Special Education

Eligibility and Referral Process

Community Unit School District 95 offers developmental screening opportunities for children ages three through five. The screening programs are conducted several times per school year.  Children are screened in the developmental areas of Language Development, Fine and Gross Motor Development, Concept Development, and Vision and Hearing.  Children identified through the screening process as being at risk for learning and/or behavioral difficulties are referred for a case study evaluation.

A referral must be made in order for the team to come to a case study evaluation to be considered. The referral can be generated by either local school district personnel, parents/guardians, a representative from a state accredited private school within District boundaries, or through coordination with Child and Family Connections.  Once a referral is initiated, the team, including parents, will come together to determine the specific components of the case study evaluation that are needed.  This meeting is referred to as a Domain Meeting.  At this meeting, parents or guardians may wish to give written consent for the school district to complete a case study evaluation. Illinois Rules and Regulations that govern special education mandate that a case study evaluation and an IEP Eligibility Conference be completed within sixty school days from the date of written consent.

The case study evaluation consists of specific components that have been determined at the Domain Meeting to need more information or in depth diagnostic assessment. When the evaluation is completed, the IEP Team, including the parents/guardians, will meet at an IEP Evaluation/Eligibility Review Conference  to review the results and determine if the student meets eligibility criteria for special education.  If special education eligibility is determined, and there is an adverse affect on the student's educational performance, then the IEP Team will also develop an Individualized Education Program (IEP) for the student to meet their individual needs.

A student already eligible for special education services is required to be reevaluated every three years or sooner to determine if they are still eligible to continue services.  A Domain Meeting will be called to determine what areas of a Case Study Evaluation should be assessed and for parent/guardian consent to conduct the evaluation.  Continued eligibility is based upon disability criteria and the adverse affect the disability has on performance in the educational setting.

Once it is determined by the Special Education Support Team that a child requires a case study evaluation, parents must be notified, in writing, of their rights and responsibilities.