2023 Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations › Chapter 115 - State superintendent; general classifications and definitions; children with disabilities. › 115.777 - Special education referrals.

115.777
Special education referrals.
(1)
(a)
A physician, nurse, psychologist, social worker or administrator of a social agency who reasonably believes that a child brought to him or her for services has a disability shall refer the child to the local educational agency. If the local educational agency to whom the referral is made is the school district in which the child resides but the child is attending a public school in a nonresident school district under s. 118.50, 118.51, or 121.84 (1) (a) or (4), the school board of the school district in which the child resides shall provide the name of the child and related information to the school board of the school district that the child is attending.
(b)
A person who is required to be licensed under s. 115.28 (7), who is employed by a local educational agency and who reasonably believes a child has a disability, shall refer the child to the local educational agency. If the local educational agency to whom the referral is made is the school district that the child is attending but the child is a nonresident attending a public school in that school district under s. 118.50, 118.51, or 121.84 (1) (a) or (4), the school board of the school district that the child is attending shall provide the name of the child and related information to the school board of the child's school district of residence.
(c)
Any person other than those specified under par. (a) or (b) who reasonably believes that a child is a child with a disability may refer the child to a local educational agency. If the local educational agency to whom the referral is made is the school district in which the child resides but the child is attending a public school in a nonresident school district under s. 118.50, 118.51, or 121.84 (1) (a) or (4), the school board of the school district in which the child resides shall provide the name of the child and related information to the school board of the school district that the child is attending.
(2)
(a)
All referrals shall be in writing and shall include the name of the child and the reasons why the person believes that the child is a child with a disability.
(b)
Before submitting a referral to a local educational agency under sub. (1) (a) or (b), a person required to make a referral under sub. (1) (a) or (b) shall inform the child's parent that he or she is going to submit the referral.
(3)
A local educational agency shall do all of the following:
(a)
Establish written procedures for accepting and processing referrals.
(b)
Document and date the receipt of each referral.
(c)
Provide information and in-service opportunities to all of its licensed staff to familiarize them with the agency's referral procedures.
(d)
At least annually, inform parents and persons required to make referrals under sub. (1) (a) about the agency's referral and evaluation procedures.
(e)
Within 15 business days of receiving a referral, send to the child's parents a request for consent to evaluate the child under s. 115.782 except that if the local educational agency determines that no additional data are necessary, the agency shall notify the child's parent of that determination within 15 business days of receiving the referral.
History:  1997 a. 164; 1999 a. 117; 2005 a. 258; 2015 a. 55.