IFSP/IEP
eligibility for early childhood special education services.
Parents will be involved in helping the school district or
special education cooperative gather needed information to
help determine if the child is eligible through the
evaluation process. It is very helpful for parents to share
information about the child with other IEP team members.
Parents know what their child has learned, what the child
likes and dislikes, and how the child likes to play.
When parents sign consent, their child’s evaluation process will
continue. The evaluation is individualized for the child.
Evaluations can be conducted by one person or a team of
professionals at the child’s home, preschool, or school district.
The evaluation procedures for special education used for
preschool-aged students are the same that would be used for
elementary or high school students as part of the effort to
determine if the child has a disability that would impact the
child’s ability to learn and develop academically.
When the evaluation has been completed, the IEP team will
meet to discuss the results of the evaluation which may show
the child has a disability which would adversely affect
educational performance. If the child is found to have such a
disability, the IEP team will decide if the child needs special
education and related services. If these services are needed, the
IEP team will either prepare an IEP for the child at that meeting
or schedule another time for everyone on the IEP team,
including the parents, to meet to develop the IEP.
The IEP (or IFSP) must be developed and services must be
in effect beginning on the child’s 3rd birthday. The type,
amount and location of special education services provided
must be based on the child’s needs. The law requires that
preschoolers receive their services together with children
without disabilities, to the maximum extent appropriate.
The child’s special education and related services can be
delivered in a variety of different settings. Some of those
settings could be community preschool or child care pro-
grams, park district preschools or programs, Head Start,
state-funded pre-kindergarten or Preschool for All
programs, or an early childhood special education