Special Education/EIS

All states and territories must provide early intervention services to children who have, or are at risk for having, developmental delays, from birth to their third birthday.

Most CONUS locations, local school districts or health departments provide these early intervention services. The program is called different names in different areas, but it is often referred to as Part C because that is the section of the law that pertains to early intervention. The Education Directory for Children with Special Needs has a list of resources specific to each state to help you determine who you should contact. Your installation EFMP Family Support provider can also answer your questions.

If you are moving OCONUS or to a CONUS location with a DODEA school (and you live on installation), your child will receive EIS through the Defense Department’s Educational and Developmental Intervention Services, or EDIS, program.

When moving, you should hand carry copies of your child's most current individual family service plan, or IFSP, and the most current evaluation reports to your new home to ensure they are not lost.

All states and territories provide special education and related services to eligible children between the ages of 3 through 21.

When a child transfers to a different district in the same state, the new school must provide a free, appropriate public education, including comparable services, until the previously held IEP is adopted or a new one is developed and implemented. When a child transfers to another state, the receiving school must provide comparable services until an IEP review can determine if a new evaluation or IEP is appropriate.

If you are moving and your child receives special education and related services, you should hand carry all necessary school and medical documents, including the most current IEP and current evaluation reports. Hand carrying these documents ensures that they are not lost and allows the new school to begin the process as soon as you arrive.

• Education Directory for Children with Special Needs
• EFMP & Me digital tool
• Individualized Education Program & Moving
• Special Needs Parent Toolkit
• Special Needs Resources
• Exceptional Family Member Program videos

Family members coming to Beale with an Exceptional Family Member child should contact the School Liaison Officer at 530-634-3539 (Located in the Child and Youth Office) as well as the Exceptional Family Coordinator - Family Support at the Military and Family Readiness Center (Located on Main Base), 530-634-2863, for coordination on special educational needs.

The Special Needs Identification and Assignment Coordination process identifies family members with special needs for reassignment purposes. These processes re-engineer the Exceptional Family Member Program described in AFI 40-301, Family Advocacy, November 2020. Originally, EFMP was known as Children Have a Potential. CHAP predated AFR 160-33, Family Advocacy, September 1992, and served only children.

Historically, the Air Force has supported family members with disabling conditions. Social workers and mental health technicians were trained in the CHAP management course at Sheppard AFB, TX. Chaplains originated programs for children with disabling conditions and Family Support personnel hosted support programs. EFMP Programs for AF families with special needs members experienced wide variability from base to base.

The current Special Needs Identification and Assignment Coordination process supports personnel assignments. When families relocate, the process is critical to determine the availability of services for spouses and children with special needs. The process links the services of the Military Personnel Flights, the Medical Treatment Facilities, and Military and Family Readiness Centers.