Misunderstandings and Misinformation on Child Find

Produced as a collaborative project among Iowa’s AEA Directors of Special Education, the ASK Resource Center, and Disability Rights Iowa, this series of four brief videos clarify some of the more frequently encountered misunderstandings about the state’s child find, evaluation, and eligibility determination procedures.

Videos are available to address the following areas of primary concern:

  1. Suspicion of Disability Video Clarifies conditions under which a disability might be suspected and addresses common misunderstandings.  After viewing the video, please complete the survey below.
  1. Predetermination of Disability  Considers decisions made about suspicion of disability or eligibility for special education services before considering available information, obtaining parental consent, or conducting complete evaluations. After viewing the video, please complete the survey below.
  1. Consent for Full and Individual Initial Evaluation  Addresses misunderstandings and miscommunication related to informed parental consent for evaluation. After viewing the video, please complete the survey below.
  1. Evaluation and Eligibility Determination  Clarifies some common misinformation and misunderstanding about how students are evaluated and determined eligible for special education and related services. After viewing the video, please complete the survey below.

Complete Presentation

A complete presentation combining all four content areas is also available in Prezi® format here, along with a complete script, and survey for the full training for use with group trainings or workshops.

‘Glossary of Terms’

A glossary of the special education terms used in these materials is available here.

Parents, Principals, Superintendents, General Education and Special Education Teachers, and AEA Staff will find these videos informative in helping all stakeholders develop a better understanding of the Child Find process.