Most children reach developmental milestones at about the same rate. However, some children may be delayed in some areas and require assistance. Other children may exhibit significant speech/language, health, physical, mental or emotional problems which can negatively affect their educational progress. Children with developmental delays or specific difficulties may be helped through Child Find.
What is Child Find?
Child Find is a free process designed to identify, locate, and evaluate individuals (birth through 21 years of age) with disabilities who may need special education services.
Overview of the Department
Northside ISD's Psychological Services Department employs over ninety LSSPs, all of whom are licensed by the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists (TSBEP). Five staff members are doctoral level professionals with nineteen staff also having dual licensure through the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists as either Licensed Psychologists or Licensed Psychological Associates. Our department also employs a licensed educational diagnostician as well as three LSSP Interns. A full-time secretary and three graduate practicum students in school psychology complete the members of our department.
Who can begin the Child Find process?
For children ages 3 years and older, a parent or legal guardian should contact their child’s Northside ISD home campus. For children under the age of 3 years, a parent or legal guardian should call Northside Child Find at 210 397-3566. Parents of school-age children attending private (non-charter) schools should call Psychological Services (210-397-3512).
Why should children be referred to Child Find?
Early identification can prevent failure and frustration. Special attention to teaching and learning strategies may help individuals overcome barriers to learning. If a disability is not found, other resources may be identified to help the individual.
What happens after the referral is made?
The parent or legal guardian will be contacted by Northside ISD staff. Based on the information from the parent, the child may be referred for evaluation by the Speech/Language Pathologist (SLP) and/or Licensed Specialist in School Psychology (LSSP) and, if necessary, related service professionals. The parent will be provided an explanation of the types of evaluation recommended and must give written consent before the evaluation can be initiated.
Who are Licensed Specialists in School Psychology (LSSPs)?
LSSPs are uniquely qualified members of school teams that apply expertise in mental health, learning, and behavior, to help children and youth succeed academically, socially, behaviorally, and emotionally. LSSPs strive to provide quality, broadly based psychological services to the entire school district.
Responsibilities of the department include:
- Assisting in the development, implementation, training, and on-going operation of preventative programs including staff/teacher in-service trainings, district and campus wide crisis intervention efforts, and suicide prevention.
- Providing indirect services such as consultation to teachers/staff/parents on behalf of students considered at risk for emotional/behavioral interference with their education.
- Providing direct services to small targeted groups of students who are determined to be in most extreme risk of school failure due to emotional/ behavioral factors. These services include comprehensive psychological evaluations for the purpose of qualifying students under Texas Education Agency (TEA) criteria as well as the provision of regularly scheduled individual and/or group counseling sessions.
What Do LSSPs Do?
Consultation
- Collaborate with teachers, parents, and administrators to find effective solutions to learning and behavior problems.
- Assist other educators, as well as parents, in understanding child development and how it affects learning and behavior.
- Establish and strengthen working relationships between teachers, parents, and service providers in the community.
Evaluation
- Evaluate students for presence of disabling conditions under TEA criteria
- Evaluate student need for counseling as a related service
Intervention
- Provide psychological consultation to help resolve issues that may be interfering with school performance.
- Work with students to develop better socio emotional/coping skills
- Help families and schools through crisis situations, such as death or community trauma.
Prevention
- Design programs for children at risk of educational or behavioral difficulties.
- Promote tolerance, understanding, and appreciation of diversity within schools
- Develop programs to make schools safer and more effective learning environments.
- Collaborate with school staff and community agencies to enable services aimed at improving the mental health of students and families.
Research and Planning
- Evaluate the effectiveness of academic and behavior management programs.
- Identify and implement programs and strategies to improve schools.
- Use evidence-based research to develop and/or recommend effective interventions.
What happens after the evaluation is completed?
Once the evaluation has been completed, the results will be explained to the parent and the parent will asked to attend a Special Education Admission, Review, and Dismissal committee (ARDC) meeting. During the meeting, the parent, along with a group of knowledgeable staff, will discuss the outcome of the evaluation, special education eligibility, and whether the student is in need of a variety of service options. If the child is eligible, an Individual Education Plan (IEP), designed to meet the child’s educational needs, will be developed. Written parent consent is required before special education services can begin.
How does a child qualify for special education services?
