Special Education Referral

Referral for special education services in the Barrow County Public School System can me made by parents, community agencies, school personnel, individuals, groups or organizations. A referral should be made to the school principal or directly to the special education administrator.

Referrals are processed through a committee of school personnel who first consider alternate programs or instructional interventions for the child. This committee reports its decision to the referral party in writing. If the decision is for referral to special education to determine if the child has a disability which affects learning, the parent is notified to obtain written consent for assessment. This assessment is will determine which disability, if any, exists and the relation of the disability to the instructional program.

Information is collected and studied about the individual student to determine if he or she has a need and is eligible for special education services.

This information and the assessment report are used by the Individual Education Committee to develop an individualized education plan (IEP) for the student. This plan provides a framework for establishing measurable goals and objectives in the instructional program.