Child Find

Arizona Child Find is a component of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 that requires schools to locate, identify, and evaluate children in need of early intervention or special education services.

Any parent with questions regarding developmental stages or issues relating to their child between the ages of birth to 21 years may receive information in a school office. The information contains a list of agencies that provide assessment and services in all areas of development. Any parent that suspects their George Gervin school-age child may have a disability should contact their homeroom teacher or school office.

Developmental Screenings

George Gervin Prep Academy offers developmental screenings periodically year-round. Children as young as age two years nine months may participate in hearing, vision, and developmental screenings to determine if further evaluations are necessary. Eligible children identified with significant delays will be offered services through enrollment in programs that include special education services in the district at no cost to the parent/guardian. If you think your preschool-age child may have speech or other developmental delays, please call (480) 219-2121 to make an appointment for screening.

If you have an infant birth to two years nine months of age who appears to have developmental delays, don't hesitate to contact Arizona Early Intervention Programs (AzEIP) at (602) 253-1620 to learn about services available for younger children with disabilities.

Child Find Notice

George Gervin Prep Academy is required by federal and state law (34 CFR 300.220.34 CFR 300.121) to conduct a “Child Find” effort as a means to locate, identify, and evaluate all resident children with disabilities, including children with disabilities attending private schools, regardless of the severity of their disabilities. The purpose of Child Find is to locate these children so that a free appropriate public education can be made available. Upon request, GGPA will screen any resident child as young as two years 9 months of age to determine whether a special education referral is appropriate.

After students are evaluated, eligible students are entitled to a free and appropriate education, including specially designed individualized instruction for disabled students between the ages of three and 21. This law applies to EVERY eligible child, regardless of the severity of the disability, and assures confidentiality procedures are followed.

Referrals and Records

A physician, nurse, psychologist, social worker, or administrator of a social agency who reasonably believes a child brought to him or her for services is a child with a disability has a legal duty to report the child to the school district in which the child resides. Before referring the child, the person making the referral must inform the child’s parent that the referral will be made. The referral must be in writing and include the reason why the person believes the child is a child with a disability. Others who reasonably believe a child is a child with a disability may also refer the child to the local school in which the child resides.

George Gervin Prep Academy maintains pupil records, including information from screening and special education referrals. All records directly related to a student and maintained by the school district are pupil records. They include records maintained in any way including, but not limited to, computer/cloud storage media, video and audiotape, film, microfilm, and microfiche. Records maintained for personal use by a teacher and not available to others and records available to only persons involved in the psychological treatment of a child are not pupil records.