Child Find (SPPI-11 & SPPI-12) Eligibility Determination Delay Reason in the Texas Student Data System
| Date: | March 31, 2022 |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Child Find (SPPI-11 & SPPI-12) Eligibility Determination Delay Reason in the Texas Student Data System |
| Category: | Child Find Update |
| Next Steps: | Share with appropriate local educational agency and education service center staff |
Local educational agencies (LEAs) submit data for students considered for special education to the Child Find (CF) collection in the Texas Student Data System (TSDS). The data submitted include when the LEA completed a full and individual initial evaluation (FIIE) and an eligibility determination (ED). If the FIIE or the ED was completed beyond the required timeframe, the LEA must also document the delay reason. However, LEAs can only submit a delay reason for the FIIE to the TSDS. Going forward from school year (SY) 2022–2023, LEAs will also be able to submit a delay reason for the ED to the TSDS CF collection.
Child Find Delay Reasons
The TSDS CF collection includes State Performance Plan Indicator 11 (SPPI-11; Timely Initial Evaluation) and SPPI-12 (Early Childhood Transition). Both indicators assess an LEA’s procedural compliance with the state and federal requirements of the special education evaluation process.
This process includes adhering to the required timeframes for completing both the FIIE and the ED:
- For SPPI-11, the FIIE timeframe is 45 instructional days starting the first instructional day after the LEA receives parental consent (for exceptions, see 19 TAC §§89.1011(c)(1) and (e)), and the ED timeframe is 30 calendar days starting the first day after the completed FIIE (for exceptions, see 19 TAC §89.1011(d)). NOTE: only the FIIE is used for federal reporting purposes. The ED is used by the State for general supervision and technical assistance purposes.For SPPI-12, both the FIIE and the ED must occur by the child’s third birthday for a child who received early childhood intervention (ECI) services for 90 calendar days or more before their third birthday (see OMB NO: 1820-0624).
Both the delay reason and the number of calendar days to complete the evaluation activity must be reported when the FIIE or the ED occur beyond the required timeframe (see OMB NO: 1820-0624). The TSDS system calculates the number of calendar days beyond the timeframe for both the FIIE and the ED. For SY 2021–2022, LEAs can only report an FIIE delay reason in the TSDS. LEAs cannot submit a delay reason for the ED because no data element exists in the TSDS CF collection.
Going forward from SY 2022–2023, LEAs will be able to report delay reasons for both the FIIE (EVALUATION-DELAY-REASON E1718) and the ED (ELIGIBILITY-DELAY-REASON E1731), as defined by the code table DC164. The addition of the ELIGIBILITY-DELAY-REASON data element to the TSDS CF collection will improve data quality and support general supervision and technical assistance activities.
Resources
- To the Administrator Addressed (TAA): Child Find (SPPI-11 & SPPI-12) in the Texas Student Data System
- Texas Education Data Standards (TSDS) data elements and reporting requirements for Child Find
- TSDS Training and Support for Child Find
- Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) Part B SPP/APR Measurement Table (OMB NO: 1820-0624)
- TEA Child Find Measurement Guidance
- TEA Special Education Technical Assistance (TA)
- TEA Child Find, Evaluation, and ARD Supports Network
- TEA Student-Centered Transitions Network (SCTN)
- Early Transition Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
Contact
For measurement or program reporting questions, please contact the Division of Special Education Program, Policy, Engagement, and Reporting (SEPPER) project lead, Dr. Zane Wubbena, at spp@tea.texas.gov. Technical questions for Child Find should be submitted via the TSDS Incident Management System (TIMS) available within the TSDS Portal or by emailing TSDSCustomerSupport@tea.texas.gov.