Child Find

With the assistance of the Texas Education Agency and the education service centers (ESC), local education agencies (LEAs) must ensure that a free appropriate public education (FAPE) is provided to all individuals with disabilities, ages 3-21, who qualify for special education services. With the assistance of the Texas Education Agency, ESCs, and the Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) program, LEAs must ensure that early intervention services are made available for those children, ages 0-3, with an identified need.

To carry out these responsibilities, LEAs must implement: a comprehensive system of "Child Find" in which the applicant agency personnel actively search for all individuals with disabilities or developmental delay who are 0-21 years of age. The applicant agency is responsible for identifying, locating, and evaluating all individuals 0-21 years of age, regardless of nature or severity of disability. Once a local education agency (LEA) or an program determines eligibility, all individuals 0-21 years of age, regardless of the severity of the disability or developmental delay, are served by either the LEA [3-21 years of age] in accordance with Texas Education Code §25.001 or an ECI program [0-3 years of age] (34 CFR §§300.128, 300.220, 300.300 Note 3; 34 CFR §§303.16, 303.321; and 19 TAC §89.1035

Individuals at state, regional, and local levels are in the process of "Rethinking Child Find in Texas." As a part of this process, a statewide networking system is being established to facilitate coordination and collaboration of all child find efforts. Results of this networked system are to be dissemination of child find information, effective communication among individuals, and identification of persons who can serve as resources for local child find efforts.

For more information, contact:

Brent Flack

Director of Special Education

814 Eleventh Street

Blanco, TX 78606

830-833-4365

brent.flack@blancoisd.org

Technical Assistance

Education Service Centers ESCs are the first point contact for technical assistance to parents and school districts in the State.

Department of Assisting and Rehabilitative Services- Division for Early Childhood Intervention (ES) Services ECI serves Texas families who have babies and toddlers with disabilities or developmental delays.
830-833-4365