Developmental/Speech/Language Referrals
"Child Find" is the process of locating, identifying, and evaluating children with disabilities to ensure that they receive services to which they are entitled. Children who are suspected of having a disability can be referred for a possible evaluation at no cost to determine if they are eligible for special education services. Referrals of children with a suspected delay or disability can be made to your local education agency (school district).
Children participating in Tennessee Early Intervention System will have a transition meeting with your local education agency (school district) scheduled by the service coordinator
To make a developmental or speech/language referral with Sumner County Schools please contact the Preschool Assessment Team by sending an email to
If you think your child between birth and 36 months (age 0 to 3 years) may have a disability and needs an evaluation, please call Tennessee's Early Intervention System (TEIS) at 1-800-852-7157 to make a referral. TEIS will help families locate services for infants and toddlers with disabilities before the child reaches school age.
Eligibility
Early Childhood Special Education addresses individual needs within the context of developmentally appropriate early learning experiences including early literacy, math, play, and social areas. Preschool special education is a state and federally mandated program for children ages three through five who are experiencing challenges in their learning and development and meet eligibility criteria for special education and related services.
Every school district provides special education services to young children. Over 13,000 children in Tennessee receive individualized special education services each year as a part of IDEA 619 Preschool.
- Eligibility for children is determined by criteria that have been established by federal and state rules and regulations.
- Eligible children are entitled to a free and appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment.
- Each child with a disability has an Individualized Education Program, or IEP. Parents, teachers, therapists, and school administrators make up the IEP team and collaborate to write the IEP. The IEP lists the individual goals for the child and the services the child receives.
- A young child who is determined eligible for special education receives services in the least restrictive environment; children should be educated with non-disabled peers to the maximum extent appropriate. This may include a public school, Head Start, a community based child care setting, or the home as determined by the child's IEP team.
- Special education is not a place but a system of services and supports for children with disabilities.
On-Site Speech/Language Therapy
Children with an identified speech impairment and/or language impairment may receive speech/language therapy services in small group sessions.
Program Locations
- Burrus Elementary
- Shalom Zone
- JW Wiseman Elementary
- Westmoreland Elementary
Developmental Pre-Kindergarten
The blended preschool classroom is a structured teaching environment where children with special needs and typically developing peers learn together in a classroom that is staffed by one special education teacher and a minimum of two full-time paraprofessionals. Our developmental preschool classroom follow the Creative Curriculum to address all areas of child development including fine and gross motor, adaptive, cognitive, communication, and social-emotional. Our classrooms also use the “Keeping Kids Safe” curriculum which is a personal safety/child abuse curriculum.
Program Locations:
- Beech Elementary
- Benny Bills Elementary
- Burrus Elementary
- HB Williams Elementary
- Howard Elementary
- JW Wiseman Elementary
- Nannie Berry Elementary
- Portland Gateview Elementary
- Station Camp Elementary
- Vena Stuart Elementary
Typical Peer Program
Each Developmental Pre-K classroom has an allotted four (4) spots for children to serve as social/language peer models. Interested families may complete the application by clicking on the link below. Paper copies are available by request and at the participating locations’ front office. Screenings will be held in March/April with decisions made in May.
The weekly fee is $100.
Applications for Voluntary Pre-K or Developmental Pre-K (typical peers):
Typical Peer Application 2023-2024 SY
For additional questions, please email