What is the goal of the identification meeting?
Who attends the identification meeting?
What happens in this meeting?
What if is is decided that an evaluation IS needed?
What is the plan for evaluation?
What if it is decided that an evaluation IS NOT needed?
What if the parent disagrees with the determination that an evaluation is not needed?
What happens when a school district wants an evaluation, but the parents disagree?
What is the goal of the identification meeting?
The meeting's goal is to determine whether or not to evaluate the student. The "evaluation" determines eligibility for special services. If it is decided that the student should be evaluated, the next step is to develop a plan for evaluation. Notice of a meeting, along with a copy of PRISE, (Parental Rights in Special Education) must be provided to the parent.

Federal and state law requires that decisions about students with disabilities be made at meetings parents are invited to attend. These meetings should be scheduled at a mutually convenient time for parents and school personnel and a translator must be provided, if needed.
 
Who attends the identification meeting?
The parents, the child's regular education teacher and often the Learning Disabilities Teacher Consultant attend the identification meeting.  

If there is no teacher who knows the student (as may be the case for a preschooler or a child new to the district) a regular education teacher who knows the district programs will participate on the identification team.
What happens in this meeting?
At this first meeting, those in attendance review existing data on the student, including evaluations and information provided by the parents, current classroom-based assessments, and observations of teachers and others. Based on this information, the team decides whether or not to evaluate the student for eligibility for special education.
 
What if is is decided that an evaluation IS needed? Back to Top
When it is determined that an evaluation is needed, the student is considered "potentially disabled," and a case manager is assigned to coordinate the evaluation process. 

The school's CST, the parent, and the regular education teacher will decide on the nature and scope of the evaluation. They will review all data on the student and determine which CST members and/or specialists (e.g. audiologists, speech-language specialist, neurodevelopment psychologists) should evaluate the student.
 
What is the plan for evaluation?
At the end of this meeting, the school district must provide the parent with written notice of the proposed plan for evaluation, which identifies the type of assessments and procedures to be used, as well as the members of the CST or other specialists who will conduct the assessments. This is provided along with a request for parental consent to begin the evaluation process. 

An evaluation team will conduct the actual assessments at a later date, generally over the course of several days.

What if it is decided that an evaluation IS NOT needed?
If no evaluation is needed, the meeting will end. Within 15 days of the meeting, the district must provide the parent with written notice that an evaluation is not needed.
 
What if the parent disagrees with the determination that an evaluation is not needed? Back to Top
Parents have the right to disagree with the district's findings and may request an independent evaluation by an outside consultant. Parents have the right to challenge the decision by initiating mediation or due process. 

If the district decides that no evaluation is necessary, parents may request an independent evaluation by a professional not employed by the school district. Although this independent evaluation is not the district's fiscal responsibility, they are required to review its findings and reconsider their evaluation decision.

If there is still disagreement as to whether or not the student should be evaluated, the parent may challenge the decision by initiating mediation or due process. (A copy of the short procedural safeguards statement, the state special education code, and due process hearing rules (N.J.A.C. 6A:14 and 1:6A) will be provided to parents at the first meeting where the disagreement occurs.

What happens when a school district wants an evaluation, but the parents disagree? Back to Top
If it is determined that the student should be evaluated and the parent disagrees, the parent may refuse consent for evaluation.

If the parent has not provided consent to the school district to evaluate the student within 15 calendar days of notice and request for consent, and the district and parent have not agreed to other action, the school district must request mediation or due process hearing on behalf of the student in order to proceed with the evaluation.