The Elko County School District Special Services Department provides information and assistance in areas of special education, English learners, and school health services. We promote collaboration among educators, students, parents, and community partners to ensure successful educational outcomes for students with disabilities and those learning English as a second language.
Child Find
The purpose of Child Find is to provide free developmental assessments to identify if a child's development in the areas of speech, language, behavior, social skills, motor skills, and learning, are on track.
Child Find is the first step in identifying children who may benefit from early intervention services. Child Find also offers information about services that are available to children and their families.
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What are our Child Find obligations?
Identifying students with disabilities is the first step to providing appropriate educational services to students who are eligible for special education and related services. The Elko County School District is responsible for locating, identifying, and evaluating all individuals suspected of having a disability from birth through 21 who are not receiving special education services. The district works in cooperation with other agencies in Elko County to:
- Locate all children and youth with disabilities from birth to 21
- Identify and refer individuals suspected of having a disability for an evaluation
- Provide information to the community about Child Find activities and increase public awareness about the educational rights of individuals with disabilities and their parents
- Coordinate with other agencies providing services to children
If you know of a child that is having academic or behavioral difficulty, please contact your school site administrator or Special Services.
¿Cuáles son nuestras obligaciones de Child Find?
Identificar a los estudiantes con discapacidades es el primer paso para brindar servicios educativos apropiados a los estudiantes que son elegibles para recibir educación especial y servicios relacionados. El Distrito Escolar del Condado de Elko es responsable de ubicar, identificar y evaluar a todas las personas sospechosas de tener una discapacidad desde el nacimiento hasta los 21 años que no reciben servicios de educación especial. El distrito trabaja en cooperación con otras agencias en el condado de Elko para:
- Ubique a todos los niños y jóvenes con discapacidades desde el nacimiento hasta los 21 años
- Identificar y derivar a las personas sospechosas de tener una discapacidad para una evaluación.
- Proporcionar información a la comunidad sobre las actividades de Child Find y aumentar la conciencia pública sobre los derechos educativos de las personas con discapacidades y sus padres.
- Coordinar con otras agencias que brindan servicios a los niños.
Si conoce a un niño que tiene dificultades académicas o de comportamiento, comuníquese con el administrador de su escuela o con los Servicios Especiales.
Who is eligible to receive special education services?
Students between the ages of three and 21 who demonstrate a need for educational assistance and meet the eligibility requirements may receive special education services.
¿Quién es elegible para recibir servicios de educación especial?
Los estudiantes entre las edades de tres y 21 años que demuestren una necesidad de asistencia educativa y cumplan con los requisitos de elegibilidad pueden recibir servicios de educación especial.
What is the process for a special education referral?
The referral process begins in the school with the Student Intervention Team (SIT). Anyone suspecting that a child has a disability may make a request to this team. The SIT team designs and implements targeted scientific, research-based intervention strategies to assist the classroom teacher in providing appropriate instruction for a child who is struggling. The SIT team may decide at any point to refer the student for a special education eligibility evaluation. Referrals may also come from parents or other interested individuals such as school counselors or medical doctors.
¿Cuál es el proceso para una referencia de educación especial?
El proceso de referencia comienza en la escuela con el Equipo de Intervención Estudiantil (SIT). Cualquier persona que sospeche que un niño tiene una discapacidad puede hacer una solicitud a este equipo. El equipo SIT diseña e implementa estrategias de intervención científicas y basadas en investigaciones específicas para ayudar al maestro del salón de clases a brindar instrucción adecuada a un niño que tiene dificultades. El equipo SIT puede decidir en cualquier momento referir al estudiante para una evaluación de elegibilidad de educación especial. Las referencias también pueden provenir de padres u otras personas interesadas, como consejeros escolares o médicos.
What is considered a disability?
Disability categories in Nevada include: developmentally delayed, mental retardation, learning disabled, speech and language impairment, visual or hearing impairment, orthopedic impairment, health impairment, multiple impairment, traumatic brain injury, emotional disturbance, and autism.
¿Qué se considera una discapacidad?
Las categorías de discapacidad en Nevada incluyen: retraso en el desarrollo, retraso mental, discapacidad de aprendizaje, discapacidad del habla y del lenguaje, discapacidad visual o auditiva, discapacidad ortopédica, discapacidad de salud, discapacidad múltiple, lesión cerebral traumática, trastorno emocional y autismo.
How does a student become eligible for special education services?
Once a referral is received and parents have signed a consent form for an evaluation, a team of professional staff collect appropriate information through formal and informal assessment methods. This team, including the parents, makes a determination of eligibility based on the state guidelines for special education eligibility. In addition to meeting the guidelines for a specific eligibility category, it must be determined that there is an adverse impact on the student’s educational performance.
¿Cómo se vuelve elegible un estudiante para los servicios de educación especial?
