Initial Evaluation and Eligibility for Special Education

Preschool Students

Guidance for Initial Implementation of IEP

Scenario I

Parent did NOT sign Consent for the Initial Provision of Special Education Services within 30 days of Initial Eligibility Meeting. Parent contacts school district several weeks, months, year/s after Initial Eligibility meeting to initiate services.

NEXT STEPS:

• Child will be routed through Initial Eligibility process for team to consider current data, additional data (if needed) and determine if still eligible


• If determined eligible, IEP is written, consent obtained, Prior Written Notice (PWN) sent to parent, services begin

NOTE:

If a family contacts the school district for 4k or 5k services but is NOT interested in special education services, no further action is needed.

Scenario II

Parent signed Consent for the Initial Provision of Special Education Services, but student stopped attending or never showed up for services. Parent contacts school district several weeks, months, year/s after Initial Eligibility meeting to initiate services.

NEXT STEPS:

• Child will be routed through Transfer Process, IEP team must then follow In State OR Out of State Transfer Procedures dependent on child’s transfer information: See the Transfer IEPs section of the manual.

NOTE:

If a family contacts the school district for 4k or 5k services but DOES NOT want to initiate previous special education services, follow revocation procedures.

Scenario III

Preschool student is eligible for special education services. The IEP is developed between April 1st and the last day of the school year. The parent signed the Consent for the Initial Provision of Special Education Services. The parent indicates they would like to delay services until the beginning of the next school year.

NEXT STEPS:

• The initiation date on the IEP will remain as written to reflect the initiation date based on:
  
  • the student’s third birthday if BabyNet,
  • the date the team determined as the initiation date of services if NOT Baby Net and parent was NOT delaying services.


• Following receipt of the parent’s/guardian’s signature on the Consent for Initial Provision of Special Education Services document, the Child Find Team member/Case Manager will enter the parent’s/guardian’s response, including the date the Consent for the Initial Provision of Service was signed, in the Initial Eligibility Process section under the Eligibility Determination tab. All attempts to obtain consent must be documented in the “Contact Log” if the parent did not attend the meeting in person. In the event that verbal consent is provided, the PWN must clearly indicate this and the PWN must be uploaded and titled "Consent for Services with the date."


• Have the parent/guardian state in writing that they do not want services until August of the upcoming school year. Upload this statement into the IEP software system.


• Child Find Team member documents in the PWN that the family is choosing to delay the start of services until the beginning of the next school year.


• Child Find Team member completes the Additions and Changes Form indicating the family is choosing to delay the start of services until the beginning of the next school year. (As an inactive student the student is still eligible and has an IEP start date.)


• Child Find Teams must encourage the families to pre-register their child at their homebased or assigned school as soon as possible during the summer. In order to be routed for district transportation by the first day of school parents must go to the school to preregister the student no later than the last week in July.


• The Case Manager MUST create the progress report as delineated in the frequency of progress reports to parents on the IEP and indicate in the progress report that the child has not yet attended.


• At the beginning of the school year Case Managers will contact the parent to discuss changes needed to the initiation date of the IEP either through an Agreement to Amend Without a Meeting or by holding a Special Review meeting.

Scenario IV

The Preschool office is notified of families interested in their child receiving services for the upcoming school year for 4 or 5K and/or the preschool office begins comparing our inactive files with PowerSchool pre-enrolled 4k and 5k students for upcoming school year.

NEXT STEPS:

• Follow Scenarios I or II depending on if Consent for the Initial Provision of Services was previously received within one week prior to the start of the new school year
  
  • If child is a rising 5K student, the Preschool office will provide the special education file to the Elementary Specialist for the child’s homebase school.
  • If child is a rising 4K student, the Preschool office will route the special education file to the assigned Preschool Case Manager.

Scenario V

Preschool student is eligible for special education services and will turn 3 after the last day of the school year.

NEXT STEPS:

• IEP team will convene to develop the Initial IEP to begin the first day of school and complete the PWN.


• Child Find Team member obtains the signed Consent for the Initial Provision of Special Education Services and enters the response and date consent is signed in the Initial Eligibility Process section under the Eligibility Determination tab.

Scenario VI

Preschool student is eligible, but parent declines services by either indicating “I Do Not Give Permission” on the Consent for the Initial Provision of Special Education Services form, or by not responding within 30 calendar days of the eligibility determination meeting.

NEXT STEPS:

• Multiple attempts to obtain consent must be documented in the “Contact Log” IF the parent did not attend the meeting in person.


• Child Find service provider/Case Manager sends PWN to parent.


• Child Find service provider/Case Manager enters the response from the parent into the Initial Eligibility Process section under the Eligibility Determination tab.


• Child Find service provider notifies the Preschool Special Education Clerk of the meeting outcome(s) though the Additions and Changes form.


• Preschool Special Education Clerk inactivates the student with exit reason of “dropped out”.


• If and when a student returns for services, follow Scenario I