Special Education and Section 504

CHILD FIND

Child Find is the process for locating, identifying, and evaluating individuals with suspected disabilities who may need special education services, regardless of the severity of their disabilities.  All member districts of the cooperative provide a Free Appropriate Public Education to any child who qualifies as having a disability, in accordance with federal and state laws.  All schools are responsible for locating all children ages 3, but less than 22 years of age with a suspected disability who reside within the boundaries of our district.  With early identification and intervention, frustration and academic failure can be prevented in turn creating a positive learning experience for students.  

Child Find is a state and local effort to find children, ages 3-21, who are not receiving a free public education and who may have disabilities that interfere with learning.  Child Find also seeks to create a greater awareness of the special needs of these children.  The Child Find process is used to identify, locate, and evaluate all children with disabilities who are in need of special education and related services who reside within the school corporation's boundaries or attend a private school within the school corporation’s boundaries.

Western School Corporation is also responsible for conducting Child Find activities and evaluations necessary for private schools located in the cooperative.  IDEA and USDOE Regulations require school districts to identify and provide select services to students with disabilities at private schools in the jurisdiction, regardless of the student’s home residence.