Early intervention and school

Tab E

Early intervention and school

Birth to three, three to five, and then the whole rest of it

Birth to 36 months: Early Steps

Florida's early intervention program for infants and toddlers with developmental delays or established conditions. Services are delivered in your home and daily routines, at little or no cost, under an IFSP — an individualized family service plan. You can refer your own child. No doctor's note required, no diagnosis required, no waiting for someone else to notice.

The transition at three

Early Steps ends at the third birthday, and the handoff to the school district is where children fall through. The transition conference should happen months in advance. Start asking about it at 2 years 6 months, in writing. If your child is between three and five and not yet in school, Child Find and the FDLRS network handle evaluation.

IEP or 504?

An IEP is special education: specially designed instruction, measurable goals, related services like speech and OT, and legal procedural protections. A 504 plan is accommodations only — extra time, seating, a health plan for a child with diabetes or a seizure disorder. A child who needs the curriculum changed needs an IEP. A child who only needs the environment adjusted may be fine with a 504.

Say it in writingAsk for an evaluation by email, not in the pickup line. A written request starts a legal timeline; a hallway conversation starts nothing. Template below — copy it, fill in the brackets, send it, and keep the sent copy.

To: [Principal] and [ESE / Student Services Coordinator]
Cc: [Teacher]
Subject: Written request for evaluation — [Child's full name], DOB [date]

Dear [Name],

I am the parent of [Child's name], currently in [grade/class] at [school].

I am requesting a full evaluation to determine eligibility for special
education and related services under IDEA. I am making this request in
writing so the timeline begins today, [date].

My specific concerns are:
  - [e.g., difficulty with expressive language and following directions]
  - [e.g., medical condition requiring nursing support during the day]
  - [e.g., behavior that interferes with learning]

I am requesting evaluation in all areas of suspected disability,
including [speech/language, occupational therapy, psychological,
functional behavior assessment, assistive technology].

Please send me the consent forms and a copy of my procedural safeguards.
Please also confirm in writing the date this request was received.

I can be reached at [phone] and [email].

Sincerely,
[Your name]

Children who can't be at school

Florida districts provide hospital-homebound instruction for students whose medical condition keeps them out of the classroom for an extended period. It requires physician certification. It is an underused option that keeps a child enrolled, on an IEP, and progressing while they recover.

The FES-UA scholarship

The Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities is Florida's education savings account for students with qualifying disabilities, roughly ages 3 to 22. It replaced the old McKay and Gardiner programs. Funds sit in a restricted account and can pay for private school tuition, therapies, curriculum, tutoring, and approved services — families direct the spending across multiple providers.

Apply through an approved scholarship funding organization — Step Up For Students or AAA Scholarship Foundation
Eligibility rests on an IEP or a diagnosis from a Florida-licensed physician or psychologist
Award size is driven by the district's matrix of services level; averages land near $10,000, with substantially more at the highest levels
Applications for the coming school year typically open February 1, with a renewal deadline set in statute for April 30 — miss it and you wait a year
Taking the ESA option means withdrawing from public school. Read that trade-off carefully: you gain flexibility and give up IDEA's procedural protections

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