Child Find

Greenville County Schools has policy and procedures (Board policy IDDF) in effect to ensure that all children with disabilities who are in need of special education and related services are located, evaluated, and identified. This includes children who attend public or private schools; those who are homeschooled; those who are highly mobile, including migrant and homeless students; Adult Education Students; students in residential treatment and correctional facilities; and those who are wards of the state. The Child Find requirement for school districts applies to children birth to 21. Child Find in South Carolina involves referral to Part C (BabyNet) for children birth to 3, a screening process for children from age 3 through age 5, and a general education intervention process for children from 4K through age 20. District staff, in conjunction with parents, use these processes to locate, evaluate, and identify children who may need special education and related services. For children of school age attending a private elementary or secondary school, the district in which the private school is located is responsible for Child Find. For preschoolers, the district where the child resides is responsible for Child Find, even if the child attends a preschool or a child care facility in another district. Children in need of special education services should be identified as early as possible after a concern is noted. This includes children who are suspected of having a disability even though they are advancing from grade to grade (34 CFR ยง 300.111(a) (c)). Notification to the community is provided in a variety of formats including an annual consultation meeting for private and homeschooled school-aged students and the annual mailing of a Child Find flyer notifying community agencies (private schools, churches, realtors, physicians, attorneys, dentists), through the District's call service, GCS District website, and in-person presentations to community groups when requested.

In Greenville County Schools, there are two different avenues for accessing the Child Find process: Child Find and the On-Track Team. Parents of students aged 3 to 21 and age of majority students who do not attend a public school in Greenville County can contact the Child Find Clinician at 452-0093 to schedule an appointment. Students in grade 4K through grade 12 attending public school in Greenville County Schools are referred for an evaluation through the On-Track Team.

Screening

The screening process, which may lead to a more comprehensive assessment, is provided through Child Find at Greenview Child Development Center or MT Anderson Support Center, depending on the grade level of the child.

Following the initial Child Find appointment if the data gathered indicate a suspected disability, an Evaluation Planning Meeting will be scheduled and held to determine additional data needed for eligibility consideration under the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA). If the data gathered indicate that the student is functioning within a normal range and a disability is not suspected under IDEA, the parent will be provided with Prior Written Notice (PWN) of the District's proposals/refusals related to an evaluation based on the data indicating that no disability is suspected.

General Education Intervention

A general education intervention process for children in grade 4K through grade 12 is provided in each Greenville County the school's On-Track Team. The purpose of general education intervention is to intervene for any child who is presenting academic, behavior, functional, or medical concerns that are significantly impacting the student's access to the curriculum or school activities. The intervention leads to a better understanding of the supports students may need in order to be successful in the general education curriculum and school setting. The data collected during general education intervention assists the On-Track Team in determining if the student may need to be referred for a comprehensive evaluation. Parents must be provided with notice of their child's referral to theOn-Track Team. Parents can obtain additional information about this process by contacting 452-0041.

A parent and/or teacher may make a referral to the A-team, a school-based-solving team, if students are experiencing academic and/or behavioral/social/emotional difficulties in the classroom setting. This team consists of the following:

Once a referral has been made for an evaluation, an Evaluation Planning Meeting is scheduled with the parent and appropriate team members. Following the Evaluation Planning Meeting the evaluator completes the Prior Written Notice (PWN) notifying the parent of a proposal to conduct an Initial Evaluation or a refusal of the parent's request. This Prior Written Notice will include the reasons for the proposal or refusal, as well as other options considered; each evaluation, test, record, or report used as a basis for the proposed or refused action; and other factors relevant to the proposed or refused action. Note: If the parent has requested an evaluation, an Evaluation Planning Meeting must be conducted to consider the parent's request for an evaluation.

Parental Rights in the Child Find Process

The Child Find process is a collaborative one with school personnel working in conjunction with parents to locate, evaluate, and identify children who may need special education and related services. Children in need of special education services or an accommodation for a disability should be identified in a timely manner. If the child is referred for a comprehensive evaluation, informed parental consent must be obtained prior to beginning the evaluation. The Initial Evaluation must be conducted within 60 calendar days of receiving parental consent for the evaluation. The Parent Handbook to Special Education (Procedural Safeguards) contains a full explanation of the Procedural Safeguards.

Additional information about the Child Find process can be obtained via:

Telephone (864-452-0093)

Email (childfind@greenville.k12.sc.us)

District Website