If your student was enrolled in Geary County Schools USD 475, please follow the steps outlined below to request records.

Cumulative Record: Contact the student’s previous school of enrollment and ask for the contact information for student record requests. You can find school contact information on the USD 475 homepage.

Special Education Records: Email your request to spedrecordsrequest@usd475.org. The Special Education Department will follow up and collect additional information, if needed. Please note that records will be sent electronically.

Special Education Records Contact
Email: spedrecordsrequest@usd475.org

Contact Information
USD 475 Special Education Department 
Phone: 785-717-4093
Address: 123 North Eisenhower Drive, Junction City, Ks., 66441

Dr. Lena Kisner – Executive Director of Special Education
Jeremy Fajen – Assistant Director of Special Education
Christopher Stevens – Special Education Coordinator at Fort Riley Schools
Kate Stewart – Special Education Coordinator at JCHS, JCMS and H.D. Karns
Stephanie Waterman – Early Learning Programs Coordinator
Nicole Nutter – Special Education Administrative Assistant

The Kansas State Department of Education outlines the procedural safeguards afforded to parents and guardians with disabilities. Learn more about these safe guards below. 

Website: Kansas Procedural Safeguards - Parent Rights

USD 475 provides ongoing developmental screenings for children ages birth to five years old. Children may be screened in the following areas: motor, cognitive, language, social and self-help skills, as well as vision and hearing.

Developmental screening results are shared with parents, and recommendations are made concerning referrals for further medical or educational evaluation as deemed necessary. Screenings are provided by USD 475 Early Childhood and Infant Toddler Services of Kansas serving Geary County staff members. Screenings are available to any child who resides in the USD 475 boundaries. For more information or to schedule a screening for your child, please call 785-717-6975.

The following dates have been scheduled for the 2026-27 school year for USD 475 Early Childhood Program Development Screenings. To schedule a screening, please call 785-717-6975. 

2026-27 Early Childhood Development Screening Dates
• August 13 and August 27
• September 3 and September 17
• October 8 and October 22
• November 19
• December 10
• January 7 and January 21
• February 4 and February 18
• March 4
• April 8 and April 22
• May 13

What is Special Education?
Special education is a free appropriate public education provided to eligible children with disabilities. In Kansas, special education also includes students with Giftedness. USD 475 offers specially designed instruction at no cost to families to meet the unique needs of students with disabilities to ensure meaningful educational benefit. At USD 475, we are committed to helping each student succeed by providing the right support in the right way at the right time.

To qualify for special education, a student must (a) have an exceptionality and (b) have a need for specially designed instruction. Eligibility is determined through a comprehensive evaluation process involving educators, specialists, and families. If a student qualifies for special education, an Individualized Education Program (IEP) is developed. The IEP includes the student’s present levels of academic achievement and functional performance, goals, services, and supports.

At USD 475, our goal is to empower each student to reach their academic, social, and emotional potential to prepare students for post-school success.

Other Services and Programs Available 
Early Childhood Program | Infant Toddler Services of Kansas serving Geary County 

View important information and resources below. 

Resources
Website: Developmental Information: Parents as Teachers (National)
Website: Special Needs: KITS Early Childhood Resource Center
Website: Kansas State School for the Blind
Website: Families Together Inc.
Website: Kansas Parent Information Resource Center
Website: Disability Rights Center
Website: Kansas School for the Deaf
Website: Infinitec
Website: Exceptional Family Member Program
Website: Big Lakes Developmental Center

Requesting Information
Geary County Schools USD 475 adheres to the Kansas Open Records Act and allows public records to be inspected upon request. In order to request information from Geary County Schools USD 475, please contact Tina Kausler via email at christinakausler@usd475.org.

Requests should be submitted in writing in the form of a written letter or electronic mail. Some requests may incur a copy fee, however, when appropriate and available USD 475 will make attempts to make records available by digital means.

For more information on the Open Records Act visit the official website of the Kansas Attorney General below.

Website: Kansas Attorney General

Early Learning Services
Parents as Teachers | Infant Toddler Services of Kansas serving Geary County | Free Developmental Screenings

Free Developmental Screenings
USD 475 provides ongoing developmental screenings for children ages birth to five years old. Children may be screened in the following areas: motor, cognitive, language, social and self-help skills, as well as vision and hearing.

Developmental screening results are shared with parents, and recommendations are made concerning referrals for further medical or educational evaluation as deemed necessary. Screenings are provided by USD 475 Early Childhood and Infant Toddler Services of Kansas serving Geary County staff members. Screenings are available to any child who resides in the USD 475 boundaries. For more information or to schedule a screening for your child, please call 785-717-6975.

The following dates have been scheduled for the 2026-27 school year for USD 475 Early Childhood Program Development Screenings. To schedule a screening, please call 785-717-6975. 

2026-27 Early Childhood Development Screening Dates
• August 13 and August 27
• September 3 and September 17
• October 8 and October 22
• November 19
• December 10
• January 7 and January 21
• February 4 and February 18
• March 4
• April 8 and April 22
• May 13

There are four ways that a child may be referred for a special education evaluation. (1) The child is referred based on an early childhood screening or from a Part C Infant-Toddler program; (2) an adult student requests an evaluation; (3) the parent requests an evaluation; or (4) school personnel suspect that a child may be a child with an exceptionality and need special education services. Typically, school personnel determine this by reviewing data gathered through MTSS or a general education intervention process.

