Special Education Referral Procedures
If the RTI process has been followed with fidelity and the student is not benefiting from general education classroom accommodations a Request for Special Education or Section 504 Consideration (Referral) may be tendered. This “referral” must include all of the RTI documentation to be considered. Referrals may not be submitted within the last 50 days of any school year, unless there is a compelling need as per the RTI procedures and/or the student is new to MCAS and there is RTI data from a previous school district. Without the data, however, a referral cannot be submitted. 50 day timelines for 2015-2016.
Request for Special Education or Section 504 Referral
1. The respective Guidance Counselor will request a meeting with the respective School Psychologist to determine the process of referring a child for special education consideration. Along with the completed Referral form, the Guidance Counselor must provide the documentation provided by the classroom teacher that follows the RTI procedures with fidelity. If it does not, it will be forwarded back to the school for proper fidelity to the RTI procedures by the School Psychologist.
2. In the case of oral communication and language (speech and language) concerns, the Guidance Counselor will ask to meet with the respective Speech and Language Therapist who will determine if the RTI data and Referral is sufficient to proceed with an evaluation.
Complete the Referral for Special Education and 504 Consideration form.
3. Once the Referral is completed and it contains the appropriate RTI data, the School Psychologist or Speech Therapist immediately sends this documentation plus the referral form to the MCAS Department of Integrated Student Supports Secretary (same day).
· The Secretary will log-in all referrals with the respective timelines on the Google Docs spreadsheet, CODA, and RDS.
· Any parent-initiated referrals for Special Education Consideration will be immediately forwarded by the Secretary to the Director where personal contact will be made determining the reason for the referral.
· The Director will encourage parents to allow the school to utilize the RTI process and will inform the building Principal, Guidance Counselor, and School Psychologist of the contact. If it is determined that a school staff member encouraged the parent to tender a referral to avoid the RTI procedure the Director will remand the issue to the Building Principal and the Director of Curriculum.
· Once logged in, the Secretary will forward the Referral, along with all RTI documentation to the respective School Psychologist.
4. The School Psychologist will:
· Send to the Parent/Guardian the Notice of the Initial Evaluation/Re-Evaluation and schedule a meeting to gain permission to evaluate.
§ It might be helpful to enlist the help of the Guidance Counselor for this task.
· Create the Initial or Re-Evaluation Permission form in the Indiana IEP electronic process.
· Meet with the Parent/Guardian to obtain written permission to evaluate as per Indiana Article 7 and local protocol. An evaluation is never started without written parental permission to do so on the prescribed form in IIEP. Verbal permission is not legal and a violation of local and state procedures.
· Explain the reason for the referral and the evaluation process.
· Determine timelines for the evaluation and set the case conference date. Talk with the Building Administrator and Guidance Counselor so they can set this date in their calendar. Schedule the conference for a date no more than 40 school days out.
· Present the Parent Permission form for Special Education Evaluation to the parent and gain written permission.
· Present to the parent/guardian their copy of the Procedural Safeguards / Parent Rights and Options
· Send the Consent for Evaluation form to the Department Secretary the day it is obtained.
· Notify the Department Secretary of the permission to evaluate and the date of the conference the date permission is received via phone call or an E-mail message.
5. The Speech Therapist will:
· Send to the Parent/Guardian the Notice of the Initial Evaluation/Re-Evaluation and schedule a meeting to gain permission to evaluate.
§ It might be helpful to enlist the help of the Guidance Counselor for this task.
· Create the Initial or Re-Evaluation Permission form in the Indiana IEP electronic process.
· Meet with the Parent/Guardian to obtain written permission to evaluate as per Indiana Article 7 and local protocol. An evaluation is never started without written parental permission to do so on the prescribed form in IIEP. Verbal permission is not legal and a violation of local and state procedures.
· Explain the reason for the referral and the evaluation process.
· Determine timelines for the evaluation and set the case conference date. Talk with the Building Administrator and Guidance Counselor so they can set this date in their calendar. Schedule the conference for a date no more than 40 school days out.
· Present the Parent Permission form for Special Education Evaluation to the parent and gain written permission.
· Present to the parent/guardian their copy of the Procedural Safeguards / Parent Rights and Options
· Send the Consent for Evaluation form to the Department Secretary the day it is obtained.
· Notify the Department Secretary of the permission to evaluate and the date of the conference the date permission is received via phone call or an E-mail message.
6. The Secretary will:
· Start the 50-day time clock for the evaluation.
