Welcome to the Chehalis Student Support webpage. You will find information about special education and 504 plans, answers to frequently asked questions, and ways to contact the Student Support team.
Student Support works with families to meet the needs of students with disabilities, both students in special education and those with 504 plans. Supporting students takes a team–which includes the student, parent(s)/ guardian(s), general and/or special education teachers, administrators, and, sometimes, other service providers. Together, we support students to improve achievement, access instruction through modernized practices, and prepare for college and career readiness.
Here are some questions frequently asked by parents & guardians:
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires schools to provide the parents/guardians of a student who is eligible for or referred for special education with a notice containing a full explanation of the rights available to them. CLICK HERE to view more information. Guides are available in a variety of languages.
Procedural Safeguards
The process of determining if a student requires an IEP requires several steps
- The student is referred for an evaluation due to a suspected disability.
- A referral is a written request to evaluate a student. Please include the name of the student, all areas of suspected disability, any additional relevant information you choose to share, and the best method to contact you.
- The referral is considered by the school’s student study team, which reviews relevant student data and information presented in the referral before the team determines if an evaluation is needed. The team has 25 school days to determine if an evaluation is needed.
- A Prior Written Notice indicating the decision to evaluate or not will be provided to the parent/ guardian.
- If an evaluation is determined to be needed, the parent or guardian or adult student will be requested to provide written consent to evaluate the student.
- Once written consent is received, the evaluation is initiated in all areas of suspected disability.
- The school has up to 35 school days to complete the evaluation.
- The evaluation team meets to review the results of the evaluation and determine if the student is eligible for special education.
- All three prongs must be met to qualify for special education:
- The student has a disability.
- The disability adversely affects the student’s education.
- The student requires specially designed instruction.
- All three prongs must be met to qualify for special education:
- If the student is found eligible for special education, then an Individual Education Plan (IEP) is developed by the IEP team, which includes the parent/ guardian/ adult student. An IEP is a written plan that addresses the student’s unique learning needs.
- The IEP team has up to 30 calendar days to develop the IEP.
- The IEP includes specially designed instruction, and possibly related services, accommodations, modifications, and supplementary aids and services.
- IEPs are reviewed at least annually.
- Re-evaluations are completed at least once every three years but may occur more often at the request of an IEP team member.
Click Here to download the Chehalis School District Optional Referral for Special Education Form
This process begins by making a request in writing for a special education evaluation. Your request will be reviewed by the school student study team to determine if an evaluation is needed.
Click Here to download the Chehalis School District Optional Referral for Special Education Form
Thank you for telling the school about your student’s new diagnosis. Sharing this information with the teacher, principal, and school psychologist will assist the team to determine if your student needs additional support to receive a free appropriate public education (FAPE).
Start by reaching out to your student’s teacher(s) and asking for feedback on what is going well and what is most challenging.
Work together to see if there are different strategies to try, or if extra help is needed. Everyone struggles at times to learn (even adults!), and sometimes it just takes a different strategy to get the job done.
At other times, students struggle despite interventions and different strategies; these students may have a disability that is preventing them from successfully learning in one or more areas.
For Special Education records, please provide a records release by email to studentsupport@
Assistive technology is used to maximize a student’s access to the general education curriculum. It may include devices, equipment, and/ or systems that range from low tech to high tech.
Assistive technology includes any item, piece of equipment, software program, or product system, either off the shelf or modified that is used to maintain, increase, or improve the functional capabilities of a student with a disability. It may be used to assist with speaking, writing, typing, remembering, pointing, seeing, hearing, learning, walking, or other things.
Examples include a specialized pencil grip, slant board, button that plays a recorded message when activated, a device that speaks messages from picture icons, or a text-to-speech program on a computer.
IEP or 504?
Special Education and Section 504 both address the needs of students with disabilities, however, there are significant differences between the two programs. Please see the Special Education or 504 web pages for additional information.
Student has a disability/ies
Disability adversely affects education
An evaluation is required
Student requires specially designed instruction to access his/ her education
Curriculum and grading is modified
The student has or is regarded as having a disability
Disability adversely affects education
- An evaluation is required
Student requires accommodations to access his/ her education
NO modification to curriculum or grades
- For elementary students, please contact the assistant principal
For secondary students please complete this referral form
Child Find
I suspect my child has a disability
Child Find is the process of locating, evaluating, and identifying all children with suspected disabilities, aged 3 to 21 years old, who reside within the boundaries of Chehalis School District; this includes students who are attending private schools, homeless, and/ or migratory. WAC 392.172A.02040
If you suspect that your child has difficulty learning, thinking, moving, speaking, seeing, hearing, managing emotions, or using self-help skills, please visit this page. For more information contact ChildFind@chehalisschools.org.
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