Special Education Referral Process

I interviewed the special education coordinator at my school about the referral process for Special Education.  If the parent or teacher has a concern,students go through a Response to Intervention or RTI process for two to three months. During this stage, the teacher implements various interventions for students identified of needing additional support. Information is being gathered on the student over the two to three months.  The student’s progress is also monitored.  If no improvements are made, the student is referred for an assessment.  An initial Analysis of Existing Data or AED meeting is held to determine if the student should be evaluated.  If a determination is made, the parent must sign a consent form for the child to be evaluated.  Parents, teachers, social workers, psychologists and other specialists are present at the AED meeting.  At that meeting, specialists are listening for any evidences of suspected disabilities.  If a disability is suspected, the student is referred for further assessments.   Examiners have 45 days to complete their educational, social, and or psychological assessments. After assessments are completed,  a second AED meeting is held to go over the assessment report and to determine eligibility for special education services.  If the child is eligible, an Individualized Education Program or IEP developed for the child. Sometimes a draft copy of the IEP is made at the second AEP meeting and the special education teacher will review the draft with parents and other members of the IEP team.  The IEP team will together agree or make adjustments to the draft IEP in order to finalize the IEP.  The team has five days to send the final copy out to the parents.  In other cases, the team will reconvene an IEP meeting a week later and the above process is followed.  The process from the first AED meeting until the second AED eligibility meeting must be completed within 60 days.

I also interviewed a teacher who echoed the process described by the Special Education Coordinator.  However, a parent brought to my attention that her son, a student in my class, began the RTI process but things fell through because it was late in the school year. That led me to believe that although there may be a written or an official process, in reality this process may not always work out smoothly.  

I also learned that the teacher takes responsibility for the progress of the child before and after the referral.  The RTI team supports teacher in  progress monitoring students and collecting data.  The school administration's directive for special education is the principal is the LEA representative.  The principal assigns  a special education coordinator to stay in line with the IDEA and the district’s rules for Special Education.

Different provisions are made for students identified for special education depending on the disability of the student.  Provisions are provided in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)  Goals for the students are aligned with curriculum and standards. Accommodations and  services are  provided in and outside classroom.

Parental involvement is paramount.  Parental involvement starts at the RTI stage.  Teachers  reach out to the parents and work with the RTI team during the tier I phase.  During the tier II phase, parental involvement is mandatory. Parents are provided with a procedural safeguards.  Parents are involved in the interventions and strategies to help their child.

The teacher I spoke to looked for sign for a struggling student by seeing if the child is below level and not making adequate progress.  The child’s behavior is also monitored to see if the child’s  

behavior is having an impact on their learning.  To support students, teachers use small groups, differentiation, scaffolding, and other strategies.