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Child Find

Child Find and Referrals for Special Education

Lawrence Public Schools is committed to providing an education that appropriately meets the needs of each student. The District engages in ongoing age appropriate "child find" activities that locate, evaluate and identify students who are in need of special education services.

Tiny K

Parents of children birth-2 years of age can request a screening by contacting Tiny K Early Intervention-Douglas County at https://www.tiny-k.org/.

Early Childhood Screenings
In Kansas, child find for preschool-aged students 3 to 5 years of age is called screening. Screening may consist of observations, interviews, and assessments that would identify a disability or a developmental delay.  USD 497 conducts free developmental screening for all children aged 3-5 years who reside in the district, are not kindergarten eligible, and are suspected of having developmental delays in the areas of cognition, speech/language, motor skills, behavioral/social skills and/or hearing/vision.

  • For more information and/or to schedule a screening, please contact Marielle Monteaux, Early Childhood Special Education Secretary at (785) 832-5760.

Special Education Referrals for children ages 5-21
Students aged 5 to 21, including those who are highly mobile, migrant, and /or homeless, may be referred for special education evaluation by school personnel when a exceptionality is suspected. Parents are notified and involved in the process. Parents may also initiate a referral for a special education evaluation.

  • The need for special education and related services is determined in consultation with parents at each school building site. Parents are encouraged to contact their child's school principal or school psychologist if they have questions about whether or not their child needs special education.  

Private School Consultation
Lawrence Public Schools works closely with the private schools located within the district boundaries to identify, locate, and evaluate children who are in need of special education services. At least annually, a consultation meeting occurs with the private schools in Lawrence to review the child find process. Administrators of the private schools are encouraged to contact the student's neighborhood school when a student is suspected of having an exceptionality or developmental delay.

  • Parents of students attending private schools located within the Lawrence school district may refer their child for special education child find through the private school principal. The private school principal will work with the child's neighborhood school team to implement the special education screening and eligibility process. We ask that you contact your private school principal first but you may also contact your neighboring public school principal or psychologist.