Special Education Department Ready Willing & Able to Serve
by Teresa Kreger
April 12, 2008
What is Child Find? It is a law mandated by IDEA (the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) that says all school districts and the Texas Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) programs have to locate, identify, and evaluate any child 0-21 with disabilities. Some of you may have seen posters at doctors’ offices or at your daycare facility. An announcement is also posted in the local newspaper in August and in April. Head Start Round-Up held at the Lytle Primary School is also a time when children with special needs are identified for further assessment.
ECI Programs provide services to children with identified disabilities from birth to age 3. Most ECI services are provided in the child’s home, and the family is involved in the planning and implementation of the child’s needs. At age two, Camino Real ECI program in Atascosa County and Homespun ECI program in Medina County makes the referral to our special education office to begin the transition to public education. Together the ECI program and the school set up a meeting to identify the people or agencies that will assist the parent in continuing to access services their child needs until their third birthday. If when the child turns three and he or she continues to meet eligibility as a student with a disability, then the school district will continue to provide services as recommended by the child’s Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) committee. At that time, the child is enrolled in our Preschool Program for Children with Disabilities or in the Head Start program, if eligible, with special education support.
Research shows that early intervention is very important for young children with developmental delays and special needs. The old “wait and see” attitude has been proven wrong – early intervention gives children with special needs a chance to increase pre-academic skills and develop along with their peers. By pinpointing problems early, children have an equal chance to achieve their full potential.
If you, as a parent, are concerned that your child or you know of a child who seems to be learning or playing differently from other children, please call our office at 830-709-5128. If the child is not three years of age, please contact one of the ECI programs listed above. Our special education department is ready, willing and able to serve you and your child’s needs.
