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1. Is the ESIT.Web school district portal open?
Yes, the ESIT.Web school district portal is available to all school district special education contacts listed in the ESIT Transitional-Data Management System (T-DMS). The T-DMS is the name used to indicate the enhancements made to DMS in September 2020.
2. How do school districts access the ESIT.Web portal?
The school district contacts log into https://apps.dcyf.wa.gov/ESIT.Web and select the “ESIT” hyperlink.
3. Can the School District still access the ESIT T-DMS?
No. School districts can only access the ESIT T-DMS if they are service providers. All other districts have access to the ESIT.Web portal.
4. Will the ESIT.Web school district portal be available on other browsers?
Yes. The ESIT.Web school district portal is available on Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Edge and in the MAC OS.
5. What information do school districts get through the ESIT T-DMS? When are the different levels of information available?
As the State Lead Agency (SLA) for Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), DCYF ESIT is responsible for notifying the State Education Agency (SEA) and Local Education Agency (LEA) - resident school district, of toddlers who are potentially eligible for special education preschool services under Part B of IDEA.
This notification is a federal requirement and can be provided without parent consent – it is, however, limited to specific data fields and information – the child’s first and last name, birthdate and parent contact information. This “notification of potentially eligible” counts as the formal referral for IDEA Part B special education preschool services and state regulations [WAC 392-172A-03005] attach a very strict timeline for district response, which includes contacting the parents through a Prior Written Notice (PWN) of the referral.
The school district receives notifications of all children determined “potentially eligible for Part B” once the child is at least 2 years and 3 months old. If the Family Resources Coordinator (FRC) made the selection prior to the child reaching this age, the data will not be transmitted to the school district via the Notification to LEA report until the transitional age has been reached.
The school district contact can see a list of all children currently served on the ESIT.Web school district portal dashboard upon logging into the application. The information listed is limited to the childID, child last and first name, Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) status, date of birth, agency and assigned FRC.
6. Who is responsible for getting a parental consent for the special education contact to view a child’s IFSP?
The FRC will collect the parental consent from the primary caregiver when the child enters the transition period (2 years and 3 months old).
7. Does the parental consent form need to be uploaded in the T-DMS?
It is optional to upload the parental consent form in the T-DMS. The contractor must keep the consent form on file.
8. Will there be a list of all students served in the district, or will the school district special education contact need to search for each student individually?
The school district special education contact will see a list of all children served in their district when they log into the ESIT.Web school district portal. In addition, the school district special education contact can search for an individual child.
9. Will all records, previous and current IFSPs be available?
School district special education contacts will have access to the most current IFSP, if parental consent was given.
10. What is the process to give a school district special education contact access to a child’s IFSP?
The first step is for the FRC to collect parental consent when the child is at least 2 years and 3 months of age. Once parental consent is collected, the FRC adds the school district liaison to the child’s team on the child info tab. The FRC will then contact the ESIT Help Desk and request that the IFSP is made accessible to the school district contact.
11. Will you always need a child’s first and last name and date of birth to search for their record?
In order to search for a child record, the user needs at a minimum the first two letters of the first and last name. For example, Kim Hopkins would require: Ki* Ho*.
12. Is the ESIT.Web school district portal only available to our school district partners or is it available to everyone who uses the DMS?
The ESIT.Web school district portal will be available to all school district special education contacts listed in the T-DMS.
13. When should FRCs select the school district in the T-DMS?
FRCs select the school district on the child info tab when the child is first entered in the T-DMS. FRCs must have selected the school district prior to issuing the initial IFSP.
14. Can a school district determine which staff are able to access the portal or does that come from the Part C/birth-to-three provider?
The school district can contact the ESIT Help Desk to request to add or remove users from their organization in the ESIT.Web district portal.
15. Will early intervention provider agencies (EIPAs) and county lead agencies (CLAs) get a list of the school district special education contacts?
Agency Managers are able to view all school district special education contacts listed in the school district on the Admin tab in the T-DMS.
16. What would the school district special education contact’s access level be: "full/limited/read only?"
The access level will be “read only.”
17. If the release does not show up in the ESIT.Web portal, how do school districts know they have permission to access the IFSP document?
