·         Interventions in the general education setting should be provided to students experiencing academic, behavioral and health problems before referring a student for a special education evaluation. In each School, there is a I&RS/504 team, as well as an array of other specialists in different schools (e.g., school nurse, Guidance Counselor, Whole School Reform Social Worker, Behaviorist, Literacy Coach, tutors, math coach, etc.) to assist in these general education interventions. Abbott districts are required to implement a system of assessment and interventions in the general education programs for all students who have reading as their primary area of difficulty (N.J.A.C. 6A:10A-3.1).
 * Note – The screening of a student by a teacher, or specialist, to determine appropriate instructional strategies for curriculum implementation shall not be considered to be an evaluation for eligibility for special education and related services.

o    The staff of the general education program must maintain written documentation, including data setting forth the type of interventions utilized, the frequency and duration of each intervention, and the effectiveness of each intervention.

Documented interventions in the general education program are not required in order for a student to be referred for a special education evaluation

• A direct referral to the child study team may be made when it can be documented that the nature of the student's educational problem(s) is such that evaluation to determine eligibility for special education services is warranted without delay.
   
• Also, the parent may make a written request for an evaluation to determine eligibility for services. Such a request shall be considered a referral and shall be forwarded without delay to the child study team for consideration.

Who can make a referral? - When a student is experiencing academic, communication and/or behavioral problems in school, which general education interventions don’t seem able to resolve, referrals for a child study team evaluation may be necessary.

·         Written referrals for CST or speech-language evaluations can be made by instructional, administrative and other professional staff of the district, parents/guardian/adult students and/or agencies concerned with the welfare of students, when it is suspected that a student is “eligible for special education and related services” or “eligible for speech-language services.”

o    If a community agency, hospital, or pediatrician, refers a student for an evaluation, CST members must first contact the parent and, if they are in agreement, then the referral is treated as a parental request.

o    Where an agency, such as the Division of Youth and Family Services (DYFS), has legal custody and refers a student for an evaluation, the referral should be treated as a district referral. A DYFS referral does not mandate an initial evaluation.

o    Family Court-ordered “initial evaluations” should also be treated as referrals.

How are referrals for special education evaluations made?

·         The teacher and other school personnel may request a Request a copy of the Written Referral Received/Referral Documentation

·         The parent/guardian/adult student can request an evaluation verbally or in writing. Verbal referral requests should be immediately reduced to writing. If parent/guardian/adult student has difficulty with a written request, other school personnel can assist them and forward the referral to the CST. Parent/guardian/adult student must sign and date all written requests. Student’s teacher will complete the referral documentation.