Understanding Disabilities
Assessed in Texas

As a parent, you may be surprised to find that the disability category qualifying your child for special education and related services is different from their medical diagnosis.  For young children moving from Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) to preschool, the criteria that qualify them for infant services may not be the same as the criteria that make them eligible for public school services when they turn three. Federal law (IDEA 2004, Part B) has 13 disability categories that States must use to determine if students, ages 3-21, are eligible to receive special education and related services.