Special Education
The Michigan Administrative Rules for Special Education, known as MARSE, guide how special education services are provided in Michigan schools. These rules work alongside federal law to ensure that students with disabilities receive appropriate supports and services. MARSE outlines how students are identified and evaluated, how Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) are developed, and how parents are involved in the educational decision-making process. By following MARSE, Michigan schools ensure special education services are delivered in a consistent, fair, and legally compliant manner.
Wayne RESA has a significant role in ensuring that all students with disabilities receive a free and appropriate public education.
Child Find is the federal requirement, established by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), to identify, locate, and evaluate all children with disabilities, from birth through 21 years of age, who are in need, or may be in need, of special education and related services. Child find is an affirmative and ongoing process that includes public awareness activities, policies and procedures, and coordination with agencies and primary sources such as local physicians, local hospitals, public health department, early childcare centers, department of health and human services, child caring institutions, court-operated facilities, and county jails.
The Michigan Administrative Rules for Special Education (MARSE) extend the child find obligation to all children and students with disabilities from birth through 25 years of age, who are in need, or may be in need, of special education and related services. This document was developed in partnership with the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP) to support child find efforts targeting children ages three through five. The purpose of this document is to provide guidance on child find requirements of IDEA and MARSE.
An initial evaluation is the first step used to determine whether a student may be eligible for special education services in Michigan. This process helps schools and families better understand a student’s learning strengths and areas of need.
The evaluation begins when a concern is identified by a parent or school staff and a referral is made. Before any testing occurs, parents are asked to provide written consent. The evaluation is completed by a multidisciplinary team and may include information from parents, teachers, classroom observations, and assessments.
Michigan law requires that, once parental consent is received, the evaluation is completed within the required timelines. After the evaluation is finished, the IEP team, including the parent, meets to review the results and determine whether the student is eligible for special education services in accordance with the Michigan Administrative Rules for Special Education (MARSE). If the student is found eligible, an Individualized Education Program (IEP) is developed to outline goals, services, and supports. If the student is not eligible under MARSE criteria, the team will discuss other ways to support the student’s learning needs.
Throughout the process, parents are valued partners and are encouraged to ask questions and share information to help the team make informed decisions.
A student’s special education needs may change throughout the course of their educational career. The reevaluation process is intended and used to assess these evolving needs, as described in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The purpose of this document is to underscore reevaluation requirements as set forth in the IDEA in order to support districts as they consider the reevaluation needs of students with disabilities.
A Specific Learning Disability (SLD) is identified when a student has difficulties in learning that are not primarily caused by other factors such as intellectual disability, vision or hearing issues, cultural or language differences, or lack of appropriate instruction.
In Michigan, SLD determination is based on a comprehensive review of multiple sources of information. The considerations listed below are key components of the process, but they are not an exhaustive list. The IEP team may review additional relevant information as needed to fully understand the student’s learning needs.
Key points about SLD determination in Michigan include:
● Comprehensive Evaluation: The school gathers information from multiple sources, including classroom performance, standardized tests, teacher observations, and parent input.
● Instructional Response: The team examines how the student responds to targeted instruction and interventions, using an RTI or pattern-of-strengths-and-weaknesses approach.
● Parent Participation: Parents are active members of the IEP team and participate in the decision-making process. This process ensures that each student is evaluated individually and fairly, and that eligibility decisions are based on a complete and thoughtful review of the student’s educational needs.
This flowchart helps the IEP team, including parents, decide whether a student should participate in the Michigan Alternate Assessment. The decision is made individually and is based on the student’s unique learning needs and how they access instruction.
The IEP team considers whether the student has a significant cognitive disability and requires ongoing, intensive, and individualized instruction to make progress in academic and functional skills. The team also determines whether the general Michigan state assessment, even with accommodations, would accurately show what the student knows and can do.
This decision is not based on a student’s disability category, placement, behavior, attendance, language needs, or past test scores alone. Students are not placed in the Michigan Alternate Assessment simply because they receive special education services or have an IEP.
Using this process helps ensure that the assessment selected is appropriate, meaningful, and aligned with Michigan Department of Education requirements. The decision is documented in the student’s IEP, reviewed each year, and parents are active members of the decision-making process.