Knox County Schools is required to seek out, identify, and evaluate all youth (ages 3–22) with disabilities, including students enrolled in public, private or home schools, regardless of the severity of their disability. Child Find responsibilities apply to students who are homeless, migrants, ELs, and those in correctional facilities. 

Early Child Find

The Knox County Schools Early Child Find Department evaluates children between the ages of 3 and 5 to determine eligibility and the need for special education services. Educational needs are determined through parent interview, observation, and child evaluation. Areas evaluated may include, but are not limited to: vision, hearing, speech and language, fine and gross motor, cognitive/pre-academic, social/emotional and adaptive development.

If you have questions or concerns about your preschool aged child's development and school readiness please call our Preschool Child Find office at 865-594-1530.

If you would like to initiate an online referral, please use this link below and someone from the Early Child Find team will reach out to you.

Start an Early Child Find referral here!

Services

Continuum of Preschools services includes:

• Speech and Language Therapy
• Extended Language Groups
• Special education support to private and government funded preschool settings
  • Head Start
  • Voluntary PreK
  • Title 1 PreK
• Special education support through Knox County Preschool programs
• Special education support in Homebound and Hospital Settings 

Preschool Special Education Sites

NORTH

• Brickey McCloud ES
• Gibbs ES
• Halls ES
• Copper Ridge ES

SOUTH

• Dogwood ES
• Bonny Kate ES

CENTRAL

• Christenberry ES
• West Haven ES
• Fort Sanders Ed. Development Center
• Sam E. Hill PS

EAST

• East Knox ES
• Sunny View PS
• Fair Garden Family Center

WEST

• Amherst ES
• Cedar Bluff ES
• Karns ES
• West Hills ES
• Northshore ES

KCS works in collaboration with Head Start to provide support to enrolled students who qualify for special education services.

Child Find for Students in Grades K - 12

If you have concerns about your school-aged child's educational needs, you can make a referral to your zoned school's School Support Team (S-Team). The S-Team, including parents, teachers, school administrator, and school assessment personnel will collaborate to determine if interventions, screening, or formal assessment is needed.

You can contact your child's zoned school, or contact KCS Special Education at 865-594-1525 for more information.