Dear Parents, Caregivers, and Providers,
We're reaching out to share some important news about a change in state law that may impact your family. Under this new law, responsibility for Child Find and special education services for children between the ages of 3 and 5 is shifting from Child Development Services (CDS) to the local public school district. For families in Sanford, that means the Sanford School Department will take over these responsibilities beginning August 31, 2026.
How Do I Make a Referral for an Evaluation? Going forward, if you have concerns that a child between the ages of 3 and 5 may have a disability, that referral will come to us here at the Sanford School Department instead of CDS. Once we receive a referral, a member of our team will reach out to the family to talk through next steps. As with the current CDS process, we may connect you with a speech therapist, psychologist, or other evaluator to help determine whether the child qualifies for special education support.
How Is Eligibility for Special Education Determined? After evaluations are complete, we'll bring together an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) team, which includes school staff, the family, and the evaluators, to go over the results and decide whether the child qualifies for services. To be eligible, the law requires that the child have a disability, that the disability gets in the way of their learning, and that special education is needed for them to make progress. When a child is found eligible, the team builds an IEP that lays out where the child currently stands, sets annual goals, and outlines the services they'll receive. The team then meets at least once a year to check in on progress and make updates as needed. This mirrors the process CDS already follows, so families shouldn't notice a difference in how things work, just in who's leading it.
Who Should I Contact to Make a Referral? You can submit a referral online through the link below, or by scanning the QR code with your phone's camera:
Referral link: https://forms.gle/XpTY3bFX8AgP6NGi9
If you have questions, you may email our Assistant Special Education Director, Tammy Delaney, at Tdelaney@sanford.org, or call us at (207) 457-1413.
We know a transition like this can raise questions, and we're committed to making it as easy as possible for you and your child. We're glad to be your partner in this process and to help make sure your child gets the high-quality support they need.
Sincerely,
Matt Nelson
Superintendent