A student must be assessed under the IDEA in all areas of suspected disability. Speech Impairment or SI is one of the areas of eligible disabilities under the IDEA.
A student with a speech impairment is one who has been determined to meet the criteria for speech or language impairment. Speech or language impairment means a communication disorder, such as stuttering, impaired articulation, a language impairment, or a voice impairment that adversely affects a student’s educational performance.
To assess for SI, the District or Campus Assessment Personnel will comply with the general evaluation procedures. See [EVALUATION PROCEDURES]. In addition, the group of qualified professionals that collects or reviews evaluation data in connection with the determination of a student's eligibility based on a speech impairment must include a certified speech and hearing therapist, a certified speech and language therapist, or a licensed speech-language pathologist.
A referral for a speech or language impairment evaluation may be indicated when the District and/or the parent of the student suspects that learning issues are a result of a communication disorder or a voice impairment that adversely affects the student's educational performance. A student who has difficulty producing speech or understanding and communicating ideas may have a speech-language impairment.
In Texas, speech-language therapy is considered an instructional service. Thus, it can be a stand-alone service as well as a support provided for the student to receive benefit from other special education services.
A speech evaluation will usually include assessment to determine if the student has a communication disorder, a language disorder, an articulation disorder, a fluency disorder and/or a voice disorder.
Additionally, Campus or District Assessment Personnel will consider the presence of any cultural and/or linguistic differences when evaluating a student for autism and whether the differences may impact the evaluation results. When evaluating an Emergent Bilingual student, Campus and District Assessment Personnel must consider the English language proficiency of the student in determining appropriate assessments and other evaluation materials. The evaluation must be provided in the student’s native language, unless it is clearly not feasible to do so, to ensure that the student’s language needs can be distinguished from the student’s disability-related needs. Campus and District Assessment Personnel shall be careful not to identify or determine that an Emergent Bilingual student is a student with a speech or language impairment because of limited English language proficiency. For example, when a student lacks verbal fluency (pauses, hesitates, omits words), it may be due to a lack of vocabulary, sentence structure, and/or self-confidence caused by the student’s limited English language proficiency. It may also be caused, however, by a speech impairment.
If the student does not meet the eligibility criteria for SI, or any other eligibility criteria under the IDEA, or does not need special education or related services due to his/her disability, Campus Personnel should refer the student to the Campus or District Personnel responsible for compliance with Section 504 to determine whether the student is eligible for accommodations or services as a student with a disability under Section 504.
The District will maintain documentation requirements of compliance associated with Texas Student Data System (TSDS), Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS), and State Performance Plan (SPP). District staff will provide training, with follow up, to ensure the documentation required is in place and compliant.
Notice of Evaluation
Consent for Evaluation
Referral Information
Assessment Plan
FIE
Disability Report: Speech Impairment
ARD/IEP
Referral Documentation
Speech/Language Assessment
TSHA Guidelines
Documentation for the state in TSDS, PEIMS, and SPP
[DISTRICT FORMS]
OSEP Letter to Anonymous (Nov. 28, 2007) - U.S. Department of Education
OSEP Letter to Clarke (Mar. 8, 2007) - U.S. Department of Education
OSEP Letter to Blodgett (Nov. 12, 2014) - U.S. Department of Education
Speech or Language Impairment - SPEDTEX
34 CFR 300.8(c)(11), 300.304(c)(4); 19 TAC 89.1040(b)–(c), 89.1050(a)(5)