Process

Parent/Guardian Responsibility

• Talk with the class room teacher about your concerns regarding the support that you feel your child needs.
• If you feel that you would like to have your child evaluated, talk with their teacher or principal about your concerns/
• For more information on an evaluation, call the Special Education Director at 406-924-2491. 
• Sign the referral to evaluate if it is determined that your child will be evaluated for special education services. 

School Responsibility

• If a teacher feels that a student may need to be evaluated, they will bring the student to the Student Assistant Team (SAT) to discuss concerns and determine what support can be provided to help the student. SAT will make recommendations, complete observations, and progress monitor the student to determine if the student should be evaluated through special education. 
• Help the parent/guardian understand how their child is being supported and the progress their child is making toward grade-level expectations. 
• Refer the student to the Student Assistant Team (SAT)
• Fill out our referral to evaluate once it is determined that the student should be evaluated for special education services. 

Parent/Guardian Responsibility

• Complete any paperwork the school psychologist may ask you to complete. 
• Be available for phone contact or an in-person meeting if the school psychologist wants to gather information about your child.

School Responsibility

• Once the signed referral is returned from the parent/guardian, the District has sixty (60) days to complete the evaluation and schedule a meting to discuss the outcomes of the evaluation.
• Work with the teachers, family, and student to complete the evaluation process. The school psychologist leads this; however, other professionals may also evaluate depending on need (speech and language therapist, teacher, etc.). 
• Schedule a determination meeting with the family, evaluation team, and administration to review the evaluation outcomes to determine whether or not the student qualifies under any special education classifications. 

Parent/Guardian Responsibility

• Attend the evaluation outcome meeting and give your input on the evaluation results. Share your thoughts and concerns about the support you feel your child needs. 

School Responsibility

• Review each part of the completed evaluation and ensure the parent/guardian understands the results.
• As a committee, determine whether the student qualifies under one of the 12 classifications and discuss if the student should be supported with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). If yes, move forward with developing the IEP; if no, discuss the supports that are currently in place and how they are supporting the student.
• A meeting will be scheduled to develop the IEP; sometimes, the IEP is developed at the determination meeting.
• The 12 classifications are: autism, developmental delay, cognitive delay, deaf-blindness, deafness, emotional disturbance, hearing impairment, orthopedic impairment, other health impairment, specific learning disability, speech and language impairment, traumatic brain injury.

Parent/Guardian Responsibility 

• Play an active role in helping to develop your child's IEP during the committee meeting.
• Once the IEP is developed, you can review the document and agree to what the document says. You may take the IEP home to review before you sign.

School Responsibility

• As a special education committee (parent, special education teacher, general education teachers, administrator, other professionals deemed necessary, and any person the parent wishes to attend), develop the Individualized Education Plan (IEP).
• Ensure the parent understands each part of the IEP.
• Once the parent agrees and signs the IEP, ensure the programs and services listed on the IEP are put in place.

Parent/Guardian Responsibility

• Attend the annual IEP meeting and provide your input on your child's progress.
• Review the updated IEP and sign your agreeance to the new IEP.

School Responsibility

• Schedule an annual review meeting and invite the necessary team members.
• Review the progress that the student has made toward the goals of the IEP.
• Address any concerns the parent/guardian or team member has about the student's progress, goald, etc. 
• Update all parts of the IEP.

A student should be re-evaluated every three years unless the committee determines otherwise.