Current through Reg. 50, No. 187; September 24, 2024
Parents are a child's first teachers and are partners with
school and school district personnel to identify the specific concerns and
priorities of the family related to enhancing their child's development.
Procedures for developing individualized family support plans shall be set
forth in each district's Exceptional Student Education (ESE) Policies and
Procedures document, as defined in subsection
6A-6.03411(2),
F.A.C., consistent with the following requirements:
(1) Definitions: An individualized family
support plan (IFSP) is a written plan identifying the specific concerns and
priorities of a family related to enhancing their child's development and the
resources to provide early intervention services to children with disabilities
ages birth through two (2) years or special education and related services to
children with disabilities ages three (3) through five (5). To meet the
identified outcomes for an individual child and family, a planning process
involving the family, professionals and others shall be used to prepare the
document.
(2) Use of IFSPs. For
children with disabilities ages birth through two (2) years, an IFSP consistent
with the requirements of subsections (3), (4), (6), (8), (9) and (10) of this
rule, shall be used. For children with disabilities ages three (3) through five
(5) years, school districts may utilize, at the option of the school district
and with written parental consent, an IFSP consistent with the requirements of
subsections (3), (5), (7), (9) and (10) of this rule, in lieu of an individual
educational plan (IEP). Parents must be provided with a detailed explanation of
the difference between an IFSP and an IEP.
(3) Contents. The IFSP shall include:
(a) A statement of the child's present levels
of physical development (including vision, hearing and health status),
cognitive development, communication development, social or emotional
development and adaptive skills development based on the information from the
child's evaluation and assessment;
(b) With the concurrence of the family, a
statement of the family's resources, priorities and concerns related to
enhancing the development of the child as identified through the assessment of
the family;
(c) A statement of
measurable results or measurable outcomes expected to be achieved by the child
and the family, including an educational component that promotes school
readiness and incorporates pre-literacy, language and numeracy skills as
developmentally appropriate, and the goals, criteria, procedures and timelines
used to determine the degree to which progress toward achieving the measurable
results or outcomes identified on the IFSP is being made, and whether
modifications or revisions of the expected results or outcomes or early
intervention or special education and related-services are necessary; and,
(d) A statement of the specific
early intervention services, based on peer-reviewed research (to the extent
practicable), or the special education and related services necessary to meet
the unique needs of the child and the family to achieve the results or outcomes
identified on the IFSP, including:
1.
Frequency, intensity and method of delivering services;
2. Location of the services;
3. Length of the services;
4. Funding source or payment arrangements, if
any;
5. Anticipated duration of
these services;
6. Other
services;
7. Projected dates for
initiation of services for children birth through two (2), which must be as
soon as possible but within thirty (30) calendar days of the date the parent
consents to the service, and the anticipated duration of these services; and,
8. Steps to be taken to support
the transition of the child, when exiting the Early Steps program to preschool
services for children with disabilities ages three (3) through five (5), or
other services that may be available. The steps required for transition shall
include:
a. Discussions with, and training of,
parents regarding future placements and other matters related to the child's
transition;
b. Procedures to
prepare the child for changes in service delivery, including steps to help the
child adjust to, and function in, a new setting;
c. Notification information to the school
district for the purpose of child find;
d. With parental consent, the transmission of
information about the child to the school district to ensure continuity of
services, including a copy of the most recent evaluation and assessments of the
child and family and a copy of the most recent IFSP that has been developed and
implemented; and,
e. Identification
of transition services and other activities that the IFSP team determines are
necessary to support the child.
(e) A statement of the natural environments
in which early intervention services, or special education and related
services, are to be provided, and a justification of the extent, if any, to
which the services will not be provided in a natural environment;
(f) A statement of the strategies needed in
order to meet the child's and family's outcomes;
(g) The name of the service coordinator from
the profession most immediately relevant to the child's or family's needs, or
the individual who is otherwise qualified to be responsible for the
implementation of the early intervention or special education and related
services identified in the IFSP, including transition services and coordination
with other agencies and persons. In meeting this requirement, the school
district may assign the same service coordinator who was appointed at the time
the child was initially referred for evaluation to be responsible for
implementing a child's and family's IFSP or appoint a new service
coordinator;
(h) Family demographic
and contact information;
(i) A
statement of eligibility, including recommendations for children not found
eligible;
(j) A description of
everyday routines, activities and places in which the child lives, learns and
plays and individuals with whom the child interacts;
(k) Identification of the most appropriate
IFSP team member to serve as the primary service provider;
(l) Documentation of the names of the
individuals who participated in the development of the IFSP, the method of
participation and the individual responsible for implementing the IFSP; and,
(m) For children ages birth
through two (2) years:
1. Identification of
any medical and additional supports that the child or family needs or is
receiving through other sources, but that are neither required nor funded under
the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Part C,
34 CFR §
303.344(e); and,
2. A description of the steps the service
coordinator or family will take to assist the child and family in securing
additional supports not currently being provided.
