Eligibility for Special Education

Journal Entry
Referral, identification, and eligibility for services
Briefly describe the process by which students are supposed to be determined eligible for special education services under the law.
Guidelines must be followed to determine if a student needs special education services. The determination follows the People with Disabilities Education Act’s (IDEA) specific legal guidelines. A student is initially referred for a thorough evaluation if a teacher, parent, or specialist has important concerns about the student’s academic performance and behavior; this evaluation addresses the student’s needs. After, providers carefully observe classrooms. Furthermore, they evaluate and gather input from many teachers and from parents. The evaluation determines whether the student’s disability affects their ability to learn effectively in a general education classroom. After the evaluation, the entire team of educators, specialists, and parents convenes to determine whether the student satisfies all of IDEA’s strict criteria for every disability category, for example, autism, a learning disability, or a speech impairment. Once a student is considered eligible, the school develops an Individualized Education Program (IEP) that offers learning objectives, services, and accommodations designed to meet the student’s needs. Each year, the school reviews and implements the IEP to guarantee that the student receives appropriate support (IRIS Center, n.d.).
Identify two common problems that arise during the process of referral, evaluation, and identification. Give specific examples from the texts and your experience to clarify and illustrate your claims.