Special-education help for Oregon families.

Oregon's EI/ECSE system (overseen by the Oregon Department of Education) gives free developmental evaluation and services — speech, occupational, physical, and developmental therapy — to any child birth to 5 with a delay or qualifying condition, anywhere in the state. There is no income test and no diagnosis required; Early Intervention covers birth to 3 and ECSE covers ages 3 to 5. This is the single best first call for a baby or toddler.

EI/ECSE is delivered through local programs and education service districts across Oregon's regions — use the Oregon Department of Education EI/ECSE directory to find the one serving your county, or call 2-1-1. Ask for a free developmental screening; you don't need a referral.

Oregon's federally funded Parent Training and Information Center gives free, one-to-one help understanding your rights, the evaluation, and the IEP/504 process — with Spanish-language support and a warm Support Line staffed by parents who've been through it themselves. Call before you pay any private advocate.

FACT Oregon's Support Line answers questions about evaluations, IEPs, placements, transition, and your rights — free, by phone or email, with Spanish-speaking staff. They will walk you through what to ask for and how to prepare for a meeting.

Oregon's federally mandated protection & advocacy agency provides free legal information and advocacy when a child's special-education rights are being denied — including help with disputes, restraint and seclusion, discipline, and access to services. A powerful no-cost resource before you hire a lawyer.

Oregon Vocational Rehabilitation (part of the Oregon Department of Human Services) provides free help for students with disabilities ages 14–21 to prepare for work, college, and independent living through Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) — job exploration, work-readiness training, work-based learning, self-advocacy coaching, and counseling on post-secondary options. Ask your VR counselor to join your child's transition IEP meetings.

Oregon funds in-home therapies, respite, and disability supports through the K Plan (Community First Choice — an entitlement, no waiting list once eligible) and 1915(c) home-and-community-based waivers for children with intellectual or developmental disabilities. For many of these, eligibility is based on the child's needs and several waive parent income — so a child can qualify even if the family earns too much for regular Medicaid. Apply through your county Developmental Disabilities (DD) services office as early as possible.

For children on the Oregon Health Plan (Medicaid/CHIP), medically necessary speech, occupational, and behavioral (ABA) therapies are covered through EPSDT — an immediate path to services while you pursue a waiver or K Plan slot. Note: Oregon does not run a separate Katie Beckett/TEFRA program; the K Plan and the DD waivers above are the routes that let many higher-income families qualify.

You can ask your school district in writing for a special-education evaluation at any time. Under Oregon rule (OAR 581-015-2110), once you sign consent the district must complete the evaluation and hold the eligibility meeting within 60 school days. After eligibility is found, the IEP must be developed within 30 calendar days. Put the request in writing and date it — the clock starts then. You have the right to everything in your language, to bring anyone to the meeting, and to disagree.

Under IDEA you have the right to a free, appropriate public education (FAPE), to a full evaluation at no cost, to be an equal member of the IEP team, to an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE) if you disagree, and to dispute-resolution (mediation, state complaint, or due process). Your PTI above explains all of it for free.

The Oregon Department of Education's Office of Enhancing Student Opportunities sets the special-education rules every district must follow, runs the state complaint, mediation, and due-process systems, and oversees Oregon's dyslexia screening law (SB 612) requiring early literacy screening and trained teachers. Start here to know what the state requires of your school.

Use the ZIP finder to pull the nearest evaluators, therapists, and special-education schools to your address, plus your metro's full directory — and these statewide free programs are always shown, no matter how rural your town.

Several reputable practices provide autism/ADHD evaluation and speech/OT/ABA by telehealth across Oregon — vital for coastal, rural, and high-desert families far from a clinic. Nationally, COPAA (advocates/attorneys), the Academy of Orton-Gillingham (dyslexia), ABPP (board-certified evaluators), BHCOE (ABA), and Bookshare (free accessible books) round out your options.