Referral Process

Prereferral

The Florence Township School District incorporates a Multi-Tiered System of Supports to identify and address students’ educational needs. The Intervention and Referral Services Teams in each school provide a framework for data driven collaborative teamwork to identify and support the learning needs of students demonstrating academic and behavioral challenges. Through the I&RS process, parents, caregivers, and district staff work together to utilize general education interventions and resources to achieve targeted goals prior to evaluating a child for potential special education identification. Based on the outcomes of interventions, the child may or may not be referred to the Child Study Team for potential special education evaluation.

Referral to the Child Study Team

Students may be referred to the Child Study Team through the I&RS Team, School Administration, and Parents and Guardians. To make a referral, the written request should be submitted to the building principal or directly to the Office of Special Services. When the written referral is received, a Case Manager is assigned to work with the family and an Initial Referral meeting is scheduled.

The Evaluation Process

‍What can I expect at the Initial Intake Meeting?
Within twenty (20) calendar days of receipt of the written parent referral, the CST will schedule an initial intake meeting. The meeting should consist of the parents/guardians, as well as the entire CST. The purpose of this meeting is for you to meet the team and allow them to become familiar with your child. The CST will decide whether or not an evaluation of your child is necessary. Parental consent for the evaluation must be received before testing begins; it may be given that same day. Please feel free to ask the team questions as your understanding of the process will enable you to be more informed.‍

The Evaluation Process

Evaluation Components:
A comprehensive Child Study Team evaluation consists of several components, each conducted on an individual basis. A comprehensive evaluation specifically consists of at least two of the following:

• A Psychological Assessment – the responsibility of a certified School Psychologist, This may include teacher conferences, observation of the student in other than a testing session, and an appraisal of the current cognitive, social, adaptive and emotional status of the student.
• An Educational Assessment – the responsibility of a certified Learning Disabilities Teacher Consultant. This may include observation of the student in other than a testing session, review of the student’s educational history, conferences with the student’s teacher(s), and an evaluation and analysis of the pupils academic performance and learning characteristics.
• A Social Assessment – the responsibility of a certified School Social Worker. This may include observation of the student and communication with the student and parent(s), an evaluation of the student’s adaptive social functioning and emotional development and of the family, social and cultural factors which influence the student’s learning and behavior in the educational setting.
• Other possible evaluations: Speech and Language, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy

In addition to evaluations performed by the Child Study Team, the team may recommend specialist examinations such as neurological and psychiatric evaluations. 
Additionally, the Team shall consider examination results and findings of specialists which may be submitted by the parent(s).
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The Child Study Team shall consider pertinent information from other certified school personnel and from the parents(s) when rendering evaluation and eligibility decisions.
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How is eligibility determined?
‍When the evaluation is completed, eligibility is determined by the Evaluation team at a meeting according to N.J.A.C. 6A:14-2.3(i)1. To be eligible for special education and related services:

• A student must have a disability according to one of the eligibility categories;
• The disability must adversely affect the student’s educational performance; and
• The student must be in need of special education and related services.

The school district must provide a copy of the evaluation report(s) and documentation of eligibility to the parent (or adult student, when applicable) not less than 10 calendar days prior to the eligibility meeting.

If the student is found eligible for special education and related services, then a meeting will be held to develop an Individual Education Program (IEP) with the additional input from a special education teacher. Implementation of any new program is to be implemented within 90 calendar days from the date of parent consent to evaluate. Implementation of the initial IEP and subsequent programming can only occur with parental consent.