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Public commenters urge Board to extend developmental‑delay eligibility to age 9
Summary
Parents and advocates told the State Board of Education that extending developmental‑delay eligibility to age 9 would give multidisciplinary teams more time to assess children and avoid premature restrictive placements; the Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities submitted survey findings supporting further review.
Anna Marie Binder, speaking during public comment from Las Vegas, urged the Board to extend developmental‑delay (DD) eligibility through age 9 so children have more time for assessment before a permanent determination. "There is no evidence that extending the DD age through age 9 harms children or outcomes," Binder said, arguing that the change would give educators "time to develop, time for educators to gather meaningful information, time to avoid assigning a more restrictive disability category before it's truly appropriate."
Katherine Nielsen, Executive Director of the Nevada Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities, submitted a written comment (read into the record) describing two statewide surveys that collected 255 responses from families, educators and self‑advocates. The Council’s summary flagged recurring concerns about interruptions in services during reevaluation, inconsistent implementation across districts, and confusion for families when children lose developmental‑delay eligibility at age 6. The Council did not recommend a specific policy but asked the Board and the Nevada Department of Education to use the findings to inform discussions and consider whether extending DD eligibility or improved guidance could better serve young children with developmental disabilities.
