Child Find

 

What is Child Find? 

The purpose of Child Find is to identify, locate, and evaluate children birth to 21 years of age with known or suspected disabilities who reside in and/or attend school within the school district's boundaries. Child Find is a free referral service designed to determine whether a need for special education and related services exist. 

Every child with a disability in Texas, from age three to 21, has a right to a free appropriate public education. Students with visual or hearing disabilities have the right to a free appropriate public education from birth. Castleberry ISD provides free appropriate public education for students with disabilities. If you know a child that needs help, contact your local school or the Special Programs Department of Castleberry ISD at 817-252-2590.

What does "child with a disability" mean? 

The term "child with a disability" means a child who (1) has one of the following disability conditions and (2) has an educational need for specially designed instruction to benefit from education: 

  • Speech/Language Impairment
  • Autism
  • Specific Learning  Disability
  • Intellectual Disability
  • Emotional Disturbance
  • Other Health Impairment
  • Orthopedic Impairment
  • Visual Impairment
  • Deaf and Hard of Hearing
  • Traumatic Brain Injury 
  • Multiple Disabilities
  • Non Categorical Early Childhood
  • Deaf/Blind

Each child is unique and some have special needs or concerns when it comes to learning, but all have the right to an education. Services at no cost to the family are available to all eligible individuals from birth through 21 years of age regardless of the severity of their disability.

 

 

Senate Bill 139

In 2019, the 86th Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 139 (SB 139), which requires Texas local education agencies (LEAs) to distribute a notice to parents informing them of how to make a special education referral if they suspect that their child may have a disability.

Senate Bill 139 Notice to Families (English version)
Senate Bill 139 Notice to Families (Spanish version)

What do I do if I believe my child's evaluation was delayed/denied? 

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) provides information regarding these situations available at the links below in English and Spanish. 

TEA Compensatory Services Guidance (English)

TEA Compensatory Services Guidance (Spanish)