Special Education

Special education means any specially designed instruction and related services to meet the unique cognitive, academic, communicative, social and emotional, motor ability, vocational, sensory, physical, or behavioral and functional needs of a pupil as stated in the IEP.

If your child is not in the special education program, and you suspect that there is a disability, please contact your child's teacher to discuss your concerns. As a result of this discussion, your child may be referred to a Student and Teacher Assistant Team (STAT) for additional review. The STAT is a group of people representing both general ed and special education staff who review student progress and suggest interventions and strategies to assist student's within the general education program.

If the student does not show adequate progress after interventions have been implemented, the STAT may suggest a special education evaluation. You will be contacted to attend an evaluation planning meeting. Your signature is required before the evaluation can begin. 

Once an evaluation is completed, you will meet with the educational team to review the written evaluation report and determine whether your child qualifies for special education services. 

The emphasis is to provide programs and services to meet the individual needs of each child rather than seeking a special label; however, a need still exists to identify eligibility by Minnesota rules for purposes of state and federal reports.

An IFSP is an Individual Family Service Plan. This plan is designed to meet the needs of families and children with special needs ages birth to three. It will include the present level of education performances, annual goals and objectives, and indicate what services and or special programs are needed to achieve the goals. An IFSP is reviewed at least annually and can be changed or modified as needed.

An IEP is an Individual Education Plan. It is specially designed to meet the special education needs for students ages three to twenty-one. It will include present level of education performances, annual goals and objectives, and indicate what services and or special programs are needed to achieve the goals.  An IEP is reviewed at least annually and can be changed or modified as needed.

By grade nine or age 14, whichever comes first, the IEP plan shall address the student's needs for transition from secondary services to postsecondary education and training, employment and community living.

You need to contact both schools and let them know of your move and that your child has an IEP. The records will be shared between the schools.

Students with disabilities who attend elementary or secondary private schools in Richfield may be eligible for special education programs/services through the Richfield Public Schools.

Students must meet the Minnesota criteria for special education. Minnesota has 13 categorical disability areas for students in elementary and secondary school. They are: autism spectrum disorders, deaf & blind, deaf hard of hearing, developmental cognitive disabilities, emotional and behavioral disabilities, other health disabilities, physically impaired, specific learning disabilities, speech or language impairments, traumatic brain injury, severely multiply impaired and visually impaired.

Anytime throughout the school year, if you suspect your child has a disability, contact your child's classroom teacher. Private schools have information regarding the Richfield School District's special education process.

Referral Process

1. Parent or private school teacher identifies a concern with the student’s academic performance, communication, health/physical status, social/emotional or behavioral skills, motor skills, or functional skills.
2. Parent and private school teacher discuss concern.
3. Private school teacher gathers information on student performance and contacts the building lead teacher for consultation and the format to document interventions with the student.
4. Private school teacher conducts and documents pre-referral interventions.
5. If interventions are effective, the process may end here.
6. If concerns persist and performance is discrepant from classmates/norms, teacher submits pre-referral interventions and information to the special education lead teacher to initiate referral.
7. The public school Special Education Team reviews pre-referral information and interventions and will contact parent, teacher and/or principal for additional information or consultation.
8. The public school Special Education Team determines whether there is enough information to proceed with an evaluation. If not, the information is returned to the referring party for further interventions/information.
9. The two school teams meet to determine if an evaluation is needed.
10. If evaluation is needed, an evaluation determination meeting is held and an evaluation plan is developed. An evaluation will proceed once written parental consent is given
11. If the team determines that no evaluation is needed, the process ends.