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Referral

What is Special Education

In accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and New Jersey Administrative Code (N.J.A.C. 6A:14), our district provides a free, appropriate public education (FAPE) to all eligible students with disabilities.

A student may be found eligible for special education and related services when all three of the following criteria are met:

  1. Documented disability – The student has one or more of the 14 disability classifications defined in N.J.A.C. 6A:14-3.5
  2. Adverse educational impact – The disability adversely affects the student’s educational performance.
  3. Need for specially designed instruction – The student requires special education and related services to access and make progress in the general curriculum.

Who can make a referral

Anyone who has concerns about a student’s learning or development may request a special education evaluation. Under IDEA and N.J.A.C 6A:14, referrals can be made by parents or guardians, teachers and other school staff, and agencies concerned with the welfare of children. 

How do I refer my child:

If you believe your child has a disability, you can request an evaluation of your child by submitting a letter to the Manalapan-Englishtown Regional School District Pupil Personnel Services office. Your request must have a statement similar to, “I am requesting a Child Study Team evaluation for my child.” It is preferred, but not required, that you include information about your child and why you are requesting the evaluation. The request must include the following information:

  1. Parent Name
  2. Parent Phone Number
  3. Parent Address
  4. Child’s Name
  5. Child’s Date of Birth

Please submit your request to your child’s school or the Pupil Personnel Services office at the address below:

Pupil Personnel Services Department
36 Gordons Corner Road
Manalapan, New Jersey 07726

Please note that in order for a referral to be processed, a signed letter must be received.

What happens next (referral timeline):

Within 20 calendar days of receiving the written referral (excluding school holidays but not summer vacation), the district must hold an Initial Identification Meeting to decide whether an evaluation is warranted. If an evaluation is warranted, the district develops an Evaluation Plan and requests parental consent. Once consent is received, the district has 90 calendar days to complete all required evaluations, hold an Eligibility Meeting to determine if the student qualifies for special education, and, if eligible, develop and begin implementation of the student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP).