So, you suspect your child or a student in your classroom may need special education services.
What happens next? Let’s break down the special education referral process, step by step, to help you understand how to navigate it, whether you’re a parent, teacher, or new to the IEP journey.
What is the Special Education Referral Process?
The special education referral process is the first step in determining if a child qualifies for special education services under IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act). It begins when someone – usually a parent or a teacher – identifies a concern regarding a child’s academic, social, or behavioral development.
This process ensures that students with disabilities get the services and supports they need.
What Does IDEA Say About the Referral Process?
IDEA mandates that schools must identify and evaluate students who may need special education services. This is part of what’s known as Child Find, a legal requirement that obligates public schools to seek out, evaluate, and serve students who have disabilities, from birth until age 21.
This can include children who are homeschooled, in private schools, or who aren’t yet enrolled in school.
Schools can’t simply ignore or delay the identification process – they have to act when a disability is suspected. They have a legal obligation to do so.
Who Can Refer a Child for a Special Education Evaluation?
While anyone can refer a child for evaluation, most referrals come from parents. Why? Many parents are the first to notice developmental delays or challenges their child faces.
Teachers, school staff, and sometimes medical professionals can also make referrals, but it’s common for parents to be the first ones to speak up.
Interestingly, school staff might hesitate to initiate the referral because they may not have enough data to back up the referral or fear triggering a process they don’t fully understand or control. On top of that, some districts may want to exhaust all other interventions (often referred to as RTI or MTSS) before considering an evaluation, even though IDEA doesn’t require RTI to delay a parent’s request for an evaluation.
What Should Happen Before a Special Education Referral?
Before jumping straight to a referral, schools typically try interventions such as small group instruction, behavior plans, or tutoring through RTI (Response to Intervention) or MTSS (Multi-Tiered Systems of Support). The idea is to see if targeted support can address the child’s needs before considering special education services. This isn’t a required step under IDEA, but it’s widely practiced in schools.
However, it’s important to note, that if you request IEP evaluations for your child, the school cannot use RTI or MTSS as an excuse. The two can happen simultaneously–a child can receive these tiered interventions and go through the evaluation process at the same time.
The US Department of Education is very clear about not using RTI or MTSS as a reason to delay evaluations. Their guidance letter is below. Yes this letter is from 2011. However, IDEA has not changed since 2004 so the information is current.
Why is it Mostly Parents Who Initiate the Referral Process?
Parents are often more in tune with their child’s daily struggles and behaviors outside the school environment. They also might not feel the same pressures school staff do, such as limited resources or hesitancy from administrators to initiate an evaluation.
As the parent, you know something isn’t quite right, and you don’t have to wait for the school to act.
I’m going to be honest here–because I am friends with a lot of teachers. And, I have heard in local districts that teachers are being told, in staff meetings and in-services, things like, “Stop referring all these kids all the time. We can’t be evaluating all these kids…RTI them.” Against IDEA? Yep, absolutely. But it happens.
Steps of the Referral Process
- Concern Identified: Either a parent, teacher, or another person notices a delay or struggle.
- Referral Submitted: A formal written request is made for the school to evaluate the child. Parents can do this at any time, and they don’t need to wait for the school to recommend it.
- Consent for Evaluation: After a referral, the school must ask for the parent’s consent to evaluate. They can’t just go ahead without your permission.
- Evaluation: The school then has 60 calendar days to complete a full evaluation of the child. This can include academic, psychological, and functional assessments.
- Eligibility Meeting: After the evaluation is complete, the IEP team (which includes the parents!) meets to discuss the assessment results (parents often call them IEP scores) and decide if the child qualifies for services under one of the disability categories outlined in IDEA.
- IEP Development: If the child is found eligible, the next step is to develop an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) to address the child’s unique needs.
Special Education Referral Process Flow Chart
You know me–I like things to be visual. So here is a flow chart of the special education referral process.
What is the Primary Purpose of the Referral Process?
The main goal of the referral process is to ensure that students with disabilities are identified, evaluated, and provided with the necessary supports to succeed in school. It’s about giving kids the best shot at achieving their academic potential, rather than allowing them to slip through the cracks.
The Bottom Line
If you think your child or a student you know might need special education, don’t wait. The special education referral process is designed to ensure that kids who need extra help get the services they deserve. It’s important to understand your rights under IDEA and to act as an advocate for the child.
