In an effort to assist early childhood professionals to better understand special education practices and procedures in New York State that might affect classroom environment, this paper presents an account of one teacher's search for help with a special needs preschooler. Following a year in which only one-on-one instruction with the boy yielded any success, the teacher learned that the initial process of recommending an evaluation for disability is often very rocky. A child's age determines the support agency and each agency has slightly different evaluation procedures. Once the evaluation is completed, it may take a minimum of 6 months to receive services. Early childhood teachers can ease the process by self education, trusting their instincts, getting to know their students, keeping anecdotal records, and developing a teacher/parent dialogue. There is a definite increase in the number of pre-school children requiring special assistance, and early childhood professionals should maintain a basic understanding of the special education system in order to help children and their families through the process. (LBT)