Referrals and Evaluations. Federal and state laws require Birth to 3 Programs and LEAs to provide evaluations for referred children to determine their eligibility for early intervention or special education services. Birth to 3 Programs evaluate to determine if developmental delays or physical or mental conditions exist that qualify the child for early intervention. An Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) is developed for each child eligible for early intervention services. LEAs evaluate to determine if a disability exists and if there is a need for special education services. An individualized education program (IEP) is then developed for each child eligible for special education services. When Head Start suspects that a child may have a disability and a need for early intervention or special education, Head Start should refer the child to the Birth to 3 Program or the LEA for an evaluation. The procedures for referring Head Start children with suspected developmental delays or disabilities for evaluation should be mutually agreed upon by the Head Start program and the Birth to 3 Program or the LEA. For children from birth to 3 years of age, procedures must meet the standards of chapter HFS 90, Wis. Adm. Code, and Head Start Performance Standards. For children from 3 through 5 years of age, procedures must meet the standards of Chapter 115, Wis. Stats., and PI 11, Wis. Adm. Code, and Head Start Performance Standards. While Head Start can be a viable option for the collaborative delivery of services to children with delays or disabilities, the eligibility and enrollment limits of Head Start must be taken into consideration early in the process. Head Start programs determine their service area based on their funding level; therefore, Head Start may not offer services in every community within their boundaries. Head Start programs have limited enrollment based on age, income, and other priorities set by local grantees. Considerations for referral and evaluation procedures include the following: a. Early Head Start and Migrant and Seasonal Head Start should refer a child between birth and 2 years, nine months of age to the Birth to 3 Program when they suspect the child may meet eligibility criteria for early intervention services under chapter HFS 90 Wis. Adm. Code. b. Head Start Programs should refer a child from 2 years nine months to 5 years of age to the LEA for evaluation when they suspect the child may meet the criteria for one of the conditions under Chapter 115, Wis. Stats., and need special education. c. Written referrals by the Birth to 3 Program, Early Head Start and Migrant and Seasonal Head Start should be made to the LEA at least 90 days before the child's third birthday. The LEA has 90 days from the receipt of referral to make a placement offer. This will ensure that FAPE is available by the child's third birthday. d. When the Birth to 3 Program refers a child to the LEA and the child and family may also benefit from Head Start services, Head Start should be involved in the transition planning conference with parental permission. e. Programs should enter into interagency agreements to define roles, responsibilities and timelines. LEAs and Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Programs should enter into local agreements to facilitate referrals for children entering the district during the summer. f. When children and families enrolled in Birth to 3 Programs or LEA special education programs may be eligible and benefit from Head Start services, parents should be informed about Head Start as a service or programming alternative. g. To support enrollment of children with disabilities, Head Start programs may give priority within their selection priorities to children with diagnosed disabilities who are referred from the Birth to 3 Program or the LEA. Head Start may have available enrollment slots for children with disabilities referred from the school. Enrollment vacancies, when they occur, must be filled before 30 calendar days lapse, as required by Head Start Performance Standards. h. Referring and receiving agencies may agree to coordinate the use of the same developmental screening and evaluation tools to facilitate the evaluation process. i. The referring and receiving agencies should coordinate to ensure parents are provided information about the referral, evaluation, planning, and due process procedures. This may include collaboration in obtaining parental consent. j. Referring Head Start agencies should transmit existing data from their program, with written parental consent, for use in the receiving agency's evaluation and program planning procedures. k. With parental permission, Head Start staff can participate as a member of the IFSP or IEP team to enable the cooperative development of plans. This can ensure that services meet the individual needs while making use of the resources of each program and eliminating duplication of services. ▇. ▇▇▇▇ may enter into agreements with Head Start programs to specify that the school's IEP team, in collaboration with participating Head Start employees, can determine if a child meets the Head Start disability criteria. m. With parental consent, receiving agencies should inform the referral agency of evaluation findings, placement and child's eligibility for services. n. The evaluation must not be racially or culturally discriminatory and must be provided and administered in the child's native language or mode of communication, unless it is clearly not feasible to do so. When the parent's native language is not English, written notices must be in the native language of the parent unless it is clearly not feasible to do so. In addition, the Birth to 3 Program/▇▇▇ will take whatever action is necessary to arrange for an interpreter to ensure that the parent understands the proceedings of IFSP/IEP meetings, is fully informed when consent is sought, and is able to participate in discussions regarding services/placement. o. When a Birth to 3 Program/▇▇▇ receives a transfer pupil with a disability from a Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Program from another state, the Birth to 3 program/LEA may provide services in accordance with the transferring IFSP/IEP until they develop their own IFSP/IEP or they may adopt the transferring IFSP/ IEP. The Birth to 3 program/▇▇▇ may adopt the evaluation and the eligibility determination of the sending public agency or conduct a new evaluation and eligibility determination of the transfer child. If the Birth to 3 program/▇▇▇ decides not to adopt the evaluation and eligibility determination of the sending public agency, they shall immediately initiate a referral of the child. The receiving Birth to 3 program/▇▇▇ may not adopt the evaluation and eligibility determination of the IFSP/IEP of the sending public agency if the evaluation and eligibility determination of the IFSP/IEP do not meet state and federal requirements.
