Benton and Bryant Public Schools will co-host their Joint Annual Child Find Meeting and Consultation on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026, for local private school and homeschool providers. The annual meeting offers an opportunity for representatives to discuss special education needs and learn about evaluation and support services for students with disabilities during the 2026–2027 school year. Read more below.
The meeting will begin at 9:00 a.m. in the Board Room at the Bryant School District Administration Office. The session focuses specifically on parentally-placed private school students and homeschooled children residing within the two school districts.
Benton School District Special Education Director Angela McWhorter and Special Education Compliance Coordinator Natalie Lewis will address requirements under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 2004). Key topics for discussion will include:
- The Child Find process.
- Determination of which, how, where, and by whom special education and related services will be provided.
- Methods for evaluating services.
- Determination of the proportionate amount of federal funds available to serve parentally-placed private school children with disabilities.
Child Find is a federal obligation requiring public school districts to locate, identify, and evaluate all children ages 3 to 21 who are suspected of having a disability. Evaluations and services are provided free of charge in compliance with IDEA.
For children ages 3 to 5, the Benton School District—through a partnership with the Dawson Education Service Cooperative—and the Bryant Early Childhood Education program offer free screenings in vision, hearing, speech-language, fine motor, gross motor, self-help, social skills, and academics.
For children under age 3, the Arkansas Department of Human Services provides free evaluations and early intervention services through First Connections, which can be reached at 1-800-643-8258.
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