If a parent presents a doctor’s note as evidence that the student has a disability, does this automatically make the student eligible for special education and related services?
• Not all students who have a disabling condition require special education as a result of their disability. The first step of the multidisciplinary team is to determine if the student has a disability. The second step, however, is to determine whether this disability adversely affects educational performance as defined in 511 IAC 7-32-5. To make this determination, it must be agreed upon that the student’s disability has a consistent and significant negative impact on the student’s academic achievement, functional performance, or both. If a student is benefiting from general education without special education interventions, then the case conference committee may determine that the student is not eligible for special education services even if there is evidence that a disability exits.
