How to Determine if a Student Needs a Referral for Special Education Services

As a teacher, it's not always easy to tell whether a student needs special education services. Though it may seem easiest to automatically refer a student about whom you have concerns, there are some things to consider before you actually make the referral.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Isolate your concern as much as possible. It's not enough to have a "feeling" that a student isn't keeping up with the work or struggling in the classroom. You'll need to be able to put voice to exactly what you are seeing and in what circumstances.
2. Try making accommodations for the student in question to see if they make a difference. It may be that the student needs information presented differently, needs a little extra help or needs to be relocated in the classroom in order to perform up to expectations.
3. Decide whether there's an appropriate intervention to try before making a referral. In some instances, Title I services may a place to begin. Such services are federally funded and are designed to provide supplemental instruction in reading and mathematics. Whatever intervention you try, make sure it has a valid way to measure progress and to stick with it for at least three weeks.
4. Speak with the student's parents about your concerns. Though by law, there are ways to refer a student without parental permission, it's best practice to talk to parents and ask for their input. Perhaps they have a strategy that works well at home that you can try in the classroom.
5. Call a TAT (Teacher Assistance Team) or SST (Student Study Team) meeting. Different districts have different names for this, but generally there is a pre-referral process in which a teacher can sit down with a group of teachers and other school personnel to identify interventions or whether there is a need to refer for evaluation.

Tips & Warnings

• Documentation is key when choosing to refer a student for special education services. You will need to have documentation pertaining to progress (or lack thereof) and the result of any interventions and accommodations you have already tried.
• Keep in mind that just because a student isn't performing at the top of the class, doesn't mean he has a learning disability. Be careful to evaluate whether you are worried about a student not meeting your expectations or whether he is struggling to comprehend and complete the work.