Child Find for Children Ages 3 Through 5 Years Old

About Child Find for Children Ages 3 Through 5 Years Old

Child Find for children ages 3 through 5 years old is part of Colorado's system for identifying children suspected of having a delay in development as early as possible. If a young child is not meeting typical developmental milestones, or someone is concerned about the child’s growth or learning, a referral can be made to Child Find.  Starting at age three, the public school system (school districts and/or Boards of Cooperative Educational Services) has responsibility for the Child Find process and will work with the family about their concerns, with a focus on meeting the child’s educational needs. Next steps could include collecting information from families and from previous developmental screenings, conducting a screening, and/or if the child is suspected of having an educational disability completing an evaluation. The purpose of the process is to determine if there is an educational disability that requires special education and related services for the child to make progress in preschool. Child Find is provided at no cost to families.

Referrals

• For concerns and referrals for children birth to 3 years old please go to Early Intervention Colorado.
• Preschool children 3 through 5 years old are screened and/or evaluated as a part of the preschool special education process.

Developing a Plan

If a Child Find evaluation team, which includes the parents, has gathered enough information to determine a child meets eligibility criteria for preschool special education services, an Individual Education Program (IEP) is developed. Preschool special education services for children 3 through 5 years old are provided by local school districts and Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) in inclusive preschool classrooms.

Who do I contact?

• Local Part B Child Find Contacts for children ages 3 through 5 years old, including children who attend a charter school.
• Find information regarding Kindergarten through 12th grade special education at the CDE Office of Special Education.
• To request an evaluation for a child under 3 years of age, go to the Early Intervention Colorado Centralized Referral System.

Reach out to the CDE Early Childhood Special Education and Child Find Contacts with questions.

Special Education in Preschool

Special education services for children ages 3 through 5 years old are provided by local school districts and Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) in inclusive preschool classrooms. Early childhood services and resources are designed to support the individual and unique educational needs of young children. Learn more about Early Childhood Special Education Services.