Special Education Referral Process 
Phase 1: Recognition 👥
Is the issue a recurrent problem or new?
New
by Erin Burch 😃
Is the issue appropriate for children of this age?
Yes
No
Recurrent
Call a meeting with parents or guardians
Monitor for recurrence
Teacher provides examples of work or anectodal notes regarding student's needs
Parents provide insights
Document dates and information about behavior, concerns, or skills
Teacher and parents document actions, strategies used, and progress
Are the interventions working?
Yes
No
Ask for outside help
Phase 2: Pre-Referral ⚠
Tier 1: High Quality General Education
Tier 2: Targeted Group Instruction
Tier 3: Intensive Individualized Interventions
Are the interventions working?
Yes
No
Phase 3: Referral for Special Education Evaluation 🚩
School personnel
Child's parents or legal guardians
Any other person involved in the education or care of the child
Obtain legal consent from parents or guardians
Phase 4: Special Education Evaluation ❓
Complete evaluation within 60 days of the referral date
Multi-disciplinary team administers a battery of formal evaluations
Administered in the language and form most likely to provide accurate information
Informal observations and documentation of student's past work should be used
Phase 5: Eligibility (FAPE) ✅
Determine eligibility within 30 days of the evaluation
Does the child's disability negatively impact their educational performance?
No
Yes
Phase 6: Individualized Education Program (IEP) ✏
Receives other kind of help
IEP contract is created to include:
Student profile
IEP initiation and duration dates
Statement of "special instructional factors"
Statement of special transportation needs
Statement of the frequency and method of reports of goal attainment for parents or guardians
Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP)
Statement of least restrictive environment (LRE)
Phase 7: IEP Implementation 😃
Provide documentation of the mastery of benchmarks and annual goals
Phase 8: Reevaluation 🎉
Each year, IEP team reevaluates IEP to develop new one
Determine if formal evaluation is required every three years
Does the student still need special education services?
Yes
No
IEP team files appropriate documentation to support the fact that the student no longer is eligible
Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities. (2013) The Special Education Referral Process. http://www.projectidealonline.org/v/special-education-referral-process/