(a) Every LEA shall identify, locate, and evaluate all children with disabilities, or who are suspected of having a disability, within its boundaries, ages three (3) through twenty-one (21), both inclusive, who need special education and related services, including all children with disabilities who are enrolled by their parents in private schools located within the boundaries of the LEA.

Terms Used In Tennessee Code 49-10-108

  • Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
  • IDEA: means the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act ( Tennessee Code 49-10-102
  • LEA: means a local education agency. See Tennessee Code 49-10-102
  • Related services: means :
    (A) Transportation and such developmental, corrective, and other supportive services required to assist a child with a disability to benefit from special education, including speech-language pathology and audiology services. See Tennessee Code 49-10-102
  • Special education: means specially designed instruction, at no cost to the parents, to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability, including instruction conducted in the classroom, home, hospitals, institutions, and other settings, and instruction in physical education. See Tennessee Code 49-10-102
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
(b) A parent or legal guardian may request the LEA to conduct a full and individualized evaluation of the parent’s or legal guardian’s child to determine if the child has a disability and is eligible for special education services.
(c) The identification, location, and evaluation of children with disabilities must be conducted in accordance with the IDEA, the state‘s special education laws, and the state board of education’s rules.