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 more information, please click HERE

The Dallas ISD Special Services Department created the Family and Community Engagement department to strengthen communication with parents and families of special needs students ages 3 to 21 who face significant challenges and need additional support.

The center is a point of access for parents with students in special education who need resources to:

• Resolve concerns regarding special education services and become involved in their child’s education
• Become informed about educational processes and effective parenting
• Obtain services in the community and beyond 
• Plan transitions for the special needs student

The department is here to assist families in developing the communication, collaboration, and trust necessary to achieve positive outcomes for their students.

For more information, please click HERE. 

The Dallas ISD Special Services Department is committed to creating an inclusive educational environment where all students have the opportunity to participate and learn. We prioritize student learning by ensuring the delivery of high quality instruction and the development and implementation of Individualized Educational Plans for each student. 

Special education law requires that school districts include all students to the maximum opportunity appropriate to learn with children who do not have disabilities—in academic, nonacademic, and extracurricular activities. This part of IDEA is called Least Restrictive Environment or LRE. In Dallas ISD, we have a broad continuum of services to ensure each child is maximizing their access to grade level materials and peers. 

For more information on our Continuum of Services, click here. 

Section 504 is a federal civil rights law that focuses on the non-discrimination of students with disabilities. The law says that a public school, or any other federally funded public facility, cannot discriminate against a student because of a disability and must be given the same opportunities to participate in academic and extracurricular activities.

Under Section 504, students with disabilities may receive accommodations and services to ensure that their individual educational needs are met as adequately as those of non-disabled students.

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