The LEA must ensure that a free appropriate public education (FAPE) is made available to all eligible children with disabilities ages three through 21.
A child between the ages of three through five may be described as eligible for special education services based on NONCATEGORICAL EARLY CHILDHOOD if framework criteria are met.
For a child from birth through two years of age with a VISUAL IMPAIRMENT and/or an AUDITORY IMPAIRMENT, an IFSP meeting must be held in place of an admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) committee meeting.
A statement of the infant's or toddler's present levels of physical development, cognitive development, communication development, social or emotional development, and adaptive development, based on objective criteria;
A statement of the family's resources, priorities, and concerns relating to enhancing the development of the family's infant or toddler with a disability;
A statement of the measurable results or outcomes expected to be achieved for the infant or toddler and the family, including pre-literacy and language skills, as developmentally appropriate for the child, and the criteria, procedures, and timelines used to determine the degree to which progress toward achieving the results or outcomes is being made and whether modifications or revisions of the results or outcomes of services are necessary;
A statement of specific early intervention services based on peer-reviewed research, to the extent practicable, necessary to meet the unique needs of the infant or toddler and the family, including the frequency, intensity, and method of delivering services;
A statement of the natural environments in which early intervention services must appropriately be provided, including a justification of the extent, if any, to which the services will not be provided in a natural environment;
The appropriate instructional arrangement for children from birth through the age of two with visual and/or auditory impairments must be determined in accordance with the IFSP, current attendance guidelines, and the Auditorily Impaired/Visually Impaired Memorandum of Understanding between the Interagency Council on Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) and the Texas Education Agency (TEA);
The identification of the service coordinator from the profession most immediately relevant to the infant's or toddler's or family's needs (or who is otherwise qualified to carry out all applicable responsibilities under IDEA Part C) who will be responsible for the implementation of the plan and coordination with other agencies and persons, including transition services; and
For children participating in ECI programs assisted under IDEA Part C, and who will participate in preschool programs assisted under IDEA Part B, the ECI and the LEA are responsible for ensuring a smooth and effective transition to those preschool programs.
Notify the LEA for the area in which such a child resides that the child will shortly reach the age of eligibility for preschool services under IDEA Part B; and
Convene a conference among the lead agency, the family, and the LEA not less than 90 days (and at the discretion of all such parties), not more than 9 months before the child is eligible for the preschool services, to discuss any such services that the child may receive.
In the case of a child who was previously served under IDEA Part C, an invitation to the initial ARD committee meeting must, at the request of the parent, be sent to the IDEA Part C service coordinator or other representatives of the IDEA Part C system to assist with the smooth transition of services according to ARD COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP and PRIOR WRITTEN NOTICE frameworks.
The LEA must ensure that an IEP be in effect for eligible children with disabilities on their third birthday in compliance with the ARD COMMITTEE frameworks.
