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?
Overview of the Department
Who can begin the Child Find process?
Why should children be referred to Child Find?
What happens after the referral is made?
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?
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?
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)?
¿Quién puede comenzar el proceso Child Find?
¿Por qué los niños deben ser referidos a Child Find?
¿Qué sucede después de que se realiza la referencia?
¿Qué sucede después de que se completa la evaluación?
¿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)