NOTICE OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, HEARING, VISION SWEEP SCREENINGS AND SPECIAL EDUCATION CHILD FIND ACTIVITIES
The Special Education Department of Lincoln County Schools will be conducting speech/language, hearing, and vision screenings during the 2026-2027 school year. Screenings will be administered to students in the following categories: students entering Lincoln County Schools for the first time from other states or counties; to all students entering Preschool and Kindergarten who did not participate in the pre-enrollment screening process; and to all students failing screenings the previous year and placed on the retest list. In addition, all students in First, Third, and Sixth grades will be screened for vision and hearing. More grade-specific information about each type of testing is given below.
The purpose of the screening is for early identification of possible speech/language, hearing, and/or vision problems that could adversely affect a student’s academic progress. Following screening, if further assessment is necessary, testing results and recommendations will be sent to the parents within 30 days.
Speech/language screening will be conducted to all students entering Preschool and Kindergarten who did not participate in pre-enrollment screening process, as well as new enrollees in any grade. Assessment will consist of naming pictures, following directions, and answering questions.
Hearing screening will be conducted in grades Preschool, Kindergarten and First grade, as well as any new enrollees and high-risk students. Students will participate in pure tone testing (assessment of auditory acuity) and impedance testing (assessment of middle ear function). Procedures for the pure tone test will consist of a child listening to three frequencies in each ear and responding by raising his/her hand upon hearing the sound. Impedance tests require no response from the child because all measurements of middle ear function will be made by instruments.
Vision screening be conducted in grades Preschool, Kindergarten, Third, Sixth, as well as new enrollees and high-risk students. Assessment will consist of reading the eye chart for distance acuity or PlusOptix digital screening machine.
Parents who object to their child being screened for speech/language, hearing, or vision problems during the 2026-2027 school year should notify, in writing, Matthew Miller, Special Education Director of Lincoln County Schools, 10 Marland Avenue, Hamlin, WV 25523, within 10 days of the publication.
Child Find Activities: In accordance with WVDE Policy 2419, Lincoln County Board of Education will provide such testing, upon request, to all children residing in the county from ages 0-5, regardless of enrollment status. Child-find activities related to all exceptionalities are conducted on an ongoing basis through the School-Based Assistance Team referral process, interagency or outside agency referral, and parent referral.