Child Find Notice

CHILD FIND POLICY

Child Find - S 14.121.

1. In addition to the requirements incorporated by reference in 34 CFR 300.111 (relating to child find), each school district shall adopt and use a public outreach awareness system to locate and identify children thought to be eligible for special education within the school district's jurisdiction.
2. Each school district shall conduct awareness activities to inform the public of its early intervention and special education services and programs and the manner in which to request services and programs. Written information shall be published in the school district handbook and school district web site. The public awareness effort must include information regarding potential signs of developmental delays and other risk factors that could indicate disabilities.
3. Each school district shall provide annual public notification, published or announced in newspapers, electronic media and other media, with circulation adequate to notify parents throughout the school district of child identification activities and of the procedures followed to ensure confidentiality of information pertaining to students with disabilities or eligible young children in accordance with this chapter.
4. Intermediate units are responsible for child find activities necessary to provide equitable services consistent with 34 CFR 300.130—300.144, regarding children with disabilities enrolled by their parents in private schools.
5. Systematic screening activities that lead to identification, location and evaluation of children with disabilities will take place on an on-going basis. This includes screening children who are suspected of being a child with a disability even though they are progressing from grade to grade, and highly mobile children, including migrant children, wards of the state and parentally placed private school students, as appropriate.
   1. All students with a disability who are in need of special education and related services shall be identified, located, and evaluated.
   2. A practical method shall be developed and implemented to determine which students are currently receiving needed special education and related services.
   3. This policy applies to children, including highly mobile and migrant students, who are suspected of having a disability under 5300.8 and in need of special education, even though they are advancing from grade to grade [34 CFR 5300.111(c)].

PROCEDURE

Child Find [34 CFR 5300.311]

1. Maritime Academy will identify, locate, and evaluate all children with a disability within their population served who are in need of special education and related services, even though:
   1. they are advancing from grade to grade; and
   2. are highly mobile
2. Maritime Academy will maintain a record of children who are receiving special education and related services.
3. Special Education Director will place Public Annual Notice on MACHS website, one time per school year.
4. Activities will inform the public and tell them how to request programs and services.
5. Regular and Special Education Teachers understand Child Find requirements.
6. Students who are having difficulty in academic, behavior, or social areas are referred to the Comprehensive Child Study, formerly known as CSR, by their regular education teacher. Students receive interventions and are referred for a multidisciplinary evaluation if they are "thought to be exceptional" after CST process is complete.
7. Identification and referral [AAC R7-2-401 .D]
   1. Maritime Academy implements and disseminates written procedures for the identification and referral of all children with disabilities.
   2. Maritime Academy will require all school-based staff to review the written procedures related to child identification and referral on an annual basis and maintain documentation of the staff review.  
   3. Identification (screening for possible disabilities) shall be completed within 45 calendar days after:
      •       Entry of any student enrolling without appropriate records or screening, evaluation, and progress in school; or
      •       Parent notification of developmental or educational concerns.
   4. Screening procedures shall include vision and hearing status and consideration of the following areas:
      • Cognitive or academic;
      • Communication;
      • Motor;
      • Social or behavioral; and
      • Adaptive development
8. For a student transferring into a school, Maritime Academy will review enrollment data and educational performance in the prior school. If there is a history of special education for a student not currently eligible for special education or poor progress, the name of the student shall be submitted to the administrator for consideration of the need for a referral for a full and individual evaluation or other services.
9. If a concern about a student is identified through screening procedures or review of records, the parents of the student shall be notified of the concern within 10 school days and informed of Maritime Academy's procedures to follow-up on the student's needs.
10. Maritime Academy will maintain documentation of the identification procedures utilized, the dates of entry into school, notification by parents of a concern and the dates of screening. The dates shall be maintained in the student's permanent records.
11. If the screening indicates a possible disability, the name of the student shall be submitted to the administrator for consideration of the need for a referral for a full and individual evaluation or other services. A parent or a student may request an evaluation of the student.
12. If, after consultation with the parent, Maritime Academy determines that a full and individual evaluation is not warranted, Maritime Academy shall provide prior written notice and procedural safeguards notice to the parent in a timely manner. 

What Parents Can Do If They Think Their Child May Qualify for Special Education

Parents who think their child is eligible for special education may request, at any time, that the school conducts a multi-disciplinary evaluation. Some potential signs of a student having a qualifying disability including experiencing years of difficulties in reading, writing or solving math problems, difficulties focusing and concentrating on schoolwork, difficulties sitting still in the classroom, and difficulties controlling emotions (such as anxiety and depression) and/or behaviors. Requests for a multi-disciplinary evaluation must be made in writing to the school's Special Education Office. If a parent makes an oral request for a multidisciplinary evaluation, the school provides the parent with a form for that purpose.

• If the school denies the parents' request for an evaluation, the parents have the right to challenge the denial through an impartial hearing or through voluntary alternative dispute resolution such as mediation. Maritime Academy's Comprehensive Student Review Committee identifies and refers for evaluation students who are thought to be eligible for special education services. These screening and referral processes include testing and evaluation, classroom performance, benchmark examinations, and if necessary referrals to the student assistance program. The school regularly assesses the current achievement and performance of the child, designs school-based interventions, and assesses the effectiveness of interventions. The screening of a student by a teacher or specialist to determine appropriate instructional strategies for curriculum implementation is not to be considered an evaluation for eligibility for special education and related services. If a concern can be addressed without special education services, or if the concern is the result of limited English proficiency or the lack of appropriate instruction, a recommendation may be made for interventions other than a multi-disciplinary team evaluation.
• Parents have the right to request a multidisciplinary team evaluation at any time, regardless of the outcome of the screening process. Moreover, screening or pre-referral intervention activities may not serve as a bar to the right of a parent to request an evaluation, at any time, including prior to or during the conduct of screening or pre-referral intervention activities if parents need additional information regarding the purpose, time, and location of screening activities, they should call or write the school's Special Education Office.