Child Find refers to the school district’s responsibility to actively seek out (or find) children who may have a disability and need special education.  School districts are responsible for finding and evaluating all children who reside in the school district suspected to need special education who are ages 2.5 to 21 inclusive.  This includes children who are home-schooled and those who are placed by parents in private for-profit schools.  If a child has been placed by their parent in a non-profit private school, the school district where the non-profit private school is located is responsible for Child Find activities. Every school district must have policies and procedures that explain how they will outreach to and work with their communities to “find” children who may need special education.

Sometimes when a child has been found eligible for special education services, but for a variety of reasons, is not currently receiving services, a school district will say they are placing the child “in Child Find”.  Child Find is a process, not a place.  A more accurate way of describing this situation is a “child who is eligible for, but is not currently receiving, special education”.  The school district is still responsible to use Child Find activities to inform parents of their child’s right to an evaluation, and if eligible, receive special education services.