on students' special education needs.

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