The Referral Process
Anyone on a child's educational team can request a sped evaluation, but this person or group must give formal written consent before any testing begins.
Who are the Parents / Guardians?
General education teachers are legally required to implement accommodations outlined in an IEP or 504 from this point in time.
What is immediately upon receiving/signing the document?
RTI stands for this multi-tiered framework designed to identify and support struggling students early.
What is Response to Intervention?
An IEP falls under IDEA law, while a 504 Plan falls under this civil rights law.
What is Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973?
Federal law mandates that a student's IEP must be reviewed and updated at least this often.
What is once a year (annually)?
Once formal parent consent is received, school districts typically have this standard timeframe (under federal law) to complete the evaluation.
What is 60 calendar days (or state-specific timeline)?
During IEP meetings, general educators provide essential data on these two primary areas of classroom performance.
What are academic progress and classroom behavior/social interactions?
In the RTI framework, Tier 1 instruction refers to high-quality core instruction provided to this group of students.
What is all students (the general classroom population)?
This key component is provided in an IEP to teach new skills, but is NOT typically part of a 504 Plan.
What is Specialized Instruction (or individualized learning goals)?
A comprehensive re-evaluation of a student with an IEP must take place at least once every this many years.
What is 3 years (the Triennial evaluation)?
A referral for special education evaluation does NOT automatically mean a student gets an IEP; the team must first determine this during the eligibility meeting.
What is Eligibility (does the disability adversely impact educational performance requiring specialized instruction)?
If a general education teacher feels an accommodation is unnecessary or not working, they can choose to stop providing it independently.
What is False (it is a federally binding document; changes must go through the IEP/504 team)?
Targeted, small-group interventions provided to students who need extra support beyond core instruction fall under this RTI tier.
What is Tier 2?
A 504 Plan primary focuses on providing accommodations (access), whereas an IEP can also include these changes to core curriculum expectations
What are modifications?
Prior to an annual review meeting, general educators should gather work samples, assessment scores, and behavioral notes to document this.
What is progress toward IEP goals / baseline performance?
This comprehensive evaluation report gathers data across multiple areas (e.g., academic, psychological, speech) to establish a baseline.
What is an ETR (Evaluation Team Report) or Multidisciplinary Evaluation?
Before referring a student for special education, general educators are responsible for implementing and documenting these in the regular classroom.
What are tiered interventions / accommodations / RTI strategies?
Intensive, individualized interventions designed for students showing significant learning gaps occur in this RTI tier.
What is Tier 3?
While IEPs receive dedicated federal funding to support services, 504 plans receive this amount of dedicated federal funding.
What is zero / unfunded?
This written document provided to parents explains all of their legal rights and protections under IDEA.
What are Procedural Safeguards?
If a parent disagrees with the school district's evaluation results during the referral process, they have the right to request this at public expense.
What is an IEE (Independent Educational Evaluation)?
Failure by an individual teacher to implement a student's mandated IEP accommodations can lead to this personal legal consequence.
What is individual liability / legal non-compliance?
To determine if an RTI intervention is effective, teachers must conduct this type of frequent, routine assessment.
What is Progress Monitoring?
To qualify for a 504, a disability must substantially limit a major life activity; to qualify for an IEP, the disability must also specifically impact this.
What is educational performance?
This meeting must be held within 10 school days if a student with an IEP faces a suspension exceeding 10 days to determine if the behavior was caused by their disability.
What is a Manifestation Determination Review (MDR)?