Benton and Bryant to Co-Hosts Annual Child Find Meeting
September 8, 2025 (Benton, AR) --- Benton Public Schools, along with Bryant Pubilc Schools, will offer the Joint Annual Child Find Meeting and Consultation for parentally-placed private and homeschool providers in the respective school districts. The meeting will provide an opportunity for private and homeschool representatives to share the needs of students with disabilities enrolled in their programs. Evaluation and service specifics for parentally-placed and homeschool children in the 2025 - 2026 school year will be shared with providers.
Benton’s Assistant Special Education Director, Keri Coats, and Bryant’s Special Education Compliance Coordinator, Natalie Lewis, will address the requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 2004). Areas of discussion will include:
1. The Child Find Process
2. Determination of which, how, where, and by whom special education and related services will be provided
3. How the services will be evaluated, and
4. Determination of the proportionate amount of Federal Funds available to serve
parentally-placed private school children with disabilities
The Child Find and Consultation Meeting will be held on September 16, 2025 at 9:00 a.m. at the Benton School District Administration Office located at 207 W. Conway, Benton, AR 72015.
Child Find is a federal obligation for school districts to locate and evaluate children, ages 3-21, who are suspected of having a disability. Evaluation and services are provided to children free of charge in compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
The Benton School District, through partnership with Dawson Education Service Cooperative, and the Bryant Early Childhood Education program provides free screenings to children ages 3-5 in the areas of vision, hearing, speech-language, fine motor, gross motor, self-help, social skills, and academics.
For children younger than three, the Arkansas Department of Human Services provides free evaluations and services through First Connections. First Connections may be reached at 1-800-643-8258.