FDLRS and Child Find: Free Developmental Screening for Ages 3 to 5 in Florida

If your child is between 3 and kindergarten age and you have questions about speech, play, movement or behavior, Florida has a free place to start that many parents never hear about: Child Find screening through FDLRS, the Florida Diagnostic and Learning Resources System. This article explains what FDLRS is, what a screening covers, what the school district must do after a screening raises concerns, and which FDLRS center serves your county.

What is FDLRS?

FDLRS is a statewide network of associate centers that support families, schools and educators of students with disabilities. According to FDLRS, it is funded by the Florida Department of Education, Division of Public Schools, through federal assistance under Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and state general revenue. Its work includes Child Find, a Family Help Desk that FDLRS describes as "a statewide support service for Florida families with students who have disabilities," and training for educators. FDLRS reports 25,900 children ages 3 to 5 screened.

Each associate center serves one or more counties and works closely with the local school districts.

What is Child Find?

Child Find is the legal duty, under IDEA, for public schools to locate, identify and evaluate children with disabilities who may need special education. For children ages 3 to 5 who are not yet in kindergarten, Florida districts carry out much of this work through FDLRS and district Child Find staff. Children under 3 go to a different program, Early Steps.

Child Find is not only for children who already have a diagnosis. It is for any child whose development raises a question, including children who have been diagnosed with autism and children who have not.

What does a Child Find screening look at, and does it cost anything?

A screening is a short check, not a full evaluation. As one example, Charlotte County Public Schools' Child Find page says Child Find "provides developmental screenings FREE OF CHARGE" in "communication, motor development, vision, hearing, and preschool readiness skills." Exact screening tools and formats vary by center and district, so ask your local center what to expect.

Florida's evaluation rule also requires hearing and vision checks for preschool children. Rule 6A-6.0331(2)(b) says "vision and hearing screenings shall be conducted for the purpose of ruling out sensory deficits."

A screening does not diagnose autism and does not, on its own, make your child eligible for services. Its job is to answer one question: should this child have a full evaluation?

What happens if the screening shows a concern?

This is where Florida's rule gives families real leverage. Rule 6A-6.0331(3)(a)3 names FDLRS directly. The school district must seek consent to evaluate "when a child age three (3) to kindergarten entry age receives a developmental screening through the school district or the Florida Diagnostic and Learning Resource Center and based on the results of the screening it is suspected that the child may be a child with a disability."

From there, the clocks in Rule 6A-6.0331 apply:

1. 30 days to ask for consent. After a screening raises a concern, the district must request your consent to evaluate within 30 days.
2. Your consent. The district needs your informed written consent before an initial evaluation. Consent to evaluate is not consent to services.
3. 60 calendar days to finish. Initial evaluations of preschool children age 3 through kindergarten entry age must be completed within 60 calendar days after the district receives your consent. Some days do not count, such as school holidays, breaks and the summer vacation period. Details are in the 60-day evaluation rule.
4. Eligibility and, if eligible, an IEP. The team decides whether your child qualifies for exceptional student education, for example under the autism spectrum disorder rule (6A-6.03023) or the developmentally delayed rule (6A-6.03027) for ages 3 through 9. If eligible, an IEP is written and services are offered through the district's Prekindergarten Program for Children with Disabilities.

Do I need a screening first, or can I just ask for an evaluation?

You can ask directly. Under Rule 6A-6.0331(3), a parent of a child age 3 to kindergarten entry age may request an initial evaluation. Within 30 days the district must either obtain consent for the evaluation or give you written notice explaining why it refuses. Preschool children are exempt from the general-education intervention steps that apply to school-age students.

A screening is a good fit if you are unsure whether there is a concern. A written evaluation request is a good fit if you already know your child needs a full look, for example after an autism diagnosis. Our preschool evaluation request letter gives you wording to use.

Which FDLRS center serves my county?

These are the FDLRS associate centers for the counties Hope Center serves and nearby areas, as listed on the FDLRS associate centers page (accessed 20 October 2026). Contact details can change, so confirm on fdlrs.org before you visit.

Some districts also run their own Child Find intake with district phone lines and online referral forms. If your FDLRS center refers you to the district, that is expected.

What should I bring and ask?

• Your child's birth certificate or proof of age and your proof of address, if the center asks.
• Any reports you have: autism diagnosis, speech or hearing evaluations, Early Steps IFSP and evaluation results.
• A short list of what you see at home: words or signs, play, how your child handles changes, sleep and eating.
• Questions to ask: "If the screening shows a concern, when will the district ask for my consent to evaluate?" and "Who will contact me, and by when?"

Write down the date of the screening and the name of the person you spoke with. If you do not hear back, the 30-day rule gives you a clear reference point.

How does Child Find fit with private ABA?

School services and private ABA are separate. The district's job is your child's education; ABA through insurance or self-pay is a health service. Many families use both, and Florida law (section 1003.572) lets private behavior analysts and RBTs hired by parents observe, collaborate and provide services in public schools when the teacher and principal agree on time and place. See Florida's Prekindergarten Program for Children With Disabilities for how district pre-K and private ABA combine.

Hope Center for Behavior Change provides ABA at home, at daycare, at school and at our centers, and our staff can join IEP meetings where allowed. We have no waitlist and offer a free benefits check. Contact us or call 561-337-8865.