Referral Process

Helping Every Child Succeed: The Child Find and Referral Process

Westport Public Schools is committed to ensuring that all children who may need special education services are identified and supported as early as possible. This process is known as Child Find, a requirement under both federal and state law.

What Is Child Find?

Child Find is the district’s responsibility to locate, identify, and evaluate children from birth through age 22 who may have disabilities—regardless of the severity. This includes children:

• Enrolled in public, private, or religious schools (even if they live outside the district),

• Homeschooled,

• In foster care or are wards of the state,

• Homeless or part of migrant families,

• Advancing grade-to-grade without obvious challenges.

Our goal is to work collaboratively with families and community partners to find and support students who may need specialized services.

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For Children Birth to Age Three

While the Birth to Three System (a state program) typically serves infants and toddlers, Westport Public Schools also plays a role. If we are made aware of a child under age 3 who may have a disability:

• We will refer the family to the Birth to Three System, or

• If the parent prefers, we can assist them directly with a referral.

We aim to ensure that children eligible for special education services start receiving them no later than their third birthday, even if their birthday is during the summer.

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General Education Supports Before Referral

Before referring a student for special education, we may provide tiered support through strategies called Response to Intervention (RTI). These help address learning or behavioral challenges within general education. However, a special education referral can be made at any time, and RTI is not used to delay or deny evaluations.

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How to Make a Referral

Referrals for a special education evaluation can be made by:

• Parents or guardians,

• Adult students,

• School staff,

• Professionals such as doctors or therapists (with parental permission).

Parents don’t need to use special terms or forms. A written concern—like an email or letter—is enough to start the process. If a parent can’t write it down, we’ll help.

Once a referral is made:

• Parents will be notified within 5 school days, and

• A Planning and Placement Team (PPT) meeting will be scheduled to discuss the next steps.

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Working with Families of Toddlers Transitioning from Birth to Three

As children approach age 3, we work closely with families and Birth to Three providers to ensure a smooth and timely transition into preschool special education. We:

• Participate in 90-day transition planning meetings,

• Assign a district contact person to guide families,

• Schedule a PPT meeting early enough to develop a plan before the child’s third birthday,

• Make sure services start on time—even during the summer if needed.

We also help families understand key differences between the Birth to Three System and public school supports, including how an Individualized Education Program (IEP) differs from an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP).

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Surrogate Parents and Special Circumstances

In some cases, such as when a child's parent cannot be found or is unavailable, the state may appoint a surrogate parent to help make educational decisions on the child's behalf. The district can request this support when needed to protect a student’s educational rights.

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Resources and Contact

Information about the referral process, forms, and next steps is available on our district website and in every school building. Families with questions can contact the school’s principal or assistant principal for special education.

Together, we’re here to make sure every child receives the support they need to thrive.