Changes in IDEA of 2004 made a significant difference regarding which school district is responsible for providing possible services to children with disabilities unilaterally placed in a private school setting. The responsibility for services are based on the location of the private school within that particular school district, and not the residence of the child. Therefore, if you are a resident of Edmond Public School District and your child attends a private school located in Oklahoma City School District boundaries, then you will need to contact the Oklahoma City Public School District for Child Find services:
Oklahoma City Public Schools
900 N. Klein, Room 302
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73106-7036
405-587-0418
If your child is currently enrolled in a private school located within Edmond Public School District's boundaries, and you suspect your child may have a disability or your child is exhibiting delays in his/her development, then contact:
Edmond Public Schools
53 E. 12th Street
Edmond, Oklahoma 73034
405-715-6148
Our Child Find Counselor will take down initial information from you and then schedule a meeting. At this meeting the school personnel (which may include, but is not limited to, a speech pathologist, a school psychologist, a special education teacher consultant, a counselor) will want to obtain existing data from you. Please bring work samples, grades, behavior observations from your child's teacher, interventions attempted, and any other information that you feel will help our staff get a better understanding of your child's present levels of functioning.
The school personnel will need to obtain your written permission to conduct an individual, multidisciplinary evaluation to determine your child's educational needs and to assist in possible identification of suspected disabilities which may require special education and related services. You will be asked to sign a Parent Consent form if additional testing is necessary, and the school personnel will go over your Parent Rights under IDEA. The school personnel will also indicate in writing on the Parent Consent form, which of the disability categories under IDEA that they suspect prior to the evaluation. The evaluation will be at no cost to you, yet we can not conduct the evaluation without your written consent.
For further information contact our Child Find Office (715-6148).