Special Education Identification

Special education identification refers to the process for determining whether children and youth are eligible to receive services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act, a federal law commonly referred to as IDEA. The primary intent of the law is to ensure that all children with disabilities receive a free and appropriate public education. The IDEA includes a Child Find mandate that requires states to develop and implement a plan to seek, screen, and identify all children and youth between the ages of 3–21 years who may have a disability.

Children suspected of having a disability are referred for special education evaluation to determine whether they meet the federal criteria for eligibility for specialized instruction and related services. Although state regulations may vary, they must ...