In order to qualify for special education services, the child must have a significant educational need and meet the criteria established by state and federal law (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act – IDEA) for one or more of the following disabilities:
- Auditory Impairment
- Autism
- Deaf-Blindness
- Emotional Disturbance
- Intellectual Disability
- Learning Disability
- Multiple Disabilities
- Noncategorical Early Childhood
- Other Health Impairment
- Orthopedic Impairment
- Speech Impairment
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Visual Impairment
What types of services are available?
Northside provides a continuum of special education and related services, based upon the student’s needs.
La mayoría de los niños alcanzan los hitos del desarrollo aproximadamente a la misma velocidad. Sin embargo, algunos niños pueden retrasarse en algunas áreas y requerir asistencia. Otros niños pueden presentar problemas significativos de habla / lenguaje, salud, físicos, mentales o emocionales que pueden afectar negativamente su progreso educativo. Los niños con retrasos en el desarrollo o dificultades específicas pueden ser ayudados a través de Child Find.
¿Qué es "Child Find" (Educación Especial)?
Child Find es un proceso gratuito diseñado para identificar, ubicar y evaluar a las personas (desde el nacimiento hasta los 21 años de edad) con discapacidades que pueden necesitar servicios de educación especial.tificar, ubicar y evaluar a personas (de recién nacidos hasta los 21 años de edad) con discapacidades que puedan necesitar servicios de Educación Especial.
¿Quién puede comenzar el proceso Child Find?
Para los niños de 3 años en adelante, un padre o tutor legal debe comunicarse con el campus del Northside ISD de su hijo. Para niños menores de 3 años, un padre o tutor legal debe llamar a Northside Child Find al 210 397-3566. Los padres de niños en edad escolar que asisten a escuelas privadas (no autónomas) deben llamar a Servicios Psicológicos (210-397-3512).
¿Por qué los niños deben ser referidos a Child Find?
La identificación temprana puede prevenir el fracaso y la frustración. Una atención especial a las estrategias de enseñanza y aprendizaje puede ayudar a las personas a superar las barreras para el aprendizaje. Si no se encuentra una discapacidad, se pueden identificar otros recursos para ayudar a la persona.
¿Qué sucede después de que se realiza la referencia?
El padre o tutor legal será contactado por el personal de Northside ISD. Con base en la información del padre, el niño puede ser remitido para su evaluación por el Patólogo del Habla / Lenguaje (SLP) y / o el Especialista Licenciado en Psicología Escolar (LSSP) y, si es necesario, por profesionales del servicio relacionados. El padre recibirá una explicación de los tipos de evaluación recomendados y deberá dar su consentimiento por escrito antes de poder iniciar la evaluación.
¿Qué sucede después de que se completa la evaluación?
Una vez que se haya completado la evaluación, los resultados se le explicarán a los padres y se les pedirá a los padres que asistan a una reunión del comité de Admisión, Revisión y Salida de Educación Especial (ARDC). Durante la reunión, los padres, junto con un grupo de personal capacitado, discutirán el resultado de la evaluación, la elegibilidad para educación especial y si el estudiante necesita una variedad de opciones de servicio. Si el niño es elegible, se desarrollará un Plan de Educación Individual (IEP), diseñado para satisfacer las necesidades educativas del niño. Se requiere consentimiento de los padres por escrito antes de que los servicios de educación especial puedan comenzar.
¿Cómo califica un niño para los servicios de educación especial?
Para calificar para los servicios de educación especial, el niño debe tener una necesidad educativa significativa y cumplir con los criterios establecidos por la ley estatal y federal (Ley de Educación para Individuos con Discapacidades - IDEA) para una o más de las siguientes discapacidades:
- Impedimento Auditivo (AI)
- Autismo (AU)
- Sordo-Ceguera (DB)
- Disturbio Emocional (ED)
- Discapacidad Intelectual (ID)
- Discapacidad de Aprendizaje (LD)
- Múltiples Discapacidades (MD)
- Primera Infancia No Categorica (NCEC)
- Otro Impedimento de Salud (OH)
- Deterioro Ortopédico (OI)
- Discapacidad del Habla (SI)
- Lesión Cerebral Traumática (TBI)
- Discapacidad Visual (VI)
¿Qué tipos de servicios están disponibles?
Northside proporciona un continuo de educación especial y servicios relacionados, basados en las necesidades del estudiante. Se puede encontrar más información en el sitio web de Educación Especial; vaya a Departamentos en la página de inicio de NISD y vaya a Educación especial.