If you are concerned that your child is not meeting their developmental milestones, there are different options you can pursue.

Early Childhood Education(ECI), is a state and federally funded program for families with children, birth to three of age, with disabilities and developmental delays. ECI provides evaluations and assessments, at no cost to families, to determine eligibility and need for services. Families and professionals work as a team to plan appropriate services based on the unique needs of the child and family. ECI asks families who can afford to do so, to share in the cost of services. The amount a family pays for ECI services is determined using a sliding fee scale and is based on family size and income after allowable deductions. No child and family will be turned away because of an inability to pay. ECI services include: Assistive Technology services & devices, audiology, developmental services, family counseling, family education, medical services (diagnostic or evaluation services used to determine eligibility), nursing services, nutrition services, occupational therapy, physical therapy, psychological services, service coordination, social work services, speech-language therapy, and vision services. To refer a child, from birth to three, call the DARS Inquiries Line at 1-800-628-5115 or send an email message to dars.inquiries@dars.state.tx.us. Once a referral is made to an ECI program, the family is contacted by an ECI staff to discuss the reasons for the referral. Usually an intake appointment is made so that the family's concerns can be further explored and a more in-depth explanation of ECI services can be provided. After the intake appointment, a decision is made whether to proceed with an interdisciplinary evaluation and assessment. The family is very involved and a key team member in the evaluation and assessment process. If the child is eligible for ECI services, the team develops an Individualized Family Services Plan (IFSP). The IFSP is the plan of care for your child which includes recommended services and goals and objectives for the child. Meetings are held, at a minimum, annually to discuss your child's progress. ECI goes to families' homes and focuses on working with the child and family in their natural environment, such as at home or a child care center.

Services are available for children and young adults with a disability, ages 3 through 21, through your local school district. A referral for assessment may be made by contacting the director of special education for your local school district. Every school district is legally required to identify, locate, and evaluate children with disabilities. After the evaluation, the district may provide the child with specific programs and services to address special needs.

IDEA, the Special Education Law, defines "children with disabilities" as individuals between the ages of three and 22 with one or more of the following conditions: Students with any of the above listed eligibility conditions could have difficulty meeting the state set standards for each grade. These standards are called TEKS &mdash Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills. TEKS are the base skills that students are expected to achieve per grade. A child could benefit from special education services if they have an above listed eligibility condition and cannot meet the state TEKS standards.

If a child is receiving special education services, they have a plan with goals and objectives specific to their needs. This plan is called an IEP &mdash Individualized Education Plan. All goals and objectives on the IEP should be tied to a TEKS objective but should be specific for the individual student. Progress on IEP objectives is reported as often as the school issues progress reports for general education students, usually every 6 or 9 weeks.

Meetings are held to review assessments, discuss progress or make changes in a child's special education services. These meetings are called ARD meetings &mdash Admission, Review and Dismissal meetings. The meetings include: the parent or guardian, the student (if appropriate), an administrator, the child's teacher, and other professionals involved in the child's educational plan as needed. The school staff or a parent can request an ARD meeting at anytime to discuss concerns with the student's educational plan (IEP).