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Child Find

The Appleton Area School District (AASD) is required to locate, identify, and evaluate all children with disabilities, including children with disabilities attending private schools in the school district, and homeless children. The process of locating, identifying, and evaluating children with disabilities is known as child find. The AASD meets this requirement by conducting developmental screening for all three and four year old children residing in the district. The AASD also locates, identifies, and evaluates all children with disabilities who are enrolled by their parents in private schools, elementary schools, and secondary schools located in the district.

Annual Notice of Special Education Referral and Evaluation Procedures 2024-25

Upon request, the Appleton Area School District is required to evaluate a child for eligibility for special education services. A request for evaluation is known as a referral. When the district receives a referral, the district will appoint an Individualized Education Program (IEP) team to determine if the child has a disability, and if the child needs special education services. The district locates, identifies, and evaluates all children with disabilities who are enrolled by their parents in private schools (including religious), elementary schools and secondary schools located in the school district.


A physician, nurse, psychologist, social worker, or administrator of a social agency who reasonably believes a child brought to him or her for services is a child with a disability has a legal duty to refer the child, including a homeless child, to the school district in which the child resides. Before referring the child, the person making the referral must inform the child's parent that the referral will be made.

Others, including parents, who reasonably believe a child is a child with a disability may also refer the child, including a homeless child, to the school district in which the child resides.
Referrals must be in writing and include the reason why the person believes the child is a child with a disability.

A referral may be made by contacting the following:


Appleton Area School District
Student Services Department
131 E. Washington St, Suite 1A
Appleton, WI 54911
(920) 852-5317