Federal and state laws require MMSD to locate, identify and evaluate children with disabilities within their attendance area.

MMSD is responsible for these "child find" activities for both resident and non-resident students who are attending a K-12 school within the MMSD. This includes students attending private and/or parochial (P/P) schools.

For these P/P school students, MMSD has chosen to meet this requirement by holding group screening sessions.

Curt Weber, the MMSD coordinator responsible for Child Find, has had both formal and informal meetings with all P/P school administrators within the MMSD attendance area. These meetings provided the administrators with the information and the forms needed to make a screening request of MMSD.

If a parent or an administrator of a student attending a P/P school has concerns regarding a student's atypical development relative to State of Wisconsin eligibility criteria, he or she should fill out the "Screening Request Form" and mail it to:

Curt Weber
Coordinator, Ed Services
Madison Metropolitan School District
545 W. Dayton St.
Madison, WI 53705

If the screening results indicate a more thorough evaluation is indicated, an IDEA IEP evaluation will be initiated and completed.

If the student is found eligible for special education services, a plan of service is developed. These services are limited to:

• direct speech in the areas of voice, fluency and articulation—not language -- provided at an MMSD school site;
• consultation to P/P staff: vision and/or hearing impairment at the P/P school.

No other services or assessments (occupational/physical therapy or assistive technology) are provided.

Feedback from the first Child Find Screening of P/P parents (2/4/06) indicated that parents felt MMSD staff was very accommodating and helpful, and took the time to explain the process.

The next Child Find Screening of P/P students will occur on February 18. For information about this screening or for a Screening Request Form, please contact Curt Weber at 663-8489.