(4) Timelines for IFSPs for children with
disabilities ages birth through two (2) years. These timelines shall include
the following:
(a) For a child who has been
evaluated for the first time and determined to be eligible, a meeting to
develop the initial IFSP must be conducted within forty-five (45) days from
referral;
(b) A review of the IFSP
for a child and the child's family must be conducted every six (6) months from
the date of the initial or annual evaluation of the IFSP or more frequently if
conditions warrant, or if the family requests such a review. The review may be
carried out at a meeting or by another means that is acceptable to the parents
and other participants. The purpose of the periodic review is to determine:
1. The degree to which progress toward
achieving the results or outcomes identified on the IFSP is being
made;
2. Whether modifications or
revisions of the results or outcomes or services are necessary; and,
3. Whether additional needs have been
identified based on ongoing assessment or observation.
(c) A face-to-face meeting must be conducted
on at least an annual basis by the IFSP team to re-determine eligibility and
review the IFSP for a child and the child's family, and to revise, change or
modify its provisions and assess the continuation of the outcomes, strategies
and recommended services, as needed. The results of any current evaluations,
and other information available from ongoing assessments of the child and
family, must be considered at the annual review of the IFSP to determine
continuing eligibility and the early intervention services that are needed and
will be provided.
(d) IFSP meetings
must be conducted:
1. In settings and at times
that are convenient to families; and,
2. In the native language of the family or
other mode of communication used by the family, unless it is clearly not
feasible to do so.
(e)
Meeting arrangements must be made with and written notice provided to the
family and other participants early enough before the meeting date to ensure
that they will be able to attend.
(f) The contents of the IFSP must be fully
explained to the parent(s) and informed written consent from the parent(s) must
be obtained prior to the provisions of early intervention services described in
the plan. If the parent(s) does not provide consent with respect to a
particular early intervention service, that service may not be provided. The
early intervention services to which parental consent is obtained must be
provided.
(5)
Requirements for IFSPs for children with disabilities ages three (3) through
five (5). These IFSPs shall be consistent with the requirements of paragraphs
6A-6.03028(3)(a)
-(g), (j)-(k) and (m)-(t), F.A.C.
(6) Participants for IFSP meetings for
children with disabilities ages birth through two (2) years.
(a) Each initial meeting and each annual
meeting to review the IFSP and re-determine eligibility must include the
following participants:
1. The parent or
parents of the child;
2. Other
family members, as requested by the parent(s);
3. An advocate or individual outside of the
family, if the parent(s) requests that the individual participate;
4. The service coordinator who has been
working with the family since the initial referral of the child for evaluation,
or who has been designated to be responsible for implementation of the
IFSP;
5. For initial individualized
family support plan meetings, a person directly involved in conducting the
evaluation or assessment; and,
6.
As appropriate, individuals who will be providing services to the child or
family.
(b) If an
individual listed in paragraph (6)(a) of this rule is unable to attend a
meeting, arrangements must be made for the individual's involvement through
other means, including:
1. Participating in a
telephone or video conference call;
2. Having a knowledgeable authorized
representative attend the meeting; or
3. Making pertinent records available at the
meeting.
(c) Each
periodic review must provide for the participation of individuals in
subparagraphs (6)(a)1.-4. and 6. of this rule. If conditions warrant,
provisions must be made for the participation of other
representatives.
(7)
Participants for IFSP meetings for children with disabilities ages three (3)
through five (5) years shall include those listed in paragraph
6A-6.03028(3)(c),
F.A.C.
(8) Provision of services
before evaluation and assessments are completed. Early intervention services
for a child with disabilities ages birth through two (2) years and the child's
family may commence before the completion of the evaluation and assessments if
the following conditions are met:
(a)
Parental consent is obtained;
(b)
An interim IFSP is developed that includes:
1.
The name of the service coordinator who will be responsible, consistent with
paragraph (3)(g) of this rule for implementation of the interim IFSP and
coordination with other agencies and individuals;
2. The early intervention services that have
been determined to be needed immediately by the child and the child's family;
and,
3. Signatures of those who
developed the IFSP.
(c)
The evaluation and assessments are completed within forty-five (45) calendar
days from referral as required in paragraph (4)(a) of this
rule.
(9) Nonpublic
schools. For children with disabilities ages birth through five (5), the
procedures described in paragraphs
6A-6.03028(3)(n) and
(o), F.A.C., shall be followed.
(10) Financial responsibility. For children
ages birth through two (2) years, the school district shall only be responsible
for the early intervention services specified and agreed to through the IFSP
process. For children ages three (3) through five (5) years, the school
district shall only be responsible for the provision of the special education
and related services necessary for the child to benefit from special
education.
Rulemaking Authority
1001.02(1),
(2)(n),
1003.01(3)(a),
(b),
1003.21(1)(e),
1003.57(1)(c),
1003.571 FS. Law Implemented
1001.03(8),
1003.01(3)(a),
(b),
1003.21(1)(e),
1003.57(1)(c),
1003.571
FS.
New 7-13-93, Amended 1-4-94, 9-20-04, 12-23-14.Cf.
P.L.
105-17 (20
USC
1436)
