Section R9-13-105. Referral; Notification; Follow-up

A.      If a school administrator finds that a student does not require a hearing screening under R9-13-102(C)(3) or (C)(4), the school administrator shall provide to the student’s parent, within 10 days from the date the finding is made, a referral to have the student’s current hearing status evaluated by an audiologist, including an electroacoustic analysis of any hearing aid or assistive listening device, unless there is documentation from an audiologist specifying a different evaluation schedule.

B.       If a screener finds any of the conditions listed in R9-13-103(A) and a student does not have a hearing screening:

1.        A school administrator shall provide to the student’s parent, within 10 days from the date the condition is found, a referral to have the student’s outer ears evaluated by a physician or primary care practitioner; and

2.        A screener shall perform the hearing screening on the student no earlier than 30 days and no later than 45 days from the date the screener finds the condition.

C.      If a student does not pass a second hearing screening or does not complete a second hearing screening within the time period required under R9-13-104(B), a school administrator shall provide to the student’s parent, within 10 days from the date of the second hearing screening or from the date the period for completing a second hearing screening ends, a referral to have the student’s current hearing status evaluated by one of the following:

1.        An audiologist, a physician, or a primary care practitioner if the screener used only the four-frequency, pure tone hearing screening method;

2.        A physician or primary care practitioner if the student did not pass the tympanometry portion, but passed the three- frequency, pure tone portion of the hearing screening;

3.        An audiologist if the student did not pass the three- frequency, pure tone portion, but passed the tympanometry portion of the hearing screening; or

4.        An audiologist, a physician, or a primary care practitioner if the screener used the otoacoustic emissions hearing screening method.

D.      A referral identified in subsection (C) is not required if a school-provided audiologist:

1.        Assesses a student’s hearing status and the condition of the middle ear at the conclusion of a hearing screening; and

2.        Within 10 days from date of the assessment, provides the student’s parent with a written diagnosis and recommendation for treatment, if applicable.

E.       A referral required under subsections (A), (B), or (C), shall include a form requesting the following:

1.        The name, address, and telephone number of the student evaluated;

2.        The date of evaluation;

3.        An assessment of the condition of the outer ear, if applicable;

4.        An assessment of hearing status and the condition of the middle ear, if applicable;

5.        A diagnosis and recommendation for treatment, if applicable;

6.        The signature and title of the individual evaluating the student and completing the form; and

7.        A request that the individual completing the form or the student’s parent return the completed form to the school.

F.       Under State Board of Education rule R7-2-401, a school administrator shall ensure that a student referred under subsections (A) or (C) is evaluated.

G.      If a school receives notice of a diagnosis that a student is deaf or hard of hearing from an audiologist, the school administrator shall notify, within 10 days from the date the notice of diagnosis is received, each of the student’s teachers and the person responsible for the school’s special education services of the diagnosis.

Historical Note

Adopted effective February 18, 1986 (Supp. 86-1).

Amended effective October 15, 1993 (Supp. 93-4). Amended by final rulemaking at 8 A.A.R. 3307, effective July 16, 2002 (Supp. 02-3).