Richard Hardy Memorial School

1620 Hamilton Avenue

South Pittsburg, Tennessee 37380

423-837-7282

Sharon Newcom                                                                     Reggie Culpepper

       Director                                                                                    Principal

Child Find

What is Child Find?

Child find is a component of the Individuals with Disability Education Act (IDEA) that require school districts to identify, locate and evaluate all children with disabilities ages 3-21 who need early intervention services or special education services.

How does Child Find work?

Richard City Special School District will identify, locate, and evaluate all private and public-school children with disabilities who may require special education or related services. Children must reside in the jurisdiction of Richard City, who serves as the LEA.

Compliance

In an effort to comply with IDEA in accordance with 300.125 and 300.200, it is Richard City’s objective to ensure that all children with disabilities receive free and appropriate public education (FAPE), including special education and related services that are designed and developed to meet every child’s unique needs and prepare them to further their education and become more independent in their daily living.

Referrals

IDEA’s child find permits referrals from any sources who believe a child may be eligible for special education or related services. Sources that may refer a child for evaluation are as follows (but not limited to):

• Parents/Guardians
• Teachers
• Health care providers
• Community agencies
• Any individual that is knowledgeable about the child

Evaluation Procedures

When referred for a special education evaluation, the multi-disciplinary team will convene for a meeting. A multi-disciplinary assessment team is a team of individuals that complete evaluation components aimed at determining a student’s present levels of performance; considering the student’s strengths and needs; and determining if a student meets TDOE eligibility standards for suspected disability. Academic readiness/achievement, cognition, adaptive behavior, motor skills, social skills, and emotional skills are among the areas that may be evaluated.

Members of the multi-disciplinary team include, but are not limited to:

• Parents/Guardians
• Principal
• Teachers
• School Psychologist
• Speech Pathologist
• Special Education Teacher
• Social Workers
• School Counselor
• Other Assessment Specialists as deemed appropriate (ex. RTI team members)

Locating and Assessing Students Already Enrolled in the District

School-Based Response to Intervention (RTI) tier group data review team may:

• Review data in the area of concern.
• Develop ideas and strategies to address the specific concerns in the classroom.
• Consider all factors such as: vision, hearing, nutrition, health, and other environmental factors.
• Discuss what future actions, progress, and outcomes should result from intervention strategies.

Areas of Suspected Disabilities may include:

• Autism
• Deaf-Blindness
• Deafness
• Intellectual Delay
• Emotional Disturbance
• Multiple Disabilities
• Specific Learning Disabilities
• Speech or Language Impairment
• Vision or Hearing Impairments
• Other Health Impairments
• Orthopedic Impairments
• Intellectually Gifted
• Traumatic Brain Injury
• Developmental Delay (ages 3-9)

Who Can I Contact?

• Birth to 2.5 years of age: Call Tennessee Early Intervention System (TEIS) at 423-434-4401
• 2.5 to 5 years of age: Call the Richard City Director of Special Populations at 423-837-7282.
• 5 years of age or older: Contact the school principal about any concerns. The principal will direct your concerns to the Richard Hardy Memorial School special education department.

This notice is provided in accordance with the requirements of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act and Chapter 0520-01-09, Special Education Programs and Services, Tennessee State Department of Education. For more information, please the Click Here! This site offers information and resources related to the earliest possible identification of young children and their families who may benefit from early intervention or education services.