Appears in 1 contract
Sources: Interagency Agreement
Referrals and Evaluations. Federal and state laws require Birth to 3 Programs and LEAs to provide evaluations for referred children to determine their eligibility for early intervention or special education services. Birth to 3 Programs evaluate to determine if developmental delays or physical or mental conditions exist that qualify the child for early intervention. An Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) is developed for each child eligible for early intervention services. LEAs evaluate to determine if a disability exists and if there is a need for special education services. An individualized education program (IEP) is then developed for each child eligible for special education services. When Head Start suspects that a child may have a disability and a need for early intervention or special education, Head Start should refer the child to the Birth to 3 Program or the LEA for an evaluation. The procedures for referring Head Start children with suspected developmental delays or disabilities for evaluation should be mutually agreed upon by the Head Start program and the Birth to 3 Program or the LEA. For children from birth to 3 years of age, procedures must meet the standards of chapter HFS 90, Wis. Adm. Code, and Head Start Performance Standards. For children from 3 through 5 years of age, procedures must meet the standards of Chapter 115, Wis. Stats., and PI 11, Wis. Adm. Code, and Head Start Performance Standards. While Head Start can be a viable option for the collaborative delivery of services to children with delays or disabilities, the eligibility and enrollment limits of Head Start must be taken into consideration early in the process. Head Start programs determine their service area based on their funding level; therefore, Head Start may not offer services in every community within their boundaries. Head Start programs have limited enrollment based on age, income, and other priorities set by local grantees. Considerations for referral and evaluation procedures include the following:
a. Early Head Start and Migrant and Seasonal Head Start should refer a child between birth and 2 years, nine months of age to the Birth to 3 Program when they suspect the child may meet eligibility criteria for early intervention services under chapter HFS 90 Wis. Adm. Code.
b. Head Start Programs should refer a child from 2 years nine months to 5 years of age to the LEA for evaluation when they suspect the child may meet the criteria for one of the conditions under Chapter 115, Wis. Stats., and need special education.
c. Written referrals by the Birth to 3 Program, Early Head Start and Migrant and Seasonal Head Start should be made to the LEA at least 90 days before the child's ’s third birthday. The LEA has 90 days from the receipt of referral to make a placement offer. This will ensure that FAPE is available by the child's ’s third birthday.
d. When the Birth to 3 Program refers a child to the LEA and the child and family may also benefit from Head Start services, Head Start should be involved in the transition planning conference with parental permission.
e. Programs should enter into interagency agreements to define roles, responsibilities and timelines. LEAs and Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Programs should enter into local agreements to facilitate referrals for children entering the district during the summer.
f. When children and families enrolled in Birth to 3 Programs or LEA special education programs may be eligible and benefit from Head Start services, parents should be informed about Head Start as a service or programming alternative.
g. To support enrollment of children with disabilities, Head Start programs may give priority within their selection priorities to children with diagnosed disabilities who are referred from the Birth to 3 Program or the LEA. Head Start may have available enrollment slots for children with disabilities referred from the school. Enrollment vacancies, when they occur, must be filled before 30 calendar days lapse, as required by Head Start Performance Standards.
h. a. Referring and receiving agencies may agree to coordinate the use of the same developmental screening and evaluation tools to facilitate the evaluation process.
i. b. The referring and receiving agencies should coordinate to ensure parents are provided information about the referral, evaluation, planning, and due process procedures. This may include collaboration in obtaining parental consent.
j. c. Referring Head Start agencies should transmit existing data from their program, with written parental consent, for use in the receiving agency's ’s evaluation and program planning procedures.
k. d. With parental permission, Head Start staff can participate as a member of the IFSP or IEP team to enable the cooperative development of plans. This can ensure that services meet the individual needs while making use of the resources of each program and eliminating duplication of services.
▇. ▇▇▇▇ may enter into agreements with Head Start programs to specify that the school's ’s IEP team, in collaboration with participating Head Start employees, can determine if a child meets the Head Start disability criteria.
m. f. With parental consent, receiving agencies should inform the referral agency of evaluation findings, placement and child's ’s eligibility for services.
n. g. The evaluation must not be racially or culturally discriminatory and must be provided and administered in the child's ’s native language or mode of communication, unless it is clearly not feasible to do so. When the parent's ’s native language is not English, written notices must be in the native language of the parent unless it is clearly not feasible to do so. In addition, the Birth to 3 Program/▇▇▇ will take whatever action is necessary to arrange for an interpreter to ensure that the parent understands the proceedings of IFSP/IEP meetings, is fully informed when consent is sought, and is able to participate in discussions regarding services/placement.
o. h. When a Birth to 3 Program/▇▇▇ receives a transfer pupil with a disability from a Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Program from another state, the Birth to 3 program/LEA may provide services in accordance with the transferring IFSP/IEP until they develop their own IFSP/IEP or they may adopt the transferring IFSP/ IEP. The Birth to 3 program/▇▇▇ may adopt the evaluation and the eligibility determination of the sending public agency or conduct a new evaluation and eligibility determination of the transfer child. If the Birth to 3 program/▇▇▇ decides not to adopt the evaluation and eligibility determination of the sending public agency, they shall immediately initiate a referral of the child. The receiving Birth to 3 program/▇▇▇ may not adopt the evaluation and eligibility determination of the IFSP/IEP of the sending public agency if the evaluation and eligibility determination of the IFSP/IEP do not meet state and federal requirements.
Appears in 1 contract
Sources: Interagency Agreement