Una vez que se recibe una remisión y los padres han firmado un formulario de consentimiento para una evaluación, un equipo de personal profesional recopila la información adecuada a través de métodos de evaluación formales e informales. Este equipo, incluidos los padres, hace una determinación de elegibilidad basada en las pautas estatales para la elegibilidad de educación especial. Además de cumplir con las pautas para una categoría de elegibilidad específica, se debe determinar que existe un impacto adverso en el desempeño educativo del estudiante.
How are special education services provided?
A continuum of service delivery options is available in the Elko County School District. Placement decisions are made based on the needs of the student. Each student qualifying for special education services has a special education teacher as a case manager. Specially designed instruction may be provided in a special education classroom or in a regular education environment.
¿Cómo se brindan los servicios de educación especial?
En el Distrito Escolar del Condado de Elko se encuentra disponible una serie de opciones de prestación de servicios. Las decisiones de colocación se toman en base a las necesidades del estudiante. Cada estudiante que califica para los servicios de educación especial tiene un maestro de educación especial como administrador de casos. La instrucción especialmente diseñada se puede proporcionar en un salón de clases de educación especial o en un entorno de educación regular.
What is an IEP?
Once a child is enrolled in a special education program, a learning plan called an Individualized Educational Program (IEP) is developed. An IEP is a written plan that outlines a child’s educational needs and goals and includes the provision of specialized instruction to meet a child’s individual needs. This plan is developed by a team that includes parents, a regular education teacher, a special education teacher, an administrative designee of the school, and other members such as a school counselor or a school psychologist.
¿Qué es un IEP?
Una vez que un niño está inscrito en un programa de educación especial, se desarrolla un plan de aprendizaje llamado Programa Educativo Individualizado (IEP). Un IEP es un plan escrito que describe las necesidades y metas educativas de un niño e incluye la provisión de instrucción especializada para satisfacer las necesidades individuales de un niño. Este plan es desarrollado por un equipo que incluye padres, un maestro de educación regular, un maestro de educación especial, un designado administrativo de la escuela y otros miembros como un consejero escolar o un psicólogo escolar.
What are my rights as a parent of a child with a suspected disability?
The Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA04), requires that parents be given an opportunity to participate in meetings with respect to identification, evaluation, educational placement, and provision of services. Parents are an essential component of the decision making process. Further information regarding parent’s rights is provided at the time of referral and any other time a parent requests a copy. They are also available at our school district website on the Special Services Department page.
¿Cuáles son mis derechos como padre de un niño con sospecha de discapacidad?
La Ley de Individuos con Discapacidades (IDEA04), requiere que los padres tengan la oportunidad de participar en reuniones con respecto a la identificación, evaluación, ubicación educativa y provisión de servicios. Los padres son un componente esencial del proceso de toma de decisiones. Se proporciona más información sobre los derechos de los padres en el momento de la derivación y en cualquier otro momento en que los padres soliciten una copia. También están disponibles en el sitio web de nuestro distrito escolar en la página del Departamento de Servicios Especiales.
Early Childhood Special Education
We are committed to the continued growth and development of children ages three through five years. We address all aspects of communication, cognition, social-emotional, and motor skill development in order to promote continuous growth in all children. The various components of this special education program provide individualized services to children who meet eligibility requirements.
Eligibility Requirements
- The child must be three to five years old.
- The child must be an Elko County resident.
- The child’s parent/guardian must complete the assessment process.
- The child must meet eligibility requirements established by the state of Nevada.
Eligibility Categories
The child must be developmentally delayed in one or more of the following areas as determined by a comprehensive assessment:
- Cognitive abilities (socially or emotionally)
- Receptive or expressive language
- Self-help skills
- Gross/Fine motor function
Or the child must be identified with one or more of the following impairments that has been established by the Nevada Administrative Code:
- Autism
- Hearing impairment
- Visual impairment
- Orthopedic impairment
- Health impairment
- Speech/Language impairment
Early Childhood Special Education Assessment
Once we receive a Child Find referral, our team of school district professionals collects the appropriate information through formal and informal assessment methods.
The assessment includes the following:
- Screening for hearing and vision
- Obtaining the child’s developmental history from the parents/guardians
- A determination (made with staff and parents) of eligibility based on state guidelines
The team may also determine that a need exists for assessment in the areas of occupational and physical therapy.
Gifted & Talented
The gifted and talented child may not always earn good grades in school, but he/she may have a different way of looking at the world and learning.
The Elko County School District Gifted and Talented Program will empower academically talented third- through fifth-grade students with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes essential to becoming lifelong learners.
School Psychologists
Our school psychologists are highly trained in psychology and in education. They help children and youth succeed academically, socially, and emotionally. They collaborate with educators, parents, and other professionals to create safe, healthy, and supportive learning environments that strengthen connections between home and school for all students.
Behavioral Health and Services
