Spark! Discovery Preschool has a Child Find Satellite office here in our building and serving the east side of the district. The main District Child Find office is at Student Services in Longmont. Each district is required by the Individuals with Disabilities Educational Act (IDEA) to have a child find process to identify children suspected of having a delay in development. The Child Find Assessment Team provides quality, child-focused screenings and evaluations for children birth-5 when there are concerns that a child is not meeting typical developmental milestones. Evaluations are done at no cost to parents.
Children with special needs can often greatly benefit from early childhood services – and generally the sooner they receive services, the better the outcomes will be. For children from birth to three years of age who qualify, Child Find partners with local Colorado programs who can provide early intervention services before attending school. For children three to five years old who qualify, they can receive preschool special education services.
Parents may refer their children for evaluation or an evaluation referral may come from a pediatrician or other professional. Parents have a legal right to refuse evaluation and services. For most parents, an evaluation can bring peace of mind that the child does not have a disability, or if he or she does, that needed help is available. For more information, please see the Colorado Department of Education’s website regarding Child Find and Early Intervention Services (cde.state.co.us/early/childfind) or call us at 720-652-7912.