Anyone can ask the school to decide if a child needs special education. A parent/guardian, a teacher, a nurse or a doctor can ask. This is called a referral. A referral must be written. A referral letter can be sent to the principal or special education director. A school has 90 calendar days from the date they get a referral to: 1) evaluate your child; 2) write an IEP (Individualized Education Program) for your child; 3) decide where your child will go to receive special education services.

The School District of Waukesha has put together an information sheet detailing Parent Information on the Referral Process.

In addition, the Notice to Parents and Individuals Required to Make Referrals and the Notice of Child Find Activity: Confidentiality of Personally Identifiable Information are available for review.

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) has put out a publication entitled Parent and Child Rights Brochure. This brochure details the rights of parents and students during the evaluation process for special education. Another publication from DPI is the Special Education in Plain Language document which was put together by parents, educators, attorneys and advocacy groups.

Guide to Frequently Used Education Acronyms/Terms in Special Education