The Special Education process begins with identifying learners, age birth to 21, who are eligible for special services and in need of specialized instruction.
How do I refer my child?
Parents, teachers, physicians or any concerned person can refer a child for potential special education services.
Birth - Age 3:
Referrals for infants and toddlers can be made by contacting the Hibbing Early Learning Center: Emily Rudolph, Early Intervention Teacher at (218) 421-7484.
Ages 3 - 5:
Referrals for preschool children ages 3 - 5 can be made by contacting the Hibbing Early Learning Center: Lisa Smith, Behavior Intervention Specialist/Early Intervention Teacher at (218) 208-0853.
Referrals can also be made online at Help Me Grow Minnesota website.
K-12:
Referrals for students who are already in school may be made by contacting your child’s teacher or guidance counselor. Once a referral is received the student concerns team will determine how to proceed. Options available to the team in attempting to resolve the reported academic or behavior problem include:
- Developing and implementing interventions within the general education setting that are designed to target the identified problem.
- Referral to the Section 504 team to determine if the student is eligible for and needs an accommodation plan.
- Conducting a comprehensive evaluation to determine if the child is eligible for and needs special education instruction. If an evaluation is warranted, parents will be asked for their written permission to assess their child before any testing occurs.