Special Education Services
Plano Independent School District

Vision Services

Student eligibility for vision services requires information from a licensed eye specialist and a teacher of students with visual impairments.  The medical professional must make a statement regarding the seriousness of the student's visual loss.  The teacher must evaluate the student's functional vision relative to educational and mobility needs and must determine appropriate learning media.  This information will determine if the student's visual impairment has implications for the student's educational process.

How is a student determined eligible for VI services?

The Admission/Review/Dismissal Committee will determine eligibility for services using the following criteria:

• infants and toddlers (birth to three) who are blind or have a "serious visual loss" after correction, and for whom the loss is interfering or can be expected to interfere with normal patterns of development, or
• students (ages three through 21) whose visual loss after correction is so severe that it adversely affects  their educational performance in general education or special education.

Interpreting eligibility criteria for the individual student requires informed and deliberate decisions.  Decisions are based  on information from key people: vision services professionals must evaluate the student's functional vision relative to educational and mobility needs and determine appropriate learning media, medical professionals must submit a statement regarding the seriousness of the student's visual loss. Assessment specialists must consider these professional recommendations when continuing with his/her assessment. All members of the assessment team will use the results of the assessment to determine what instructional and related services, if any, the student requires in order to benefit from instruction.

Frequently Asked Questions