Overview

• Child Find refers to the federal requirement under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) that all children in need of special education services are identified, located, and evaluated.
• LEAs are responsible for conducting Child Find and identifying all IDEA-eligible students that reside in their jurisdiction.
• Child Find is not a passive activity, but rather an active process.
• All LEAs must distribute written information to every enrolled student’s family regarding IDEA’s Child Find and Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) requirements to inform them of the options and requirements for helping students who have learning difficulties or who need, or may need, special education services. This statement is typically included in the LEA’s Student Handbook or may be provided by another means as long as it is provided in writing each year.

Who is Covered under Child Find?

Every child, from birth through age 21, is covered by Child Find. Two important pieces of IDEA address school-aged children (3 through age 21), often referred to as Part B, and infants and toddlers (0 through age 2), often referred to as Part C. In Texas, the Child Find requirements for Part C are administered by the Texas Health and Human Services (HHSC), as the Commission runs the state's Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) program. Individual LEAs, then, are responsible for administering Child Find requirements for Part B in their own jurisdictions, with TEA serving as the required state educational agency overseeing the efforts. However, LEAs do become involved in Child Find efforts for children 0 through age 2 because state law extends state education funding for those who are identified as deaf or hard of hearing (DHH), deafblind, or who have a visual impairment. LEAs should also keep the following in mind as well, since they are also covered under Child Find.

Every child from birth to age 21, including:

• Infants (Ages 0 through age 2 years) who may be DHH, Deafblind, or have a Visual Impairment
• Students, including those who are homeschooled or in private schools
• Students who are suspected of having a disability, even though advancing from grade to grade
• Students identified as gifted/talented but are suspected of having a disability and needing special education and related services
• Children who might be underserved:
  • Homeless
  • Highly mobile, including migrant
  • In foster care (may be wards of the state)
  • Involved in the criminal justice system
  • Reside in residential placements and/or nursing homes

• Whether it is a full and individual initial evaluation (FIIE) or a reevaluation, evaluation is a data-gathering process.
• The evaluation must be comprehensive and use a variety of assessment tools, sources of information, and strategies.
• The evaluation is completed by a multidisciplinary team (MDT).
• Evaluation provides information to assist in determining:
  • whether the student has a disability;
  • the need for specially designed instruction and related services; and
  • the need for evidence-based interventions and how to monitor the student’s progress.
• Initial evaluation and reevaluations provide much of the information for drafting present levels of academic achievement and functional performance (PLAAFP), goals, short-term objectives/benchmarks, modifications, and accommodations in the admission, review and dismissal (ARD) committee meeting.