What does Free AppropriatePublic Education mean? Eligible children are providedwith special education andservices at no cost to the family. Services are designed to meet your childʻs individual needs. Parents participate indecision-making about their child.
What is the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act?
Children with disabilities receive an education alongside their same-age peers. Education is free, at no cost to the family. Services are appropriate and designed for the child's needs.
State of Hawai‘i Department of Education
Child Find for Special Education
Referral & Evaluation Process
Schools must identify, locate,and evaluate students who mayneed special education services.
Any student age 3 through 21 may qualify forspecial education, if it is determined that he orshe needs specially designed instruction in orderto benefit from education.
ReferralDecision
YESNO
Review
Suspicion ofa Disability
Decision
If YES, then your child willcontinue with the EVALUATIONprocess... (See next page)If the school does not suspect thatthere is a disability, an evaluationwill not be completed. The schoolmust explain the reason for thedecision and discuss other waysto help the child.
Schools are responsible forreviewing requests for specialeducation evaluations.Parents may be invited to a meetingto talk about their concerns. Theinformation shared will help theschool team decide whether adisability is suspected and if anevaluation is necessary. Any medical details or informationabout services the child has receivedin the past may be helpful. A medicaldiagnosis is NOT needed for theschool to proceed with the
A decision toevaluate must becompleted 15 daysfrom the time yousubmitted therequest for anevaluation.
Parents, teachers, physicians, and family members may suspect that a child has a disability.These concerns should be raised to the child’s public home school.
- Concerns may include difficulty in: Learning or academics
- Health, speech, hearing, or vision
- Movement or motor skills
- Behavior, attention, playing/interacting, or developing social skills
All students must go through theevaluation process before specialeducation services can be determined.
evaluation.
Parental Consent 2
Parental Consent 1
Parental consent isneeded to beginproviding specializedservices to the student.Within 15 days ofreceiving parentalconsent for initialprovision of services, anIEP is developed.
Written parentalconsent must be givenbefore starting anevaluation.This is permission fortesting NOT services.
Developing the Individualized Education Program (IEP)is a collaborative process. Shared decision-makingamong you, your child, teachers, and other key teammembers is essential to ensuring meaningful supportsand promoting your child’s educational success.
IEPMeeting
EligibilityMeeting
IEP
YESNO
Evaluation
The IEP is a legally binding document developedspecifically for the student. Parents, the school team, andthe student (when appropriate) identify priority academicand functional needs, establish annual goals, anddetermine strategies to support the student’s success.
A comprehensive evaluation is theprocess of reviewing currentinformation about a student’slearning needs, strengths, and
Eligibility
When the evaluation is complete,the school team, including theparent meet to discuss the findingsand determine eligibility.The following criteria must be metto be eligible for special education1. The student has one of IDEA’s disability categories,2. The disability adversely impacts education, and 3. Special education is needed.
interests. The school may need additionalinformation to make an eligibilitydetermination or write an IEP (if thestudent becomes eligible). If this isthe case, additional assessments orobservations may be conducted. The school has 60 days to completethe evaluation and determine
The plan includes:Strengths and needs forall areas of concernTransition InformationAcademic and/orfunctional goalsSpecial Education andRelated Services (speech,occupational or physicaltherapy, counseling orpsychological services)
Extended School YearTransportation Classroomaccommodations orassistive technology(math maniulatives,visuals, text-to-speech,seating, visuals)Statewide assessments
services.
eligibility.
Decision
Kapu Mamiya
Created on May 30, 2026
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Transcript
What does Free AppropriatePublic Education mean? Eligible children are providedwith special education andservices at no cost to the family. Services are designed to meet your childʻs individual needs. Parents participate indecision-making about their child.
What is the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act? Children with disabilities receive an education alongside their same-age peers. Education is free, at no cost to the family. Services are appropriate and designed for the child's needs.
State of Hawai‘i Department of Education
Child Find for Special Education
Referral & Evaluation Process
Schools must identify, locate,and evaluate students who mayneed special education services.
Any student age 3 through 21 may qualify forspecial education, if it is determined that he orshe needs specially designed instruction in orderto benefit from education.
ReferralDecision
YESNO
Review
Suspicion ofa Disability
Decision
If YES, then your child willcontinue with the EVALUATIONprocess... (See next page)If the school does not suspect thatthere is a disability, an evaluationwill not be completed. The schoolmust explain the reason for thedecision and discuss other waysto help the child.
Schools are responsible forreviewing requests for specialeducation evaluations.Parents may be invited to a meetingto talk about their concerns. Theinformation shared will help theschool team decide whether adisability is suspected and if anevaluation is necessary. Any medical details or informationabout services the child has receivedin the past may be helpful. A medicaldiagnosis is NOT needed for theschool to proceed with the
A decision toevaluate must becompleted 15 daysfrom the time yousubmitted therequest for anevaluation.
Parents, teachers, physicians, and family members may suspect that a child has a disability.These concerns should be raised to the child’s public home school.
All students must go through theevaluation process before specialeducation services can be determined.
evaluation.
Parental Consent 2
Parental Consent 1
Parental consent isneeded to beginproviding specializedservices to the student.Within 15 days ofreceiving parentalconsent for initialprovision of services, anIEP is developed.
Written parentalconsent must be givenbefore starting anevaluation.This is permission fortesting NOT services.
Developing the Individualized Education Program (IEP)is a collaborative process. Shared decision-makingamong you, your child, teachers, and other key teammembers is essential to ensuring meaningful supportsand promoting your child’s educational success.
IEPMeeting
EligibilityMeeting
IEP
YESNO
Evaluation
The IEP is a legally binding document developedspecifically for the student. Parents, the school team, andthe student (when appropriate) identify priority academicand functional needs, establish annual goals, anddetermine strategies to support the student’s success.
A comprehensive evaluation is theprocess of reviewing currentinformation about a student’slearning needs, strengths, and
Eligibility
When the evaluation is complete,the school team, including theparent meet to discuss the findingsand determine eligibility.The following criteria must be metto be eligible for special education1. The student has one of IDEA’s disability categories,2. The disability adversely impacts education, and 3. Special education is needed.
interests. The school may need additionalinformation to make an eligibilitydetermination or write an IEP (if thestudent becomes eligible). If this isthe case, additional assessments orobservations may be conducted. The school has 60 days to completethe evaluation and determine
The plan includes:Strengths and needs forall areas of concernTransition InformationAcademic and/orfunctional goalsSpecial Education andRelated Services (speech,occupational or physicaltherapy, counseling orpsychological services)
Extended School YearTransportation Classroomaccommodations orassistive technology(math maniulatives,visuals, text-to-speech,seating, visuals)Statewide assessments
services.
eligibility.