WHAT DOES IT MEAN WHEN MY CHILD HAS BEEN "REFERRED?"
When a child is 'referred" to the Special Education Department it means that someone has requested and completed a referral form because they have specific concerns regarding the child possibly having a disability. A referral form can be requested and filled out by any of the following: parents, relatives, teachers, doctors, childcare providers, teachers of other outside agencies. The Individualized Education Plan (IEP) process begins once the Special Education Department receives the referral. Once it is determined if testing is needed parents will receive a notice indicating what tests will be administered and by whom. This notice also contains a consent form, which requires the parents signature indicating permission to test the child or not.

WHO WILL TEST (EVALUATE) MY CHILD?

Who evaluates your child depends upon the specific concerns brought up by the referral. For instance if the referral is in regard to the child's speech and/or language development a speech and language pathologist would evaluate the child, if the referral was in regard to learning ability a teacher qualified to teach children with learning disabilities would administer the tests. Others who may test include the school psychologist, physical therapist, occupation therapist and/or a special education teacher. In most circumstances people who have evaluated your child are also part of your child's IEP Team.

WHAT IS AN IEP TEAM?

An IEP team is a group of people who will be working together to determine whether your child has a disability. The IEP team is typically made up of a special education teacher, a regular education teacher, a school psychologist, an LEA and the parent(s) of the child. After the evaluation is completed an IEP meeting will be set up in order for the IEP Team members to discuss the findings, determine whether the child is deemed to have a disability and to talk about what programs and services will best benefit the child.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER MY CHILD IS EVALUATED?

If your child is found to have an education related disability and a need for special education services, you along with the other team members will develop and IEP (Individualized Education Plan).If it has been determined through the evaluation that your child does not have a disability, the team will recommend services (other than special education) that can be offered by the district and/or outside agencies to support your child.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN FOLLOWING THE IEP MEETING?

Following the IEP meeting the program that the IEP team put together will begin to be implemented at the school your child would attend if he/she were not disabled. If however, the IEP team has determined that the needs of the child cannot be met at the school he/she would normally attend if determined not to have a disability, service will be arranged and provided at another school as soon as possible.

IS MY CHILD REQUIRED TO ATTEND THIS MEETING?
At age 14 the law requires the child to be invited to the IEP meeting as an IEP team member. It is at this age that discussions regarding transition programming typically begin to take place. Your child however is NOT REQUIRED by law to attend meetings at this or at any other time.  Whether your child attends is a decision to be made by your family and if requested, with input from teachers.

HOW DOES  A CHILD BECOME ELIGIBLE FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION?
The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) has issued a specific set guidelines and criteria that schools need to follow when assessing a child for special needs. Through the assessments staff would determine whether or not your child has met the specific criteria for a given disability area. If your child has met those criteria they would then be eligible for special education.

WHAT KIND OF SERVICES MAY I EXPECT MY CHILD TO RECEIVE IF THEY QUALIFY FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION?
This depends greatly upon the disability area(s) that your child qualified under and what type of needs your child is shown to have from the evaluation findings. Your child will be assigned a special education teacher who may or may not act as the students case manager also. The case manager and other IEP team members, including the parent(s) will develop specific goals that will become part of the IEP; the child's Individual Education Plan. 

MY CHILD WAS ASSESSED BY THE DISTRICT, DID NOT QUALIFY BUT IS STILL HAVING DIFFICULTIES IN THE CLASSROOM, ARE THERE ANY OTHER SERVICES FOR HIM/HER?
There are a variety of other regular education services available to students who are shown to be struggling academically, but who do not qualify for special education. Depending on the school some of these services may include, Title 1 Reading Services, tutoring, volunteer support in the classroom, a regular education intervention plan or a 504 Service Plan.

WHAT IS IDEA?
IDEA is the acronym for the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act which was most recently reauthorized in 2007.
This act is the primary federal law which is designed to improve early intervention and special education for infants, toddlers, young children and youth with disabilities.

HOW CAN I CONNECT WITH OTHER PARENTS/FAMILIES IN THE DISTRICT WHO HAVE CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES?
The following are a couple of ways for you to connect with other parents in the district who have children with disabilities:
Contact the Special Education Department office at 715.247.4848 ext. 575
Contact your child's special education teacher and/or case manager.
 

IF YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR WOULD LIKE FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT THE SPECIAL EDUCATION OFFICE AT 715.247.4848 EXT 575 OR abohatta@somerset.k12.wi.us