Early Intervention: Initial Referral

• Referral
• Evaluation
• Plan

Referral link

If a child who is 5 years old or younger is suspected to have a disability or developmental delay, they may be referred to special education.

1. Create a Referral for Initial Evaluation.
2. Select Preschool Early Intervention.
3. Provide background information and include supporting evidence.
   • Supporting documents may be included as an attachment.
4. Whoever is initiating the referral will sign and date the document.
5. Share the document with whoever will be receiving the referral (typically a special education director).
   • Transfer document ownership to this person if future deadlines should be assigned to them.
6. Whoever is responsible for processing the referral should then sign and date.
7. Complete the document.

Evaluation link

Once the child has been referred for special education, the school must notify the parents and obtain consent to evaluate. The parents must be notified within 10 days of the referral.

1. Create a Permission To Evaluate - Preschool Early Intervention.
2. Provide details about the proposed evaluation.
3. Provide contact information.
4. Enter the date sent.
5. Share the document with the parents.
6. Once the parents respond, a staff member can fill out the Date of Receipt field and mark the document complete.

If the parents consent to an evaluation, the school may begin the evaluation process. The evaluation must be conducted within 60 days of consent.

1. Create a Preschool Early Intervention Evaluation Report.
2. Select Initial for Type of Evaluation.
3. Enter relevant dates.
4. Fill out the following sections:
   • Demographic Information
   • Participants in the Evaluation
   • Evaluation Background/History
   • Family Information
   • Health, Vision and Hearing Summary
   • Evaluation of Developmental Domains
5. Meet to review the document and provide a summary of findings in Section 7.
6. Make an eligibility determination in Section 8.
7. Provide recommendations
8. Mark the document complete.
9. Share a copy of the document with the parents.

Plan link

If the child is found eligible for services, they will need an IEP developed. Before meeting to review the IEP, invite the parents to the meeting.

1. Create an Early Intervention - Invitation to Participate in the IEP Team Meeting or Other Meeting.
2. Enter the date sent.
3. The purpose should be Discuss the results of the team evaluation of your child.
4. Provide information about the meeting.
5. Share the document with the parents.
6. The parents can then fill the document out with their plans to attend.
7. Once the parents respond, a staff member can fill out the Date of Receipt field and mark the document complete.

The IEP must be completed with 30 days of the evaluation.

1. Create an Individualized Education Program - Early Intervention.
2. Click add Meeting and enter the meeting data and select Initial IEP as the purpose of the meeting.
3. Fill out the following sections:
   • Demographics and IEP Team Membership
   • Child and Family Information
   • Special Considerations (factors checked "Yes" must be addressed in the IEP)
   • Measurable Result/Outcome/Goal
   • Early Intervention Services
   • Participation in Early Childhood Environment
   • Participation with Typically Developing Children
   • Early Intervention Services During Scheduled Breaks
   • Transition Plan (if applicable)
4. Share the document with the parents and meet to review the plan.
5. All participants must sign the document.
6. The parents will also need to sign off that they received a copy of the Procedural Safeguards Notice.
7. Mark the document complete.

After the IEP is finalized, the school will need to notify the parents of the student's educational placement and obtain consent to provide services.

1. Create an Early Intervention - Notice of Recommended Educational Placement/Prior Written Notice.
2. Select Your child should begin to receive Preschool Early Intervention services as shown in the Individualized Education Program (IEP) as the type of action proposed.
3. Provide details about the recommended placement.
4. Enter in contact information.
5. Share the document with the parents and enter the date sent.
6. The parents can then provide their consent decision and sign the document.
7. Once the parents respond, a staff member can fill out the Date of Receipt field and mark the document complete.

Once the document is completed, if the parents granted their consent, the student will be enrolled in the program.