Early Childhood Intervention (ECI)

Referral process (from AISD to ECI) Age 0-3

Amarillo Independent School District Special Education staff maintains a referral log on children ages 0-3 suspected of having a disability. Within two working days from the date that a child find referral is received, it is forwarded to an ECI program, and within 45 calendar days from the date the referral is received, the full and individual evaluation is completed. Amarillo Independent School District maintains a commitment of services related to year round programming (available 48 weeks each year) based on ARD/IFSP decisions documenting the need for such service. If the referral is initiated within 90 days of the student's 3rd birthday -- AISD will not route the referral to ECI -- and AISD will process the referral pursuant to AISD regular child find procedures.

For students who are served by ECI and Amarillo ISD (auditory/visual impairments):

The student's IFSP (rather than ARD/IEP) will be developed collaboratively with ECI, Amarillo ISD district staff, and each student's family (in Accordance with IDEA/MOU) and will include signatures of the multidisciplinary team.

The deaf education and/or the vision service personnel of Amarillo ISD and/or the Regional Program for the Deaf will provide monthly progress reports (concerning services identified in the IFSP) to the ECI program for students who have shared services from Amarillo ISD and the ECI program.

The district will provide services only under IDEA-C guidelines, not IDEA-B (there will be an ARD/IEP in place by the time the eligible student reaches his/her 3rd birthday).

Referral process (from ECI to AISD) Age 0-3

The ECI Program Coordinator will provide AISD with referrals for children served in ECI. These referrals are made after the parent has agreed for ECI to release information to AISD. AISD's lead diagnostician will accept and assign the referral to the appropriate assessment personnel.

AISD will schedule an ARD meeting to ensure services are provided beginning on the child's 3rd birthday.  If parents do not attend the initial ARD meeting, a second meeting will be scheduled.  To ensure compliance with federal law, the ARD will be held in the parent's absence if they do not attend the second scheduled meeting.  Campus evaluation personnel will then contact the parent to discuss the meeting results, obtain consent for placement, and offer an additional meeting if the parent desires.

Referral process (not currently enrolled in ECI to AISD) Age 0-3

The referral of a student for possible special education services is a part of the overall general education referral or screening system of the district. All referrals from children ages 0-21 are initiated at the home campus.