· Log the referral on Google Docs, CODA, and RDS.
· Notify the Respective Principal of the referral.
*During the pendency of the referral, the child is under IDEIA and Indiana Article 7 protections and may not be denied a free appropriate public education at any time.
Request for Special Education or Section 504 Referral
1. The respective Guidance Counselor will request a meeting with the respective School Psychologist to determine the process of referring a child for special education consideration. Along with the completed Referral form, the Guidance Counselor must provide the documentation provided by the classroom teacher that follows the RTI procedures with fidelity. If it does not, it will be forwarded back to the school for proper fidelity to the RTI procedures by the School Psychologist.
2. In the case of oral communication and language (speech and language) concerns, the Guidance Counselor will ask to meet with the respective Speech and Language Therapist who will determine if the RTI data and Referral is sufficient to proceed with an evaluation.
Complete the Referral for Special Education and 504 Consideration form.
3. Once the Referral is completed and it contains the appropriate RTI data, the School Psychologist or Speech Therapist immediately sends this documentation plus the referral form to the MCAS Department of Integrated Student Supports Secretary (same day).
· The Secretary will log-in all referrals with the respective timelines on the Google Docs spreadsheet, CODA, and RDS.
· Any parent-initiated referrals for Special Education Consideration will be immediately forwarded by the Secretary to the Director where personal contact will be made determining the reason for the referral.
· The Director will encourage parents to allow the school to utilize the RTI process and will inform the building Principal, Guidance Counselor, and School Psychologist of the contact. If it is determined that a school staff member encouraged the parent to tender a referral to avoid the RTI procedure the Director will remand the issue to the Building Principal and the Director of Curriculum.
· Once logged in, the Secretary will forward the Referral, along with all RTI documentation to the respective School Psychologist.
4. The School Psychologist will:
· Send to the Parent/Guardian the Notice of the Initial Evaluation/Re-Evaluation and schedule a meeting to gain permission to evaluate.
§ It might be helpful to enlist the help of the Guidance Counselor for this task.
· Create the Initial or Re-Evaluation Permission form in the Indiana IEP electronic process.
· Meet with the Parent/Guardian to obtain written permission to evaluate as per Indiana Article 7 and local protocol. An evaluation is never started without written parental permission to do so on the prescribed form in IIEP. Verbal permission is not legal and a violation of local and state procedures.
· Explain the reason for the referral and the evaluation process.
· Determine timelines for the evaluation and set the case conference date. Talk with the Building Administrator and Guidance Counselor so they can set this date in their calendar. Schedule the conference for a date no more than 40 school days out.
· Present the Parent Permission form for Special Education Evaluation to the parent and gain written permission.
· Present to the parent/guardian their copy of the Procedural Safeguards / Parent Rights and Options
· Send the Consent for Evaluation form to the Department Secretary the day it is obtained.
· Notify the Department Secretary of the permission to evaluate and the date of the conference the date permission is received via phone call or an E-mail message.
5. The Speech Therapist will:
· Send to the Parent/Guardian the Notice of the Initial Evaluation/Re-Evaluation and schedule a meeting to gain permission to evaluate.
§ It might be helpful to enlist the help of the Guidance Counselor for this task.
· Create the Initial or Re-Evaluation Permission form in the Indiana IEP electronic process.
· Meet with the Parent/Guardian to obtain written permission to evaluate as per Indiana Article 7 and local protocol. An evaluation is never started without written parental permission to do so on the prescribed form in IIEP. Verbal permission is not legal and a violation of local and state procedures.
· Explain the reason for the referral and the evaluation process.
· Determine timelines for the evaluation and set the case conference date. Talk with the Building Administrator and Guidance Counselor so they can set this date in their calendar. Schedule the conference for a date no more than 40 school days out.
· Present the Parent Permission form for Special Education Evaluation to the parent and gain written permission.
· Present to the parent/guardian their copy of the Procedural Safeguards / Parent Rights and Options
· Send the Consent for Evaluation form to the Department Secretary the day it is obtained.
· Notify the Department Secretary of the permission to evaluate and the date of the conference the date permission is received via phone call or an E-mail message.
6. The Secretary will:
· Start the 50-day time clock for the evaluation.
· Log the referral on Google Docs, CODA, and RDS.
· Notify the Respective Principal of the referral.
*During the pendency of the referral, the child is under IDEIA and Indiana Article 7 protections and may not be denied a free appropriate public education at any time.