Georgia Department of Education Special Education Rule 160-4-7-.03 Regarding Child Find Procedures (Adopted June 14, 2007, Effective July 1, 2007)
Code: IDDF (3)
160-4-7-.03 CHILD FIND PROCEDURES.
(a) Each LEA must have in effect policies and procedures to ensure that all suspected children with disabilities, including those who are homeless, are wards of the State or are attending private schools, regardless of the severity of their disability, and who are in need of special education and related services, are identified, located and evaluated. [34 C.F.R. § 300.111]
(b) Each LEA shall ensure that before conducting any significant activity that is designed to identify, locate or evaluate children, annual notice must be published or announced in newspapers or other media, or both, to notify parents of this activity. [34 C.F.R. § 300.612 (b)]
(c) These policies and procedures shall provide for the screening and evaluation of all children with suspected disabilities birth through age 21 to include:
1. Children birth through age three. An LEA may fulfill its child find responsibility through referral to the Babies Can’t Wait early intervention program operated by the Department of Human Resources, Division of Public Health.
2. Preschool children, ages 3-5, not yet eligible for state-funded kindergarten.
3. Children enrolled in the LEA schools including public charter schools.
(i) Children who are suspected of being children with disabilities and in need of special education, even though they are progressing from grade to grade. [34 C.F.R. § 300.111(c)(1)]
(ii) Highly mobile children, including migrant children. [34 C.F.R. § 300.111(c)(2)]
4. Children who are detained or incarcerated in city/county operated jails or correctional facilities.
5. Children who reside in the LEA and are enrolled in home school/study programs.
6. Parentally-placed private school children. [34 C.F.R. § 300.131(a)]
(i) Children enrolled by their parents in private, including religious, elementary and secondary schools located in the LEA’s jurisdiction. [34 C.F.R. § 300.130]
(d) A practical method is developed and implemented to determine which children are currently receiving needed special education and related services. [34 C.F.R. § 300.111 (a)(ii)]
1. Each LEA shall submit to the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE), in an electronic format specified by GaDOE, data requested by the GaDOE on all children ages three through twenty-one who have been found eligible for special education and related services.
2. All data shall be accurate and timely. [34 C.F.R. § 300.645]
(2) INTERVENTIONS PRIOR TO REFERRAL.
(a) The screening of children by a teacher or specialist to determine appropriate instructional strategies for curriculum implementation shall not be considered to be an evaluation for eligibility for special education and related services. [34 C.F.R. § 300.302]
(b) Student referrals must be preceded by evidenced based academic and/or behavioral interventions.
(3) This rule shall become effective July 1, 2007.
Authority O.C.G.A. § 20-2-152; 20-2-240.
Adopted: June 14, 2007 Effective: July 1, 2007
Coweta County School
System
Student Support Team Information
To ensure the educational success of each of our students, the Coweta County School System is now utilizing a framework developed by the Georgia Department of Education entitled the Student Achievement Pyramid of Interventions. This framework for instruction is organized as four layers, called Tiers. Each tier offers increasingly intensive instructional efforts that are provided to students based on their individual needs.
Tier 1 and Tier 2 interventions are implemented and documented in the general education program by the classroom teacher. Tier 2 interventions could also be implemented through school programs that exist outside of the classroom. This added flexibility within the general education classroom enables teachers to differentiate instruction to meet the needs of each student without implementing the formalized Student Support Team (SST) process.
If a student does not achieve success through Tier 1 and Tier 2 interventions, research-based Tier 3 interventions can be implemented through the formal SST process. Tier 4 was developed specifically for students who need specialized instruction that cannot be provided through the general education program alone.
Is this SST process mandated?
Yes. Student Support Team (SST) is defined in Georgia Board Rule 160-4-2-.32. Therefore, if your child is found to need support on the Tier 3 level (SST) a formalized procedure will be started. SST is a general education, problem-solving process that is implemented in every school in Georgia. The purpose of SST is to provide support to both teachers and students with the goal of improving student performance. Parents are always an integral part of the SST.
Can the SST refer students for evaluation? For special education consideration?
Yes, a student can be referred for psycho-educational evaluation as part of the SST process. However, referral for evaluation occurs ONLY after reasonable classroom interventions of sufficient duration have been carefully implemented without success, and the SST agrees that the evaluation would provide additional information that would aid in developing additional interventions to promote student success.
Yes, a student can be referred for special education eligibility determination by the SST. However, referral for evaluation occurs ONLY after reasonable classroom interventions of sufficient duration have been carefully implemented without success, and the cause of the problem is suspected to be a disability that cannot be resolved without special education services.
Our goal is for each student to successfully participate in the general education program.
Coweta County School System's Pyramid of Interventions
Coweta County
School System Child Find Information
2008-09
