Guidance for Families
Special education services provide specially designed instruction to meet the unique needs of eligible students from birth through age 21. These services include any related supports a student needs to access their educational program, and are provided at no cost to families.
Early Stages (ages 0-2): Early intervention services are available to children who have disabilities and/or developmental delays. The Early Support for Infants and Toddlers(link is external) (ESIT) program provides services to eligible children and families in a variety of settings - in their homes, in childcare, in preschool or school programs, and in their communities.
School Age (ages 3-21): Students with disabilities who are determined eligible for special education and related services are entitled to a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). Services are provided to eligible students according to an Individualized Education Program (IEP) in preschools, elementary, and secondary schools, or other appropriate settings.
Services include:
• Specially Designed Instruction: reading, writing, math, behavior/social skills, adaptive/self-help.
• Related Services: Communication, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Hearing/Audiology, Vision, Orientation and Mobility, Transitional/Vocational Services for students ages 16-21.
Student Eligibility for Special Education Services
Students must meet all three of the following criteria:
1. The student must have a disability or disabilities.
2. The student's disability/disabilities adversely affect educational performance.
3. The student’s unique needs cannot be addressed through education in general education classes alone – with or without individual accommodations and requires specially designed instruction (SDI).
Eligibility is based on a comprehensive initial evaluation.
• A comprehensive initial evaluation includes all the existing data gathered about the student through the referral process and any additional assessments needed to determine whether a student is eligible for special education.
• The initial evaluation report is used to determine what special education and related services the student needs.
SPECIAL EDUCATION LAW
The State of Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction website has valuable information for families and educators on special education laws, testing explanations, and services.
Parents, educators, advocates, and attorneys use Wrights Law for information on special education law, education law, and advocacy needs.
Find updates at Washington Administrative Code and IDEA.
Referral
Each school district has a duty to locate students residing within the district who might need special education services. This responsibility is called "child find." In order to meet its "child find" obligations, your district will have procedures in place to locate, identify, and evaluate students between the ages of 3 and 21 who are suspected of having a disability and may be eligible for special education and related services.
If at any time you believe your student may need special education services, you should contact someone at your student's school and/or at your school district central office to request that your student be evaluated for special education services.
Everett Public Schools – Child Find information or call 425-385-5777
To learn more about what families are asking about the Special Education Process and the IEP click the button below.
Procedural Safeguards
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 2004 is the federal law that guarantees a free appropriate public education to students with disabilities referred for or determined eligible to receive special education services.
Introduction
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 2004, concerning the education of students with disabilities, requires schools to provide you, the parents of a student with a disability, or suspected disability, with a notice containing a full explanation of the rights available to you under IDEA and the U.S. Department of Education regulations. The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) oversees State rules governing the provision of special education. These rules are found in Chapter 392-172A Washington Administrative Code (WAC). This document conforms to the U.S. Department of Education’s Model Procedural Safeguards Notice, revised in June 2009.
Please click the below link to access Procedural Safeguards in multiple languages.