What is Child Find? - MLM Advocacy

Under federal educational law, every school district is mandated to identify, locate and evaluate any student with a suspected disability. This is known as Child Find. Child Find makes sure that a school district identifies all students who may need special education services.

WHO IS COVERED BY CHILD FIND?

Every school district is legally obligated to locate, identify and evaluate all children who live in a school district. All children mean from birth to age 21, students who attend public or private schools, children who move frequently, migrant children, homeless children or children who are in foster care or are wards of the state.

IS IT EVERY STUDENT?

Yes, it is every student. It does not matter if the student is passing or is failing classes. Or, if the student is already receiving special education services. If a student is suspected to have an educational or emotional disability that prevents he/she from easily accessing the school curriculum, the school district has to locate, identify and evaluate that student.

DO PARENTS HAVE TO START CHILD FIND?

No, parents do not have to initiate child find. It is federal and state law that every school district has to develop and have in place a method of how to determine which students are receiving special education services and which students are not receiving special education services. This can be using classroom assessments, state testing, homework and/or test grades.

And, every school district has to inform parents of how to obtain an evaluation, free of cost, and how to proceed towards a special education meeting to determine eligibility.

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS

All schools, in every district, have a duty to locate, identify and provide services to students who are struggling to access the curriculum. Failure to do so can lead to liability on the part of the school district.

REMEMBER:

Although a parent can start the process of having the school district evaluate their child, the school district has a legal obligation to “find” the students who need assistance, either academically or behaviorally.