Chapter 5: Evaluation: Learning More About Your Child - Página 2

Timeline for Initial Evaluation

Many states have established specific timeframes in which a student evaluation must be completed once you provide informed parental consent. You need to know your state's timeline for evaluation — including whether the timeline is in calendar days or schools days. Mark your calendar on the date your child's evaluation begins and when it should be complete.

If you live in a state that does not have an established timeline for completing an evaluation, IDEA 2004 requires that the evaluation be conducted within 60 calendar days of receiving parental consent. Exceptions to this timeframe apply if the parent does not make the child available for evaluation, or if the student transfers to another school district.

Schools routinely perform screenings and other informal assessments to all students to assist with their instructional programs. IDEA 2004 makes it clear that screenings administered by a teacher or other specialist for the purpose of determining instructional strategies are not to be considered as an evaluation for special education. Parental consent is not required for school-wide assessments or screenings unless consent is required for all students.

Evaluation Notice

The school district will provide you with an Evaluation Notice, or evaluation plan, that describes any tests the school proposes to conduct during the evaluation. Since IDEA contains a number of legal requirements for conducting evaluations, you should be sure that the process outlined and types of tests described in the evaluation notice reflect these requirements, are broad enough to provide a complete picture of your child, take into consideration the concerns you have raised in your communications with the school, and will provide the information needed to design your child's educational program.

Refer to the Worksheet for Organizing Your Concerns about School-Related Problems to assist in your review of the proposed evaluation plan.

This is the beginning of your full and equal participation in the special education process — participation that is very important to your child's school success. While the terms and jargon used in the world of educational and psychological testing can be confusing and intimidating, make time to learn about the various tests the school district proposes in the evaluation plan.

Ask to meet with the evaluator or the school's special education administrator to discuss the tests that are proposed, what they measure, and when and how they will be administered. While providing parents with an opportunity to meet and discuss the proposed evaluation process isn't required by IDEA, it's a good way for you to gain a full understanding of what is being proposed and how the results will help everyone make informed decisions about services and supports that might be appropriate. Ask for any resources that might help further your understanding, and take the opportunity to visit the library or do an online search.

Use the Questions to Ask About Evaluation Plans to help you decide if the proposed plan is right for your child and to improve your understanding of the plan.

IDEA requires that the school must review evaluations and information provided by parents. The information you provide as part of the evaluation process is extremely important. Also, you may be asked to conduct parts of the evaluation yourself, such as filling out checklists and reporting observations of your child.

Examples of information that parents can provide from their records: Prior teacher and parent reports Information from parents' research about their child's disability Results of private screening or testing (paid for by parents or private insurance) Information from private tutors and therapists Letters from a family doctor School reports Samples of school performance

Requirements for Evaluation

According to IDEA, your school district must conduct an evaluation that:

• Uses a variety of different tests (assessments), procedures, tools and strategies to gather relevant functional, developmental and academic information (including information provided by the parent); this information may be used to help decide whether your child has a disability, and it can help when developing your child's Individualized Education Program (IEP); Ensures that your child is evaluated in all areas in which a disability is suspected; Does not use any single measure or test as the sole basis for deciding whether your child has a disability, or for developing an appropriate educational program for your child; Uses evaluation tools and strategies that provide relevant information that directly support decisions about the educational needs of your child; Uses technically sound testing instruments to determine the roles that cognitive and behavioral factors, in addition to physical or developmental factors, are playing in your child's difficulties. These testing instruments must be: Selected and administered so they do not discriminate on a racial or cultural basis
• Used for purposes for which the assessments or measures are proven to be valid and reliable
• Administered by trained and knowledgeable personnel
• Administered according to the specific instructions provided by the producer of the assessments.