Important Information as Child Count Day Approaches This Friday, Oct. 29, 2021

Child Count Day, Oct. 29, 2021, is quickly approaching! Please read the reminders below and if any apply to you, complete them as soon as possible. Let's work together to make Child Count 2021 go smoothly! 

• Students moving into the state of Iowa with an active IEP must have an Iowa IEP completed on Iowa IDEA prior to Child Count. If an Iowa IEP meeting will not be held on or before Oct. 29, 2021, follow the Out of State IEP Procedure for 2021-2022 document that is located on the Heartland AEA Special Education Procedures, Processes and Forms site which states the following process will be followed: 
• Beginning Oct. 18, 2021, after verifying with the Primary Contact or Direct Service Provider that no Iowa IEP meeting will be held on or before Oct. 29, 2021, the Data Specialist will start a Move-In type IEP for those students who have moved into Iowa and no meeting will be held on or before Oct. 29, 2021. The Data Specialist will complete: 
• Family Tab 
• Tab A except for the Procedural Safeguards and, if applicable, Rights will Transfer Information (Must be completed by PC, Direct Service Provider or Teacher) 
• Tab F will add one Service box and EC Worksheet when applicable. (Must be completed by PC, Direct Service Provider or Teacher) 
• RSD tab except for the Disability Code (Must be completed by PC, Direct Service Provider or Teacher) 

• All PK to Kindergarten students must have a transition IEP completed prior to Child Count. The Data Specialists will run reports and Primary Contacts and/or Direct Service Providers will be notified if a transition IEP has not been completed. If you are responsible for any Kindergarten students, check to make sure the transition IEP has been completed. This includes: 
• Changing the grade to Kindergarten (Family and A tab) 
• Marking Full-time programming 
• Updating the teacher or service provider 
• Updating the EC Setting Worksheet 
• Verifying the District-Wide Assessment information 
• Completing a final ECO. Remember, an ECO on an Initial cannot be considered the Final ECO - there must be two sets of data for comparison. Also, the Final ECO must show progress as Yes or No. 

• All IFSP and IEP processes/meetings held on or before Oct. 29, 2021, must be completed and submitted as soon as possible; no later than noon on Nov. 1, 2021. Primary Contacts, work with your teachers to ensure that all IEPs are submitted within that timeline. If you are a Direct Service Provider for IEPs and/or IFSPs, complete and submit your IEP/IFSP within that timeline. Initial IEP and IFSP meetings must be held and dated on or prior to October 29, 2021. Eligibility meetings do not count as IEP meetings if meetings are held separately. 

• Students who are no longer receiving special education services on Oct. 29, 2021, MUST have an exit IEP/IFSP completed and submitted by noon on Nov. 1, 2021. If you are a Primary Contact, work with your teachers to make sure students are exited who are no longer receiving special education services. If you are a Direct Service Provider, complete exits for students you are no longer serving that are listed on your roster. 

• Direct Service Providers, as well as teacher rosters, are in the process of being distributed by the Administrative Assistants. If you are responsible to turn in rosters, take some time to review the rosters carefully to make sure all data is correct and all students are accounted for on the roster. 

• For meetings being held after Oct. 29, 2021, IEP and IFSP Plans can be started at any time and remain open. Be sure to enter a date after Oct. 29, 2021, in order to not receive reminder emails regarding opened Child Count IEPs and IFSPs. 

Thank you in advance for your help in making Child Count 2021 a smooth process!