SSD St. Louis County for Autistic Kids: Evaluations, IEPs and ABA

SSD at a glance

What is SSD?

SSD is a countywide public school district just for students with disabilities. Its staff work in 266 schools across 22 St. Louis County districts, plus SSD's own special education schools.

More than 97 percent of students served by SSD staff attend a school in their own home district. So most children stay at their neighborhood school, and SSD teachers and therapists come to them.

What is an IEP, and how do you get one?

An IEP (Individualized Education Program) is the legal plan for your child's special education. It lists the services, the minutes, how often they happen and where.

1. You or the school asks for an evaluation.
2. The school sends a Notice of Action and asks for your written consent.
3. SSD's diagnostic staff test your child and write an evaluation report.
4. An eligibility conference decides if your child qualifies.
5. The IEP team, including you, writes the plan at an IEP meeting.
6. You consent to placement, and services begin.

The plan starts from present levels of academic achievement and functional performance, then sets annual goals and accommodations. It also sets the least restrictive environment: how much of the day your child spends with general education classmates.

You can bring your child's outside therapists. SSD says the meeting "may include any therapists, counselors, or doctors who may be working with your student outside of school."

Does SSD use ABA in school?

Yes. SSD's Applied Behavior Analysis program began in 1998. SSD says: "ABA in school is part of a student's IEP, just like other related services."

A team of BCBAs, trained paraprofessionals, teachers and related service staff delivers it. The aim is to help students "participate in and benefit from instruction."

The school team requests an evaluation before ABA is added to an IEP.

How do you ask SSD for an evaluation?

Put it in writing. SSD accepts a spoken request but recommends writing to the school counselor, principal and SSD area coordinator.

• Ages 3 to 5, in 14 districts: SSD Early Childhood. You can refer your child yourself, or through Parents as Teachers or First Steps.
• Ages 3 to 5, in Clayton, Ferguson-Florissant, Hazelwood, Kirkwood, Mehlville, Pattonville, Rockwood and University City: these districts run their own early childhood special education. Call the district's Parents as Teachers staff.
• School age: write to the school counselor, principal and SSD area coordinator.

The school cannot ignore you. "The law about the requirement to evaluate if requested by the child's parent is clear and unambiguous," wrote Pamela Darr Wright, M.A., M.S.W., of Wrightslaw.

How long does an evaluation and IEP take?

Missouri's rule is 30-60-30.

Using every day allowed, that is about 120 days from request to IEP meeting, plus the time you take to sign consent.

What qualifies a child for an IEP in Missouri?

Under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the team decides whether your child has a disability under Missouri's criteria and needs special education and related services.

Missouri's autism criteria begin: "Autism means a developmental disability significantly affecting verbal or nonverbal communication and social interaction, generally evident before age 3."

SSD's decision is an educational one. For insurance to pay for ABA at Latitude, you need an autism diagnosis and an ABA referral from a pediatric neurologist, psychologist or psychiatrist. No diagnosis yet? Latitude offers ADOS-2 testing by referral.

Ages 3 to 5: leaving First Steps

For a child in First Steps, Missouri's early intervention program, the IEP must be in effect by the third birthday.

First Steps holds a transition conference with you and the school district between 9 months and 90 days before your child turns 3. SSD Early Childhood serves more than 1,300 children ages 3 to 5.

Preschool special education and center ABA can run side by side. Latitude's centers take ages 2 to 6 with part-time hours, so ask intake about a schedule around preschool days.

How does private ABA fit around school?

A child can have both. School ABA targets learning at school; clinic ABA covers the rest of the day. At Latitude, goals include communication, social skills, daily living skills and school readiness, under a BCBA.

• Share goals. SSD says: "We welcome collaboration if your student already receives ABA therapy outside of school." It asks your school BCBA to sign a release form.
• Bring input, not orders. A University of Nebraska-Lincoln training led by Vanessa Tucker, BCBA-D, puts it plainly: "The IEP team does NOT have the responsibility to implement an outside treatment plan." But "Outside services might be a part of that input."
• Pick hours that work. Both Latitude centers are open 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM on weekdays, with part-time options. Latitude's analysts also work in schools.

What if SSD says no, or you disagree?

You have options, and free help.

• Ask for written reasons. If the school refuses to evaluate, it must tell you in a written notice. Ask for the procedural safeguards notice too; it lists your rights.
• MPACT (800.743.7634) is Missouri's parent training and information center. It can explain mediation and due process.
• DESE Special Education Compliance (573-751-0699) helps parents with IEP compliance problems.
• SSD Family and Community Engagement (314.989.8460) runs a family resource center and workshops.
• FACT (636-949-2425) educational advocates can attend school meetings with you, in St. Louis City and County and St. Charles County.

Start ABA alongside school

Call Latitude intake at 314-410-9670. We check your insurance, explain the start steps and set a schedule around school. See all Latitude ABA services.