Providing appropriate special education services to a student is the result of a process of identification, referral, evaluation, instructional planning, and placement as outlined below.

1. Student Intervention Team (SIT): Each Seattle Public Schools building has a SIT process, which is managed by general education personnel to support the success of students in general education classrooms. One of the main purposes of SIT is to identify and attempt interventions in general education classrooms to support students’ access to general education curriculum and activities and their achievement of district standards. Only after general education resources have been exhausted is a student from SIT to be referred for special education evaluation.When a team refers a student, they are saying that they suspect the student has a disability and needs specially designed instruction.The only exception to this process is when a student has a visible/readily identifiable disability and is in need of specially designed instruction. The intent of this pre-referral process is to prevent the inappropriate referral of students to special education.

2. Referral to Special Education: A referral of a student suspected of having a disability may be initiated in writing by any source, including but not limited to parents, medical personnel, school district personnel, community agencies, civil authorities, through district screening procedures, and by other interested persons. When a student suspected of having a disability is brought to the attention of school personnel, the school district will document the referral, provide written notice to the student’s parent(s), and determine with parental input whether the student is a candidate for evaluation. Upon reviewing the referral, school personnel collect and examine existing school, medical, and other records in the possession of the parent, school district, or other public agency, and then decide if the student is a candidate for evaluation.

3. Evaluation: If the student is a candidate for evaluation, the school district obtains parental consent to fully evaluate the student in all areas of the suspected disability. A group of qualified professionals who are selected by the district because they are knowledgeable about the student and the suspected areas of disabilities conduct the evaluation. They use a variety of assessment tools and strategies to gather relevant functional and developmental information about the student, including information provided by the parents and information related to enabling the student to be involved in and progress in the general curriculum. After they have completed the testing and evaluation materials, the test administrators and the parent of the student determine if the student has a disability and is in need of special education and any necessary related services.

4. Individualized Education Plan (IEP): Once a student has been determined to be eligible for services, an IEP team writes an education plan. The student's parent is an important member of this team. This plan contains at a minimum a statement of the student’s present levels of performance, annual goals, statement of related services or supplementary aids and services, an explanation to the extent the student will participate with typically developing peers, projected dates for beginning services, the location of those services, and how the student’s progress will be measured and reported to parents. The IEP is the framework for ensuring that students with disabilities have a free, appropriate public education.

5. Placement in the Least Restrictive Environment: Services outlined in the IEP may occur in several different environments for students. However, students with disabilities are to be educated in the least restrictive environment, meaning that students with disabilities should be educated with students without disabilities to the maximum extent that they are allowed by their disability. The least restrictive environment requirement does not mandate inclusion or mainstreaming but rather focuses on participation in the general education environment with general education peers, as appropriate.

Updated August 19, 2008