All Preschool (pre-K) students (children under the age of 6 and not kindergarten age-eligible) must be enrolled in the NC Student Information System using standardized processes to ensure accurate data collection and reporting including, but not limited to, the following federal requirements:
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the number and percentage of preschool children served by NC that are funded by Title I (ESEA),
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the number of days/hours enrolled in a public school setting (IDEA), and
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the significant disproportionality in identification and disciplinary actions for students ages 3 - 21 (IDEA).
Under G.S. 115C-107.3 (Child Find), PSUs must identify, locate, and evaluate all children ages 3–21 who may have disabilities. The Child Find census is taken annually and must include both children identified and suspected of having disabilities. ECATS is the program by which children are evaluated and cannot pull a student record unless the child exists in the SIS with a UID, name, date of birth, sex, and race/ethnicity.
IDEA Child Find
Compliance with IDEA and NC child find requirements includes meeting specific timelines for eligibility determination and, if eligible, the implementation of an Individualized Education Program (IEP). Additional requirements outside of the exceptional children written referral requirements may not be implemented in a way that causes delays in the child find process, violates federal and/or state policies or may be perceived as creating additional requirements for accessing the eligibility determination process and/or ensuring accurate reporting (NC 1503-2). While program or school enrollment may require specific documentation, no information beyond federally allowable child find information (child’s name, date of birth, and parent contact information) may be required to enter a child in the NCSIS for child find purposes. The request of additional items for enrollment cannot delay the process of entering a child’s record in the NCSIS for child find purposes.
