Florida Administrative Code › 6 - DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION › 6A - State Board of Education › Chapter 6A-6 - SPECIAL PROGRAMS I › Section 6A-6.03029 - Development of Individualized Family Support Plans for Children with Disabilities Ages Birth Through Five Years

Current through Reg. 50, No. 138; July 16, 2024
Parents are a child's first teachers and are partners with
				  school and school district personnel to identify the specific concerns and
				  priorities of the family related to enhancing their child's development.
				  Procedures for developing individualized family support plans shall be set
				  forth in each district's Exceptional Student Education (ESE) Policies and
				  Procedures document, as defined in subsection
				  6A-6.03411(2),
				  F.A.C., consistent with the following requirements:
(1) Definitions: An individualized family
				support plan (IFSP) is a written plan identifying the specific concerns and
				priorities of a family related to enhancing their child's development and the
				resources to provide early intervention services to children with disabilities
				ages birth through two (2) years or special education and related services to
				children with disabilities ages three (3) through five (5). To meet the
				identified outcomes for an individual child and family, a planning process
				involving the family, professionals and others shall be used to prepare the
				document.
(2) Use of IFSPs. For
				children with disabilities ages birth through two (2) years, an IFSP consistent
				with the requirements of subsections (3), (4), (6), (8), (9) and (10) of this
				rule, shall be used. For children with disabilities ages three (3) through five
				(5) years, school districts may utilize, at the option of the school district
				and with written parental consent, an IFSP consistent with the requirements of
				subsections (3), (5), (7), (9) and (10) of this rule, in lieu of an individual
				educational plan (IEP). Parents must be provided with a detailed explanation of
				the difference between an IFSP and an IEP.
(3) Contents. The IFSP shall include:
(a) A statement of the child's present levels
				of physical development (including vision, hearing and health status),
				cognitive development, communication development, social or emotional
				development and adaptive skills development based on the information from the
				child's evaluation and assessment;
(b) With the concurrence of the family, a
				statement of the family's resources, priorities and concerns related to
				enhancing the development of the child as identified through the assessment of
				the family;
(c) A statement of
				measurable results or measurable outcomes expected to be achieved by the child
				and the family, including an educational component that promotes school
				readiness and incorporates pre-literacy, language and numeracy skills as
				developmentally appropriate, and the goals, criteria, procedures and timelines
				used to determine the degree to which progress toward achieving the measurable
				results or outcomes identified on the IFSP is being made, and whether
				modifications or revisions of the expected results or outcomes or early
				intervention or special education and related-services are necessary; and,
(d) A statement of the specific
				early intervention services, based on peer-reviewed research (to the extent
				practicable), or the special education and related services necessary to meet
				the unique needs of the child and the family to achieve the results or outcomes
				identified on the IFSP, including:
1.
				Frequency, intensity and method of delivering services;
2. Location of the services;
3. Length of the services;
4. Funding source or payment arrangements, if
				any;
5. Anticipated duration of
				these services;
6. Other
				services;
7. Projected dates for
				initiation of services for children birth through two (2), which must be as
				soon as possible but within thirty (30) calendar days of the date the parent
				consents to the service, and the anticipated duration of these services; and,
8. Steps to be taken to support
				the transition of the child, when exiting the Early Steps program to preschool
				services for children with disabilities ages three (3) through five (5), or
				other services that may be available. The steps required for transition shall
				include:
a. Discussions with, and training of,
				parents regarding future placements and other matters related to the child's
				transition;
b. Procedures to
				prepare the child for changes in service delivery, including steps to help the
				child adjust to, and function in, a new setting;
c. Notification information to the school
				district for the purpose of child find;
d. With parental consent, the transmission of
				information about the child to the school district to ensure continuity of
				services, including a copy of the most recent evaluation and assessments of the
				child and family and a copy of the most recent IFSP that has been developed and
				implemented; and,
e. Identification
				of transition services and other activities that the IFSP team determines are
				necessary to support the child.
(e) A statement of the natural environments
				in which early intervention services, or special education and related
				services, are to be provided, and a justification of the extent, if any, to
				which the services will not be provided in a natural environment;
(f) A statement of the strategies needed in
				order to meet the child's and family's outcomes;
(g) The name of the service coordinator from
				the profession most immediately relevant to the child's or family's needs, or
				the individual who is otherwise qualified to be responsible for the
				implementation of the early intervention or special education and related
				services identified in the IFSP, including transition services and coordination
				with other agencies and persons. In meeting this requirement, the school
				district may assign the same service coordinator who was appointed at the time
				the child was initially referred for evaluation to be responsible for
				implementing a child's and family's IFSP or appoint a new service
				coordinator;
(h) Family demographic
				and contact information;
(i) A
				statement of eligibility, including recommendations for children not found
				eligible;
(j) A description of
				everyday routines, activities and places in which the child lives, learns and
				plays and individuals with whom the child interacts;
(k) Identification of the most appropriate
				IFSP team member to serve as the primary service provider;
(l) Documentation of the names of the
				individuals who participated in the development of the IFSP, the method of
				participation and the individual responsible for implementing the IFSP; and,
(m) For children ages birth
				through two (2) years:
1. Identification of
				any medical and additional supports that the child or family needs or is
				receiving through other sources, but that are neither required nor funded under
				the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Part C,
				34 CFR §
												303.344(e); and,
2. A description of the steps the service
				coordinator or family will take to assist the child and family in securing
				additional supports not currently being provided.