Sped Referral Process

SPED Referral Process

Grades K-8

Step 1: A teacher, or parent, refers a student of concern to the RTI Team, which will include the building SPED teacher. The teacher should make contact home before doing so though. A parent can refer directly to SPED (by contacting the SPED teacher) as well, though the RTI process is encouraged.

Step 2: The referring teacher should bring: student education history, sample of classwork, intervention history (type, duration, intensity).

Step 3: The RTI Team decides to refer the student for testing, gather more data, or wait until after further intervention (monthly timeline). Teachers are encouraged to fill out the referral form within a week, if not at the meeting. Minutes will be sent out to team members, and reviewed at each meeting.

Step 4: The RTI Team sends referrals to the SPED Secretary (must include SPED form, history of education, history of interventions, and documented parent contacts).

(A student would usually not be referred the first time that they were brought to the RTI team. Students who continue to perform below the tenth percentile, without progress might be referred by the team for SPED assessment.)

Step 5: The SPED teacher puts the referral on the MDT agenda and assigns it to a psychologist to look over. She will also invite the teacher to the meeting, which is usually after school.

Step 6: The MDT decides whether to accept or reject the referral. The referring teacher is encouraged to attend the MDT meeting as well.

(The MDT Team has 25 School Days to accept or reject a referral, once it is received in the SPED office.)

Step 7: An accepted referral is assigned to a psychologist as the case evaluation manager. The SPED teacher has the parents sign the consent papers.

(The team has 35 School Days to complete an evaluation.)

Step 8: The evaluation team meets and decides if a student is eligible to receive SPED, or a 504. This team includes the teacher and the parents, along with the SPED staff involved.

Step 9: The Team has 30 Calendar Days to put an IEP in place. This team involves the same members as the evaluation team, which meets and agrees on the IEP. (SPED Teacher will notify staff involved if they are not present at the IEP.)