FAQ: Special Education

The begin date is either the first date of the student’s enrollment in the school and program, the first date the student is identified as eligible and starts in a program, the date of services beginning in the specific program OR the same date as the parent referral/consent if the student is being evaluated for services. The begin date doesn't have to match the conference date and will not match if a student’s program or disabilities change and cause a new program record to be provided.

Not always; the service begin date may not match if there is a program change or disabilities change causing the need for a new program record (service begin date). The IEP review date is the original Case Conference Date. Annual case conference review dates are not to be provided.

Best practice is to add an end date to the current record and create a new program record for the updated exceptionality.

No, as long as the old dates are kept in the record on the on the Evaluation portion of the Special Education program record it will not be flagged for Evaluation. The parent referral/consent date is what triggers the record for EV certification.

For a First Steps transition conference, student service dates must be the day services begin whether it is the day of the case conference or later date. Services must be started by the date student turns 3 yrs old to be compliant unless a valid reason is given. The Initial Case Conference Date is what is used to monitor the timeliness of the initial evaluation process. It must be by the time the student reaches their 3rd birthday.