Child Find

Child Find Duty

42 USC. §11434a; 34 CFR Part 300; Texas Education Code; Texas Government Code; 19 TAC Chapter 89

“Child Find” is a requirement of both federal and state law. It mandates that each school district will locate, identify and evaluate, at no cost to the family, all students, from birth to 21, who are suspected of having a disability.

The Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) lists and defines thirteen disabilities: autism, deaf-blindness, auditory impairment, emotional disturbance, mental retardation, multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairment, other health impairment, learning disability, speech impairment, traumatic brain injury, visual impairment and non-categorical early childhood.

• Children ages 0-3, are referred to Early Childhood Intervention of Tarrant County. The referral number is 817-569-5200.
   
• Children ages 3-21, who reside within the boundaries of Mansfield ISD, are referred to the MISD Special Education Department at 817-299-4300.
   
• Mansfield ISD provides special education services to children who have, or are suspected of having a disability. Special education services are available to children with disabilities, ages 3 through 21. Children who have impaired vision or hearing can receive services from birth through age 21.
   
• Mansfield ISD also provides services to students with disabilities who attend a private or home school located within the district boundaries, regardless of the child’s place of residence. Educational services to these students are provided under Mansfield ISD’s Private School Plan. Additionally, Mansfield ISD provides services to students with disabilities who are placed in a foster home or other residential facility within the district’s geographic boundaries.
   
• If a child attends public, private or a home school in Mansfield ISD or if you know of a child residing in a foster home or other residential facility within Mansfield ISD and you believe the child has or may have a disability, please contact one of our campuses or the Special Education Department at 817-299-4300. Staff members will work to ensure that every child receives an appropriate evaluation to determine which children have a disability that qualifies for services. Services are offered to all children free of charge.
   
• A student that experiences exclusionary discipline may have unidentified disabilities that impact their learning. MISD will provide information to a student’s parent regarding the process for requesting an FIIE when the student is placed in a DAEP and as part of the student’s personalized transition plan when returning to campus from a DAEP.

If there are concerns regarding the development of a preschool child, please contact a member of our preschool assessment team at 817-299-4300 for a preschool intake.

In 2019, the 86th Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 139 (SB 139), which requires Texas local education agencies (LEAs) to distribute the following notice to parents:

• Child Find Update Letter (English)
• Child Find Update Letter (Spanish)

TEA Resources for Special Education can provide more information regarding the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Dyslexia, Multi-Tiered Systems of Support and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

Compensatory Services information can be found in the following notices:

• Compensatory Services (English)
• Compensatory Services (Spanish)

These notices contain the following information: changes made in reporting requirements for LEAs regarding special education enrollment in the Results Driven Accountability System; the rights of a child regarding the provision of special education services under both state and federal law; the process and procedures for initiating a referral for evaluation for special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and TEC Sec. 29.004; where to find local policies and procedures related to initiating a referral for evaluation under IDEA.

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The Special Education Information Center (SPEDTex) provides resources and interactive features for increasing family awareness of disabilities and special education processes, with the goal of improving partnerships between schools and families.

Phone: 1-855-773-3839
Email: inquire@spedtex.org
Live Chat: www.spedtex.org