Understanding Child Find in Colorado
Every school district in Colorado has a legal responsibility to find and evaluate children who may need special education — before a parent ever has to ask. This is called Child Find, and it's one of the most under-used protections in your child's right to a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE).
What Is Child Find?
Child Find is a requirement under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) — the same federal law that guarantees FAPE. It requires every school district, charter school, and Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) in Colorado to actively locate, identify, and evaluate every child, from birth through age 21, who may have a disability and may need special education services.
That responsibility exists whether or not a parent has asked for help. Districts aren't allowed to wait for a parent to request testing before they act — they're required to have a system in place for finding kids who need support, including children who are homeschooled or attending private school within the district's boundaries.
In practice, this means:
- Schools must actively look for signs that a student may need evaluation — not just respond when a parent raises concerns.
- The obligation applies regardless of how well a child is doing academically. A child who is passing their classes can still qualify for an evaluation if there's reason to suspect a disability.
- Evaluations conducted through Child Find are always free to families.
How Child Find Works in Colorado
Colorado breaks the Child Find process into three age bands, and each one is handled a little differently. Knowing which stage your child falls into helps you know exactly who to contact and what to expect.
Birth through age 2 — Early Intervention Colorado
For infants and toddlers, Child Find is coordinated through Early Intervention Colorado, a statewide program for children with developmental delays or disabilities. Referrals go through the Early Intervention Colorado Centralized Referral System, and services are typically delivered in the home.
Ages 3 through 5 — Preschool Special Education
Once a child turns three, responsibility shifts to the local school district or BOCES. Colorado's Child Find teams evaluate cognitive functioning, motor skills, hearing and vision, speech and language, and social-emotional development to determine whether a child qualifies for preschool special education services. If a child is found eligible, an Individualized Education Program (IEP) is created describing the services the district will provide.
Ages 5 through 21 — School-Age Child Find
After preschool, the term "Child Find" is used less often day-to-day, but the legal obligation doesn't go away — it's simply absorbed into the school's regular special education referral process. If a teacher, staff member, or parent suspects a student may have a disability affecting their education, the district is required to evaluate, even if the student is passing their classes or advancing grade to grade.
Signs Your Child May Need a Child Find Evaluation
There's no single symptom that triggers Child Find — it's based on a pattern of concerns. Some common signs Colorado parents report noticing include:
- Difficulty keeping up with reading, writing, or math compared to peers
- Trouble following multi-step directions or staying focused in class
- Speech or language delays
- Behavioral or social-emotional challenges that affect learning
- Missed developmental milestones (for younger children)
- A pediatrician, therapist, or preschool teacher has raised concerns
If any of this sounds familiar, you don't need a diagnosis in hand before reaching out. Child Find exists precisely so that concerns — not confirmed diagnoses — can start the process.
How to Request an Evaluation in Colorado
Any parent can request a Child Find evaluation at any time, in writing, from their school district. Here's the general process:
1
Submit a written request to your child's school or district requesting a special education evaluation. Email is sufficient — but keep a copy for your records.
2
The district responds with either an evaluation plan or, in some cases, a request for more information before proceeding.
3
Evaluation is conducted by qualified district staff, covering the areas of suspected need (academic, speech, behavioral, motor, etc.), at no cost to you.
4
Eligibility is determined by a team that includes you, the parent. If your child qualifies, an IEP is developed outlining the services and supports the district will provide.
Good to know: A school using general classroom support strategies (sometimes called MTSS or Response to Intervention) is not allowed to be used as a reason to delay or deny your right to request a formal evaluation. You can request an evaluation at any point in that process.
Colorado districts are expected to act on these requests in a timely manner. If a district delays, denies, or tries to redirect you toward general classroom interventions instead of an evaluation, that may not be compliant with your child's rights under IDEA.
Why Acting Early Makes a Difference
Child Find exists because early identification changes outcomes. The earlier a child's needs are understood, the earlier they can receive services designed around how they actually learn — rather than falling further behind while everyone waits to see if the struggle resolves on its own.
Too often, families don't learn about Child Find until a child has already spent months or years without support they were legally entitled to from day one. Kids 1st Advocacy exists to close that gap: to make sure Colorado parents know this right exists, know how their district is required to act on it, and know they don't have to navigate the process alone.
Not Sure Where Your Child Stands?
If your child hasn't yet been evaluated but you suspect something isn't quite right — or if you've requested an evaluation and aren't getting a clear answer from your district — I'm here to help you figure out the next step.
As your Education Advocate, I can help you understand your rights under Child Find, put your evaluation request in writing, and make sure your district follows through on its legal obligations.