Often times a parent of a child with a learning problem that interferes with his or her ability to be successful in school will be unsure of who to talk with about those concerns. This is often because they don't know where to go to ask questions about Special Education, they don't know who to ask, or even what to ask.
We recognize that the process can appear overwhelming, and want to do all we can to make the process clear and understandable to you, the concerned parent. With that goal in mind, the questions below represent the most commonly asked questions at Special Services.
If your questions are not answered below, please feel free to talk with your child's teacher or call (360) 428-6141 and get additional information.
Who is eligible to receive the services provided by Mount Vernon School District, Special and Support Services?
Any qualified individual from birth to aged twenty one (21) or until the student graduates from high school.
What determines if my child is eligible for Special Education Services?
The law defines an evaluation and certain handicapping conditions which have been established as criteria for eligibility:
What are the handicapping conditions?
There are 14 different handicapping conditions. They are:
- Preschool Developmentally Delayed
- Emotionally/Behaviorally disabled
- Orthopedically Impaired
- Health Impaired
- Specific Learning Disabled
- Mental Retardation
- Multi-Handicapped
- Deaf
- Hard of Hearing
- Visually Handicapped
- Deaf/Blind
- Communication disordered
- Autism
- Traumatic Brain Injury
How does a student become eligible for special education services?
A referral must be made which may lead to an evaluation.
How does a referral originate?
A referral can be made by anyone who has an educational or development concern for a student who lives within the boundaries of the Mount Vernon School District. Most commonly, referrals are made by the parent, a classroom teacher, the school psychologist, the school counselor, or a physician.
What is the first thing that must be done to begin a referral?
You must come to the Special Services office located at 920 South 2nd Street in Mount Vernon, WA and begin to fill out the paperwork required for the referral process to start.
How does the referral process work?
After a referral is made (the required paper work is filled out and returned to Special Services), your concerns and your child's needs are discussed at a weekly staff meeting. Those individuals who have pertinent information regarding the student are encouraged to attend. The parents of the student are also invited and encouraged to attend these staff meetings.
It is at these meetings the decision is made if an evaluation is an appropriate step for the child. If the parent(s) is present, this decision will be discussed with them. Also, a formal notice will be mailed home explaining the termination or continuation of the referral process.
If the staff at the meeting recommends a formal evaluation, the Special Services office will mail the parent a consent form. When the consent form is completed and returned to the Special Services Office, the evaluation can begin.
Who determines if my child is eligible for Special Education Services?
The specialist(s) involved (which may include a psychologist, occupational therapist, speech language therapist, nurse, or others) has 35 school days to complete the evaluation. If the child is suspected of having a learning disability, the parent is included in the evaluation. At the time of completion of the evaluation a report is written and the parents will be mailed a copy of the report. The parent(s) will also receive a form which indicates if the student qualified for services or not. If the student qualified to receive services either a special education teacher or a therapist will contact the parents to develop an Individual Educational Program (IEP).
How often must an IEP be developed?
The law requires the development of a new IEP at least once every year (365 days).
How often must an evaluation be done?
The law requires a new evaluation (re-evaluation) be completed every three (3) years. If there are concerns that need to be addressed before this amount of time has elapsed, a reevaluation can be initiated.
What happens if a qualified special education student moves to another school district?
It is a very good idea, before moving, to get a copy of the current IEP and Evaluation to present to the new school district. This will greatly speed up the process of transferring. Within Washington State, the laws for eligibility remain the same; however, the programs vary from district to district. When moving to another state, the staff at the new district will determined if eligibility follows their state laws.
This FAQs sheet is just to cover some basic information. A copy of your rights under the law is available to you by contacting the Special Services office at (360) 428-6141. In addition, you will receive a copy of your rights upon the completion of a referral on your child.
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