What is "child find?"
It is the set of policies and procedures developed by the school district to ensure that all children suspected to have disabilities and who are in need of special education and related services are identified, located and evaluated. The district places a notice in the Coastal Courier annually to encourage people who know of a child (ages 3 to 21 years) who may be in need of services to contact the Division for Exceptional Learning.
In addition to this notice, the district also sends a letter to each private school in the county to encourage them to notify the DEL office if they know of a student in their school who may need special education and related services. The school psychologists and the speech language personnel in the district pay particular attention to those students entering school for the first time (PreK or Kindergarten). The district has a contract with Head Start to evaluate students whom they have screened and have resulting concerns. Research suggests that the earlier we identify students who need special education and related services, and intervene, the more successful they are in their educational career. Data is collected by the Georgia Department of Education annually to record the effectiveness of early intervention services in our state. Information is collected regarding the area in need (communication, academics or behavior) and the age of the student when identified and whether or not the student was still in need of services by age 6. The hope and expectation is that the earlier we intervene, the more successful will be that child. If you know about a child who you suspect may be in need of special education and related services, please contact the DEL office at 876-3018.