Child Find in Connecticut: The District's Duty to Identify Your Child

Your child has been struggling for two years. Teachers have mentioned concerns at conferences. The school has tried some interventions. But no one has ever formally suggested a special education evaluation — and you're not sure if they're supposed to.

They are. Connecticut school districts have a legal obligation to identify, locate, and evaluate every child in their jurisdiction who may have a disability requiring special education services. This obligation is called Child Find, and it is not optional, passive, or contingent on a parent asking first.

What Child Find Requires

Child Find is a mandate under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Connecticut law (C.G.S. § 10-76). Every public school district in Connecticut must actively seek out children aged 3 through 21 who may have disabilities — including children who attend private schools, who are homeschooled, who are experiencing homelessness, and who are wards of the state.

The obligation is proactive. A district cannot wait for a parent to request a formal evaluation before its Child Find duties are triggered. If school staff reasonably suspect that a child has a disability affecting their educational performance, the district must take action. This means that if your child's teacher, school psychologist, or reading specialist has raised concerns about learning, behavior, attention, or communication — and no one has recommended a formal evaluation — the district may already be in violation of its Child Find obligations.

Child Find applies across all of Connecticut's 169 school districts, including Alliance Districts, and to students in interdistrict magnet schools and state charter schools. The district where the child resides bears Child Find responsibility even when the child attends a school in another town.

How a Child Find Referral Works in Connecticut

Connecticut's Child Find process begins with a written referral. Under RCSA § 10-76d-13, the district's 45-school-day evaluation timeline — from referral to IEP implementation — starts the day after the district receives a written referral form (Form ED622) or any written communication expressing concern that a child may need special education evaluation.

This is a critical point: oral requests do not start the clock. If you have verbally raised concerns about your child at a conference, called the special education coordinator, or spoken to a teacher who agreed something should be done — and no one has given you paperwork — the 45-day timeline has not started. The district's obligations are triggered only by a written referral.

You do not have to use a specific form to make a referral. Any written communication — a letter, an email, even a text message in some cases — that clearly requests a special education evaluation can constitute a referral. Once submitted, the district must respond by initiating the evaluation process within the 45-school-day window.

What Happens After a Referral

Within the 45-school-day window, the district must:

• Convene an initial Planning and Placement Team (PPT) meeting to discuss the referral
• Obtain your written consent to conduct the evaluation
• Complete a comprehensive, multidisciplinary evaluation of all areas of suspected disability
• Convene an eligibility PPT to review the results and determine whether the child qualifies for special education
• If eligible, develop and implement an IEP

The 45-day clock pauses while the district waits for your signature on the consent form — up to 10 school days. But the clock resumes the moment you sign, and the district cannot extend the timeline without your agreement. Connecticut's 45-school-day rule is stricter than the federal IDEA standard of 60 calendar days. If a district quotes the federal timeline to you, they are working from the wrong rule.

When Districts Resist

The most common way districts delay Child Find obligations is through SRBI — Connecticut's Scientific Research-Based Interventions framework, which is the state's version of Response to Intervention. SRBI involves tiered interventions in general education before a formal special education referral is made.

Participating in SRBI can be valuable for a struggling student. But districts sometimes use ongoing SRBI participation as a reason to postpone or decline a parent's written referral for evaluation. This is not permitted. CSDE guidance is explicit: SRBI cannot be used to delay or deny a special education evaluation if a disability is suspected and a parent has made a written referral. Once you submit a written request, the 45-day clock begins regardless of what SRBI tier your child is currently in.

If a district refuses to accept your referral, or tells you to wait until the SRBI process is complete, submit your referral in writing and keep a copy. If the district does not respond within the required timeline, you can file a formal complaint with the CSDE Bureau of Special Education.

Child Find for Children Not Yet in School

Child Find obligations extend to children with disabilities from age 3 through 21. For children under 3, Connecticut's Birth to Three system handles early intervention under IDEA Part C. But as a toddler approaches age 3, the local school district's Child Find responsibility activates. Districts are required to work with Birth to Three service coordinators to evaluate children transitioning out of early intervention in time to have an IEP in place before the child's third birthday.

If your toddler is currently receiving Birth to Three services and their third birthday is approaching, contact your local school district's special education office now — not after the birthday. The evaluation and IEP development takes time, and late referrals frequently result in service gaps.

If You Suspect Your Child Has a Disability

You do not need to wait for the school to come to you. Parent referrals carry the same legal weight as referrals from school staff. If you believe your child may have a learning disability, autism, ADHD, or any other condition affecting their education, you have the right to request a formal evaluation at any time.

Write the request. Send it to the district's special education coordinator by email or certified mail. Keep a copy. Include the date. State clearly that you are requesting a comprehensive special education evaluation and that you believe your child may have a disability affecting their educational performance.

That is enough to start the clock.

The Connecticut IEP & 504 Blueprint includes a ready-to-use Child Find referral letter template, a guide to Connecticut's 45-school-day timeline, and the documentation strategies parents need from the very first step of the special education process.

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