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Board reviews special education procedures; staff explain multidisciplinary team and child‑find duties
Summary
Staff answered board questions about special education procedures, including the role of the multidisciplinary team (MDT), child‑find responsibilities for migrant/homeless students and how young children are screened for special education services.
Several board members raised questions during a policy review about sections referencing children experiencing homelessness, foster care and migrant conditions and about the district’s multidisciplinary team (MDT) process for special education referrals.
District special education staff explained that the MDT (referred to in state law and district procedures) brings multiple specialists together — for example, a school psychologist, speech therapist, occupational therapist, general educator and a parent — to review a student’s needs, interventions tried and available data before a formal special education referral is made. “If this child receives speech services, speech therapist has to be there. If they have OT or physical therapy, they have to be there and have notice of the team,” staff said.
On child‑find for students experiencing migrant conditions, staff said the district has migrant recruiters who reach out to families and that the district posts notices and conducts outreach so that eligible students and families know about services. Staff clarified that migrant families’ residential patterns can vary — some move seasonally while others establish longer stays — and that proactive outreach is part of the district’s responsibility.
A board member asked how the district handles evaluations for very young children. Staff explained that assessments include parent questionnaires about developmental milestones, classroom observations and age‑appropriate nonverbal testing; children already receiving birth‑to‑three services typically transition into the district’s preschool or special education services when they turn three and continue evaluation as required.
Ending: The board postponed adoption of the specific procedures until members had more time to review the text; staff committed to clarifying language where board members found phrasing unclear and to return with the revised procedure for future action.
Note: This article summarizes policy discussion and staff clarifications; no new special education policy was adopted at this meeting.
