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What happens before a referral for evaluation?Prior to referral, students experiencing difficulties in the general classroom should be considered for all support services available to all students. Under IDEA, at risk students should receive supports based on the Response to Intervention (RtI) model before a referral to special education is made. Collaboration with teachers is key to ensure your child gets the most out the intervention provided. With RtI, schools would ensure:
- Students receive high quality instruction (teaching strategies backed up by research and practice to produce high learning rates for most students),
- Students receive interventions matched to their needs (Interventions such as tutorial, remedial, compensatory or other services)
- Students are monitored frequently on progress to make academic or behavior decisions that are results based;
- The RTI model provides data-based school improvement; and
- Data on student response are applied to important educational decisions (such as those regarding placement, intervention, curriculum, and instructional goals and methodologies).
But what if RtI does not help your child? Then talk with your child’s teacher about your concerns. If you and/or the teacher think your child may have a disability then you can consider requesting a Full and Individual Initial evaluation (FIE). A request for a FIE should be made if/when any of the following conditions are met:
- Difficulties continue after support and intervention services are provided;
- Data that is collected shows the student needs more individualized interventions; or
- You or someone else thinks your child has a disability AND needs special education or related services to benefit from his or her education.
Be advised, you do not have to wait for RtI interventions to refer your child for an evaluation. The RTI process cannot be used to delay or keep your child from having a Full and Individual Initial Evaluation. If you have requested an evaluation for your child, and the school proposes to provide more intensive instruction before doing the evaluation, the school must provide you with Prior Written Notice regarding their decision (see procedural safeguards).
There’s a lot considered when a referral for evaluation is requested. It’s kind of similar to requesting a referral from a primary doctor to a dermatologist, for example. We may not get it right away. The Doctor may recommend practical interventions and monitor the condition for progress first, rather than make a referral to a specialist right away. The same idea applies here. RTI helps ensure that kids don’t get tested and labeled too quickly when all they might need is adequate instruction in the general education classroom.
What parents need to remember
RtI is for students experiencing difficulties in the general classroom and should be considered before a referral to special education is made.
Partner with the school to ensure that the interventions your child is receiving are working. If they’re not, collaborate with the school to come up with alternate interventions.To learn more, click on the next step in the Evaluation Process:
Or go Back to Evaluation - Overview
Additional Resources:
TEA A Guide to The ARD Process, A manual for parents
TEA Legal Framework for Child Centered Special Education Process
TEA Response to Intervention Guidance
TEA/University of Texas, Response to Intervention (RtI) Straight Talk for Parents
2012 IDEA Manual, a parent manual by The Arc of Texas and Disability Rights Texas
NICHCY’s Building the Legacy: A Training Curriculum on IDEA 2004 - Initial Evaluation and Reevaluation (Module 6)
The National Center for Learning Disabilities – IDEA Parent Guide
The National Center for Learning Disabilities – A Parents Guide to Response-to-Intervention (pdf)
Pre-Referral: The First Step in Addressing Your Child’s Learning Difficulties by GreatSchools.net
http://www.greatschools.net/cgi-bin/showarticle/982Revolutionary Common Sense article used with permission from K. Snow, Disability is Natural: Life Beyond the Label (pdf)
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