Child Find & Referrals
The school district is committed to providing an education that appropriately meets the needs of each student. The Special Services Department engages in age appropriate "child find" activities that locate, evaluate and identify students who are in need of special education services.
Early Childhood Screenings
USD 232 conducts free developmental screening for all children aged 3-5 years who reside in the district, are not kindergarten eligible, and are suspected of having developmental delays in one or more of the following areas:
- Large and small motor movements
- Speech and Language
- Self-help skills
- Early learning skills
- Behavior and social
- Hearing and vision
For more information, please complete the contact form on our Early Childhood webpage or call Special Services at 913-667-6208.
Parents of children birth-2 years of age can request a screening by contacting Parents as Teachers.
Special Education Referrals for children ages 5-21
Students aged 5 to 21, including those who are highly mobile, migrant, and /or homeless, may be referred for special education evaluation by school personnel when a disability is suspected. Parents are notified and involved in the process. Parents may also initiate a referral for a special education evaluation.
The need for special education and related services is determined in consultation with parents at each De Soto school building site. Parents are encouraged to contact their child's School Improvement Team (SIT) with concerns about their child’s progress. Further information about referrals for special education services is available by contacting the school psychologist or principal at the school, or by calling the Special Services Department at 913-667-6208.
Private School Consultation
USD 232 works closely with the private schools located within the district boundaries to identify, locate, and evaluate children who are in need of special education services. At least annually, a consultation meeting occurs between the private schools and De Soto to review the child find process. Administrators of the private schools are encouraged to contact De Soto when a student is suspected of having a disability or developmental delay.
Parents of students attending private schools located within the De Soto School District may refer their child for special education child find through the private school principal. The private school principal will work with the De Soto Special Services Department to implement the special education screening and eligibility process.
Eligibility for Special Education Services
Students must meet two criteria to be eligible for special education services:
- Does the student have a disability, or, is the student gifted?
- Does the student demonstrate a need for specially designed instruction, beyond what is available in general education, in order to benefit from the general education curriculum?
Eligibility is determined through a process of gathering information from a variety of sources such as the student’s response to general education interventions, observations, tests, record reviews, and interviews. Information from outside sources is also considered when available.