If you have concerns about your child’s performance at school, contact your child’s teacher and building administrator/principal. They will determine next steps.

A request for a special education evaluation must be made to the school. Contacting the building administrator/principal or the school psychologist is recommended. The request does not have to be in writing; however, a written request is helpful to provide information about your specific concerns.  

When a request for a special education evaluation is received, the school psychologist or other designated evaluator will send a document called a Prior Written Notice (PWN). The PWN will be sent within 15 school days of the request. The PWN will either seek consent for the evaluation or document the district’s refusal to complete the evaluation. Before an evaluation can be conducted, written consent from one parent/guardian is required. An evaluation can take up to 60 school days to complete.

Eligibility for special education is determined by the evaluation team. An evaluation must include a variety of assessment tools and strategies to gather relevant functional, developmental, and academic information. This includes information provided by the parent. The team reviews all the evaluation data to determine if (1) the child meets the definition of one of the categories of exceptionality and, (2) as a result of that exceptionality, needs special education and related services.

A child cannot be determined to be a child with an exceptionality if the determinant factor is (a) lack of appropriate instruction in reading, including the essential components of reading instruction, (b) lack of appropriate instruction in math, or (c) limited English proficiency. School attendance is important to ensure students receive instruction.

The most important thing you can do is inform the school that your child has an IEP. This should be done prior to enrollment, if possible, but no later than at enrollment. The sooner the school is aware of your child’s IEP, the sooner they can begin planning and preparing for your child. If you have a copy of the IEP, please provide it to the school. The school will request records. The school psychologist will work in collaboration with you to obtain all necessary records from your child’s previous school.

Once the school has your child’s IEP, they will contact you and discuss their next steps. The options differ based on the state from which your child’s IEP originated.

If your child’s IEP is from another district in Kansas, the school can
a. adopt the IEP from the previous school district,
b. adopt the IEP with amendments, or
c. develop and implement a new IEP.

If your child’s IEPs is from another state (i.e., outside of Kansas), the school can
a. adopt the IEP from the previous school district,
b. develop and implement a new IEP, or
c. conduct an initial evaluation to determine eligibility in Kansas.

Geary County Schools USD 475 is committed to working alongside parents to address concerns, including concerns presented by a child’s physician or other provider. USD 475 will always consider the information from outside service providers. Orders or prescriptions from a physician or other provider are not sufficient to initiate special education services. Special education eligibility is determined by the evaluation team at the school, including the parent, after a special education evaluation has been completed. Share the information from the physician with your child’s school. The school administrator/principal or school psychologist will visit with you about your concerns and how best they can be addressed.

School districts in Kansas are not qualified to make a medical diagnosis of Autism. School districts are able to identify students under the exceptionality of Autism, which has a specific definition and eligibility criteria. An educational identification of Autism may not be adequate for students to receive services outside of the school setting, such as the Autism or IDD waivers. A special education evaluation is required to identify Autism in the school setting and any necessary education supports and services.

School districts are able to identify Dyslexia. Dyslexia is a specific category of disability under the exceptionality of Specific Learning Disability. A special education evaluation is required to identify Dyslexia in the school setting and any necessary special education and related services.

Regardless of a child’s diagnosis, the school will focus on the needs of the child and identify appropriate supports. It is always a good idea to share your concerns with the school. Contact your child’s teacher and building administrator/principal or school psychologist. The school team will guide you through the next steps.

Parents/guardians are essential to a child’s success in school. At USD 475, we value parent input and participation in special education planning and decision making regarding your child. The following list includes tips for developing a strong partnership with the school:

• Communicate openly. If you have a concern, say something. If something changes with your child, such as a new medical issue, change in medication, or a new stressful situation, share the information with the school. Consistency between home and school is helpful for students.

• Be an active participant in meetings. Ask questions and share your ideas.
• Talk directly to the school if you have concerns. Your child’s teacher is always a good place to start.

• Support learning and instruction at home.

• Work as a team and get to know your child’s service providers.

To request special education records from when your child was enrolled with Geary County Schools USD 475, email your request to spedrecordsrequest@usd475.org. The Special Education Department will follow up and collect additional information, if needed. Parents/guardians can also call the Special Education Department at 785-717-4093.

Please note that records will be sent electronically.

Special Education Records Contact
Email: spedrecordsrequest@usd475.org

Special education records are kept by USD 475 for five years following program completion or graduation from high school. After five years, the records are destroyed unless the legal educational decision maker for the student has taken possession of the records. When moving, it is important to secure a copy of your student’s records. A new school should request records from the student’s previous school.

When you have a question or concern related to special education, your first point of contact is your student’s IEP case manager or special education teacher. You can also call the building administrator/principal at your child’s school. If your question or concern is best addressed by the team, ask for an IEP meeting.

In the event you have a question or concern you want to address with someone outside of the school, you should contact the USD 475 Special Education Department at 785-717-4093.