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  2. Child Find

Child Find

What is Child Find?

The purpose of Child Find is to locate, identify and evaluate children from birth to 21 years of age and their possible need for special education and related services. Child Find is a free referral and information service available through local education agencies and Service Center Region XIII. 

Children learn at different rates but some children have significant difficulty. We’re here to help you access services to meet the unique learning needs of your child. If you are concerned your child may be learning, playing or interacting differently from others, please contact your campus counselor, principal, or the director of special education.

Referral Process
Referrals may be initiated by (but are not limited to): 

  • Parents
  • Preschool Teachers/Directors
  • Physicians
  • Outside agencies/therapists/ECI


Students receiving services through ECI will be transitioned into the public school system starting as early as 150 days prior to their third birthday. 

What is the next step?
District evaluation staff will: 

  • Schedule a screening if needed
  • Schedule an evaluation if needed
  • Schedule and facilitate the ARD (Admission, Review, Dismissal) meeting
  • Gather enrollment information if the child qualifies for special education services

Who is Eligible?
There is a two-part test for determining whether your child is eligible for special education services: (1) your child must have a disability (2) as a result of the disability, your child must need special education services to benefit from education. 

  • Speech/language Impairment
  • Other Health Impaired
  • Deaf-Blind
  • Visual Impairment
  • Traumatic Brain Injury
  • Multiple Impairments
  • Hearing Impairment
  • Orthopedic Impairment
  • * Autism/Pervasive Developmental Disorder
  • * Intellectual Disability
  • * Emotional Disturbance
  • * Learning Disability
  • * Non-Categorical Early Childhood (NCEC). It is for students aged 3-5 who have general delays in their physical, cognitive, communication, social, emotional, or adaptive development; and who, because of these delays, need special education and related services. In Texas, a child between the ages of 3-5 may be described as “NCEC” if he or she has been diagnosed as having one of the (*)


*These disability categories must be determined by age 6. It is used with young children because the true disability is often difficult to determine at an early age. Services may begin at birth for children with visual or auditory impairments.

Special Education Terms

ARD: Admission, Review, Dismissal 
DIAG: Educational Diagnostician 
FAPE: Free and Appropriate Education 
FIE: Full Individual Evaluation 
IEP: Individual Education Plan 
LRE: Least Restrictive Environment 
LSSP: Licensed Specialist in School Psychology 
OT: Occupational Therapist 
PT: Physical Therapist 
SLP: Speech Language Pathologist

Parent Resources:

Texas Project FIRST

Texas Parent to Parent

Bluebonnet Trails Community Services

Texas Workforce Commission

Student Services