You Asked! Question 11

Q11:  I am a teacher and suspect one of my students may be displaying signs of dyslexia. What should I do?  Is it okay to alert the parents as to my concerns?

A:  Teachers see student performance in the educational environment directly. You are a critical source of information to parents and the special education team, who depend on your expertise and experience. It is important to understand that early identification and appropriate intervention with students who show the warning signs of dyslexia are essential for better outcomes later on.  If you have any reason at all to suspect that a student may have a disability that may be interfering with learning (not simply “academics”), you are legally obligated to refer the student for evaluation under the “Child Find” obligation of the special education law ((20 U.S.C. § 1412(a)(3)(A); 34 C.F.R. § 300.111(a); Ed. Code, §§ 56171, 56300 et seq.). Child Find does not prevent you from discussing your concerns with a parent—in general, such discussions are a regular part of a teacher’s job. The parent also has the right to make a referral for special education assessment. However, Child Find is not based on action or inaction of a parent- once an educator has a reason to suspect that a child may have a disability, your legal obligation is triggered to refer the student for assessment, at which point the special education team should provide the parents with an assessment plan for consent to assess. Getting a decision in writing allows parents to use their rights under the law—including the right to refuse evaluation, or the right to challenge the district’s refusal.

Be aware that the threshold for suspecting that a child has a disability and referring for evaluation is relatively low. The question is whether the child should be referred for an evaluation, not whether the child actually qualifies for services.  After all, we can’t know the answer to that question until we have assessment data. The student should not have to fail a course or be retained in a grade in order to be considered for assessment.  The fact that a student is making adequate educational progress is not a valid reason not to assess.

“Child find” duty requires children to be identified and evaluated “within a reasonable time after school officials are on notice of behavior that is likely to indicate a disability”. A state or LEA “shall be deemed to have knowledge that a child is a child with a disability if [among other things] … the behavior or performance of the child demonstrates the need for such services”.

(Source:  Department of Education State of Hawaii v. Cari Rae S., 2001, 158 F. Supp. 2d 1190; 71 Fed. Reg. 46580 (Aug. 14, 2006))

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You Asked! Question 12

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Q12:  Student exhibits signs of dyslexia, but school wants to delay assessing in order to see how student first responds to RTI (or is recommending Student Study Team (SST) meetings). Does assessing need to be delayed for special education eligibility?

A:  The school cannot delay or deny assessing your child for a suspected disability because of implementation of a Response to Intervention (RTI) strategy.  Please refer to our You Asked Q11on “Child Find” obligations. In a Dear Colleague letter, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) reminds schools that a parent may request an initial evaluation at any time to determine if a child has a disability under IDEA, and the use of Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), such as RTI, may not be used to delay or deny a full and individual evaluation of a child suspected of having a disability.  (Sources: OSEP Memorandum 11-07 dated January 21st, 2011; OSERS Dear Colleague Letter dated October 23rd, 2015)

Convening an SST meeting does not waive a school district’s obligation to refer a child for assessment if there is knowledge of and reason to suspect a disability. It is important for parents to know that they can agree to participate in an SST while special education evaluation is underway, but that unless they agree in writing to delay the evaluation, the legal timelines apply—and, in California, the school district has fifteen days to respond to a request for evaluation, and sixty days from date assessment plan is signed by parents to hold an eligibility determination meeting and create an IEP for eligible students. SST’s can provide important information and accommodations that may actually help the team determine eligibility later—but the parent is not required to participate in these processes, and they cannot delay the special education timelines.

(Source:  Student v. Berkeley Unified School District OAH Case No. 2013120159, Page 30)

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