Child Find
Child Find is a federal mandate under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) that requires local education agencies (LEAs), which include public school districts and charter schools, to identify, locate, and evaluate all children with disabilities residing within their jurisdictions who need special education and related services. (34 CFR §300.111—Child find) Learn more about how to request an evaluation for your child by exploring this page and reviewing the Senate Bill 139 Notice to Families/SB 139 Actualizaciones en Educación Especial. For concerns or questions related to Child Find, contact Mrs. Amanda Molina-Garza, Director of Evaluations, at 512-414-7733 or amanda.molina-garza@austinisd.org.
Request for Evaluation
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Early Intervention services are also available for children from birth to age 3, please call the HHS Office of the Ombudsman at 1-877-787-8999, select a language, and then select Option 3. The Ombudsman staff will ask for your zip code, county or city and provide the name and number of the local ECI program. Callers with hearing impairment may use the relay option of their choice or dial 7-1-1 to connect with Relay Texas.
Parents, guardians, and/or community agencies with suspicions that their early childhood student may have a disability as recognized by IDEA and may need specialized instruction and services should complete the following form link or call (512) 414-SPED and we will contact you regarding your child and your interest in special education services.
My child currently attends an Austin ISD campus. I would like them to evaluate my child, what is the process?
You may contact your child's campus administrator or campus Child Study Team Chair (CST) and request an evaluation. Your request may be written or verbal and the campus has 15 calendar days to respond to your request.
I am moving to Austin ISD and my child has special education services through our current district. What is the enrollment process?
- All campuses in Austin ISD are equipped to provide a range of special education services.
- Begin by enrolling your child at the home campus based on your address.
- Enrollment site
- How to find your home school
- Reach out to the campus Registrar to let them know your child accesses special education services. If you are able to provide the most recent evaluation (Full Individual Evaluation or FIE) and/or paperwork from the most recent IEP/ARD meeting, that would be helpful!
- The team on your child’s home campus will work to determine how Austin ISD can most closely match services to the most recent recommendations from your last school. If a specialized classroom is required, but not available on the home campus, the home campus will coordinate with parents to identify the closest available classroom and transportation will be available.
- Parents will be invited to a meeting with the campus staff to review recommendations and discuss any further information that is required.
My family homeschools/attends a local private school. What services/supports are available to us?
Proportionate Share is a program where a student can access a portion of the services on their IEP (Individual Education Program) while continuing to access homeschool or private school. Please contact Child Find for more information.
My child attends a charter school and we live in Austin ISD boundaries. What services/supports are available to us?
Charter schools are public schools that receive federal funding. Special education services should be addressed by charter school staff.
Beginning August 1st, 2023, referrals for evaluation for students who are attending private school or home-school will be facilitated by a centralized team of evaluators. If you would like to refer your private/homeschooled student for a special education evaluation (for dyslexia and all other suspected disabilities) please complete the form linked below:
Parents or private/home school campuses may also email their requests to propshare@austinisd.org.
For additional assistance or questions regarding private school services, please contact Bailey Gates, Director - Instructional Delivery, Inclusion, and Related Services at Bailey.Gates@austinisd.org or contact the Austin ISD Special Education Office at (512) 414-SPED (7733).
Overview of Special Education Evaluation Process
- Overview of Special Education for Parents (Updated August 24, 2023),
- Overview of Special Education for Parents (Spanish) (Updated August 24, 2023)
- SpedTex Video
- AISD Overview of Special Education English
- AISD Overview of Special Education Spanish
- AISD Video Transcript ENG
- AISD Video Transcript SPN
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Frequently Asked Questions
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If parental consent for an initial evaluation is given, the school will conduct an evaluation of the child in all areas of suspected disability to determine if he or she has a disability, and to determine his or her educational needs. The evaluation process for the child must:
- Include information about the child’s academic, developmental and functional performance;
- Be administered by trained and knowledgeable personnel;
- Be administered in the child’s native language or other mode of communication; and
- Be unbiased or given in such a way so as not to discriminate against the child, regardless of his or her cultural background, race, or disability.
A parent, guardian, and/or community agency has the right to request a special education evaluation when there is a suspicion of a disability. It is best to submit this request in writing to your school’s principal or a district level special education director. If your child is placed in private school, home school, or is in preschool, please see the Request an Evaluation sections above.
Additionally, if your child’s school knows or has reason to suspect that the student has a disability and a need for special education services, the school must refer the student for a special education evaluation. Austin ISD campuses have designated a campus contact person who is able to assist parents/guardians with questions about special education. See Child Find information below in English and Spanish.
The written request for an evaluation will begin a timelines that the school must follow. More information on evaluation timelines can be found at the Initial Referral Timeline.
There are 13 disabilities as identified under special education law. The IDEA and Texas Administrative Code (TAC) provide explanations of the criteria for disability condition determination. Learn more about specific disabilities on the SPEDTex website.
Of note, dyslexia is a type of specific learning disability as described by HB 3928 FAQs: Dyslexia Evaluation, Identification, and Instruction (August 2023).
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, also known as IDEA, is a federal law that gives eligible students with disabilities the right to receive special education services and assistance in school. To be eligible for special education services, a student with a disability must need instruction that is specially designed to meet the student’s unique needs based on that disability. To determine the specially designed instruction needed to meet the student’s unique needs based on that disability, an evaluation must be conducted and reviewed with the Admission, Review, Dismissal (ARD) committee. A student identified through child find is not automatically guaranteed services under IDEA. First, a full and individual initial evaluation (FIIE) of the child must be conducted. Source on the TEA website.
Anytime your child’s school suspects a student has dyslexia or dysgraphia and needs services, the school must ask for parent consent to conduct a Full Individual Initial Evaluation (FIIE) through special education. Evaluations through the special education process makes sure that students who are eligible for special education services are identified and provided the support they need. Students are not evaluated without parent consent. Parents can also request their child be evaluated for dyslexia. School teams will review and respond within 15 school days of the written request.
For more information on recent legislation, please review the HB 3928 FAQs: Dyslexia Evaluation, Identification, and Instruction (August 2023) - and visit the Austin ISD Dyslexia webpage.
The Texas Driving with Disability program includes two components:
- Ways to notify law enforcement officers about your communication needs
- Information on education and training
Students who may be eligible for the program include students:
- have a health condition or disability that may impede effective communication; and
- receive special education services; or
- are covered by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
Learn more by visiting Texas Driving with Disability webpage.
Additional Resources
- Procedural Safeguards–Explains parents’ rights under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
- Parent’s Guide to the Admission, Review, Dismissal (ARD) Process –Contains information parents need to effectively participate in an ARD committee meeting. To learn more, please visit the TEA website.
- Child Find Spanish
- Child Find English
- Child Find Family Empower Hour Session Spanish
- Child Find Family Empower Hour Session English