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Child Find: Special Education and Related Services

Identification and Evaluation
All children with disabilities residing in Texas—regardless of the type or severity of their disability—who need special education and related services must be identified, located, and evaluated.

 

Special Education
Special education means specially designed instruction, provided at no cost to parents, to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability. This instruction may occur in a variety of settings, including classrooms, homes, hospitals, institutions, or other appropriate environments.

 

Specially Designed Instruction
Specially designed instruction involves adapting, as needed, the content, methods, or delivery of instruction to:

  • Address the unique needs of the child that result from their disability, and
     
  • Ensure the child has access to the general curriculum so they can meet the same educational standards that apply to all students within the local educational agency (LEA).

 

Related Services
Related services include transportation and other developmental, corrective, or supportive services that a child with a disability requires to benefit from special education.

 

Definition of a Child with a Disability
A “child with a disability” is a student who has been evaluated through the Full and Individual Evaluation (FIE) process and determined by an Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) Committee to have one or more of the following:

  • Intellectual disability
     
  • Hearing impairment (including deafness)
     
  • Speech or language impairment
     
  • Visual impairment (including blindness)
     
  • Emotional disturbance
     
  • Orthopedic impairment
     
  • Autism
     
  • Traumatic brain injury
     
  • Other health impairment
     
  • Specific learning disability
     
  • Deaf-blindness
     
  • Multiple disabilities
     

Child Find Responsibilities
The Child Find duty applies to all children who may need special education services, including:

  • Children enrolled in public schools
     
  • Children who are homeless or wards of the State
     
  • Children attending private schools

 

Have Concerns About Your Child?

If you are concerned about your child’s development or suspect a disability, resources and support are available:

  • Birth to Age 3
    Contact 940-458-7430 for early intervention services.
  • Ages 2 to 5
    Review the “My Child’s Development” document for guidance and next steps.
  • Children Attending Public Schools
    Contact your child’s campus to schedule a conference with their teacher. Before a referral for special education services, your child may participate in general education support options such as:
     
    • Tutorials
       
    • Remediation
       
    • Compensatory services
       
    • Response to scientific, research-based interventions (RtI)
       
    • Other academic or behavior supports
       
  • Children Attending Private Schools 

Contact the Denton County Special Education Co-op at 940-458-7430 to request information about a Full and Individual Evaluation.