Child Study Team

Child Study Team Services

The Child Study Team (CST) is a group of professionals employed by the Flemington-Raritan Board of Education who provide consultative, evaluative and prescriptive services to teachers and parents in regard to students who are experiencing school-related difficulties.

Who is on the Child Study Team?

The Child Study Team is comprised of the School Psychologist, the School Social Worker, and the Learning Disabilities Teacher Consultant (LDT-C), as determined by the New Jersey Department of Education. Through the use of evaluations the Child Study Team determines whether or not a child is in need or eligible for special education services. The Speech therapist and other related services providers also work in conjunction with the CST, when such services are needed.

What are the responsibilities of the School Psychologist?

The school psychologist has expertise in determining a child’s level of cognitive and conceptual development. In addition, the psychologist is concerned with the emotional status of the student, and how both internal and external factors may affect behavior and performance in school.  The school psychologist works with both general education and special education teachers to maximize a student’s potential.

What are the responsibilities of the Learning Disabilities Teacher Consultant?

The learning consultant (LDT-C) is trained to determine the learning styles of students, to determine specific achievement levels in a variety of content areas, and to recommend specific teaching methods and strategies that may benefit a student.  This professional is generally called upon to model specific strategies and methods that may benefit students.

What are the responsibilities of the School Social Worker?

The expertise of the social worker lies in assessing the student relative to the family, the school, and the community.  This professional generally gathers information concerning the student’s health, family, and school history as it pertains to the student’s current school functioning.  The social worker is also the professional responsible for coordinating community resources on behalf of students and their families.

What does a Case Manager do?

Every student who is classified as eligible to receive Special Education and Related Services is assigned a case manager, who is a member of the CST. The case manager is responsible for coordinating the development, monitoring, and evaluating of the effectiveness of the IEP. The case manager facilitates communication between home and school and coordinates the annual review and triennial re-evaluation process. The case manager is knowledgeable about the students’ academic and behavioral needs, and consults with school personnel to ensure that these needs are met.

What is the Child Study Team process?

The process begins with the parent/guardian being notified, in writing, of a meeting with the Child Study Team. A booklet titled Parental Rights in Special Education(PRISE) (a link to the PRISE can be found on the CST webpage under parent resources), prepared by the New Jersey Department of Education, is also provided to the parent/guardian. This booklet advises parents of their basic rights and responsibilities in the procedure.

The first meeting is an initial planning meeting at which time all of the available student and teacher information is reviewed with the parent/guardian, the Child Study Team, the child’s teacher, and others who might have knowledge of the child and his or her difficulty in school. After the information is reviewed, a decision is made whether or not the child may have an educational disability. If there is agreement that an evaluation should be conducted, the nature and scope of the evaluation is discussed and written parental/guardian consent for the evaluation is required.

Each document that is prepared and/or signed is copied for the parent/guardian, and they are reminded throughout the process of their rights.

Members of the Child Study Team conduct individual evaluations based on their specialties. A written report is prepared and sent to the parent/guardian in advance of an Eligibility Meeting, held to discuss all of the evaluations and to receive the recommendations of the Child Study Team. Parents/guardians may bring others to any meeting if desired but should inform the Child Study Team which individuals will be present at the meeting.