The degree to which teachers' perceptions of a student can be distorted by characteristics indigenous to teachers, as well as students, were investigated to determine whether teachers would initiate a referral for special education. Sixty‐five teachers volunteered for participation. Twenty‐seven of them were experienced, having had their own classrooms in a public school. Thirty‐eight were preservice student teachers who had not yet had their own classrooms. Teachers were evaluated to have had either an internal or external locus of control and were judged to have had either a high or low opinion of self according to either of two separate scales. After viewing two video tapes of two elementary‐aged students (one student was severely emotionally disturbed [SED] and the other non‐SED), teachers rated the children on several child characteristics and referral questions. Results revealed that the locus of control and self‐esteem of teachers, in conjunction with teaching experience and a child's characteristics, can predict teachers' inclinations to refer children. Findings point to the need to place greater care in the initiation of referrals. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.