Child Find
The Claiborne County School District is participating in an ongoing statewide effort to identify, locate and evaluate children, birth through the age of twenty-one, who have a physical, mental, communicative, and/or emotional disability.
Early identification of children in need of special education experiences is most important to each child. Furthermore, this information gathered from contacts with parents and other agencies will be used to help determine present and future program needs as progress is made toward the goal of providing a Free and Appropriate Public Education (F APE) to all children with a disability. Information which could identify an individual child will be maintained by this agency and will be provided to other agencies only in accord with the Family Rights and Privacy Act and EHA-B. As a parent, you are guaranteed the right to inspect any such information about your child and to challenge its accuracy. Access to this information is forbidden to any unauthorized person without informed consent.
The Child Find Coordinator implements child identification, location, and evaluation of children birth through twenty-one who have disabilities, regardless of the severity of their disability, and who are in need of special education and/or related services.
The Child Find Coordinator works with the local Head Start, Human Services, Health Agencies, as well as local education agencies, physicians, and other individuals to identify and locate children out of school and in school who may be in need of special education services.
Once a referral is made, it is the responsibility of the Child Find Coordinator to ensure that the Referral-to Placement Procedures are followed. The Child Find Coordinator works with the principals within the school to implement these procedures. Prior to an evaluation, copies of the Procedural Safeguards are given to the parents. District personnel explain these copies to the parents and ensure that they understand the Procedural Safeguards. This process will be reviewed at each parent meeting.
After informed parental consent for a comprehensive assessment is obtained, a nondiscriminatory evaluation is conducted. Students are evaluated in all areas related to the suspected disability by qualified personnel. If the child meets eligibility criteria for special education services and/or related services, an Individualized Education Program is developed, and the parents are invited to attend the meeting. Parents must sign permission for placement before a child can receive services. Parents, teachers, and students participate in the process. All students receiving special education services are assessed at least once a year and reevaluated at least once every three years.
It is the goal of the Claiborne County School District to provide positive, proactive services that meet the individual needs of all students. If you know of a child who may have a disability, please contact Ifeoma McNeal, Special Services Director, or Tracy M. Wilson, Child Find Coordinator, by calling 601-437-4232, by writing to Post Office Box 337, or by visiting the Office of Special Services located at 404 Market Street. Office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Friday.
The Claiborne County School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, creed, or national origin.
The following are disabilities identified under IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act):
Autism
Specific Learning Disability
Intellectual Disability
Other Health Impairments
Emotional Disabilities
Hearing Impairments
Visual Impairments
Traumatic Brain Injury
Deaf-Blindness
Developmental Delays
Speech-Language Impairments
Multiple Disabilities
Orthopedic Impairments