The school district special education contact should receive an email notification when they are added to a child’s team in the T-DMS.
18. If the school district staff was already listed as a service provider, do FRCs need to add them again?
If the school district special education contact is already listed on a child’s team, please contact the Help Desk and request access to the IFSP for the school district.
19. Can we add the school district early if a child is younger? Does the release of information need to be updated annually?
The school district special education contact should not be added to the child’s record prior to the child being 2 years and 3 months of age. The release of information form will only need to be collected once (for example during an IFSP meeting when the child is 2 years old).
20. Who needs to be named on the release of information?
The role and the name of the school district is sufficient. For example “School District Special Education Contact Edmonds School District.”
21. When does an FRC select a child as “potentially eligible for school district services”?
The FRC can make this selection at any time. The data will not be sent to the district until the child reaches 2 years and 3 months of age.
22. Will FRCs need to manually change the funding source on the IFSP?
The funding source has been updated on all current IFSPs. The FRC will indicate the new funding source “Special Education Funding” on any IFSP issued after Sept. 1, 2020.
23. Can we continue to use the same release of information forms that we are currently using?
Yes. The same release of information form is still applicable.
24. What if a family member does not want a referral made to Part B services? Would you still add the school district as a team member.
No, in this case the school district would not be added to the child’s team.
25. When we select the local school district at the initial IFSP, exactly what information can the school district see?
FRCs select the resident school district on the child info tab. The school district special education contact(s) will then be able to see the child on their dashboard in the ESIT. Web portal. The school district special education contact can see the ChildID, child’s last and first name, date of birth, current age, IFSP status, agency and FRC name.
26. Once a district has permission, can we access all the students IFSPs and previous evaluations?
Permission to access the IFSP has to be collected from each family individually. The FRC will contact the Help Desk once the release of information form is on file and the Help Desk gives the school district special education contact access to the child’s IFSP.
27. Can we now put medical information in the T-DMS since districts only have access with permission?
Yes, FRCs can enter medical information in the T-DMS.
28. Would the school district get information on the child’s medical history from the T-DMS?
School districts will be able to access the most recent IFSP document with parental consent. School districts will not have access to any other area of the DMS.
29. As long as we are virtual, is verbal consent for release of information okay?
Parental consent must be given in writing.
30. Do parents have the right to decline those required data points from being shared?
Currently, parents cannot decline the sharing of the child’s name and date of birth with the school district. Stakeholders have recommended that the State lead Agency (SLA) consider revising the ESIT State Policies to include an “Opt Out” policy for parents who do not want any information shared with the school district.
31. What if you don't mark potentially eligible? Will the information still be sent?
If the FRC marks the child as “not potentially eligible” the child’s information will not show in the Notification to LEA report. The school district would still see minimal information on the user’s respective dashboard as it currently lists all children served in the district. The State Lead Agency is taking into consideration an advisement limit the dashboard to only children who have been identified as “potentially eligible.”
32. How many individuals can be named Special Education Contact in one district?
There is no limit to the number of Special Education Contacts that can be listed in the T-DMS who will then have access to the ESIT.Web portal.
33. If we have new school district staff that have never accessed the T-DMS, what is the best way to get them in to be the special education contact?
Please contact the ESIT Help Desk for assistance.
34. What information will be included in the school district reports?
a. School Notification report
This report contains information on all children that were marked “potentially eligible for Part B services” during a given month. The report contains the parent’s contact information and is sent out monthly on the 15th of the month.
b. Children in SD by age
The report shows a list of school districts, the child’s first and last name, and the child’s age, to the most recent month. For example, if a child is 1 year, 6 months and 20 days old, then the child should be listed as 1 year, 6 months. Children who were active and have a completed IFSP on the date specified should be listed. The child’s age should be calculated as of the date of the report.
c. Children in SD (count)
The report shows a list of school districts, along with the count of children who reside in each school district. Children are counted in the service area in which they reside. The report lists school districts and counts.
For instructions to access the ESIT.Web School District portal, visit the DCYF website at:
https://www.dcyf.wa.gov/services/child-dev-support-providers/esit/dms
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