Information Avenue Archives

Assessments, Assessments, Assessments
By Dina Kaplan, ESQ.

Well, it’s almost that time of year again when school is about to start. For us parents of children with special needs, that means reviewing your child’s IEP (Individualized Education Program) and making sure that you agree with the goals, objectives and placement for your child. If you had an IEP meeting before the end of the last school year, it’s time to consider whether any developmental changes made by your child during the summer need to be addressed. If so, it’s time to call another IEP meeting and possibly request a new assessment(s). If this is your child’s first time receiving special education and related services, you are nervously hoping that the IEP has the right combination of goals and objectives and the right placement with the necessary supplemental aids and services.

All of this can be very overwhelming. It is, therefore, very important that parents are as organized as possible. There is no one right way to get organized. The only right way is what will work for you. Here are some suggestions:

• Buy folders, notebooks, file cabinets or any other document storage system that you will use consistently.

• Keep notepads by the telephone and write the date, time, name of people you speak with, and a brief note about what was said. If possible, follow telephone conversations with a letter confirming your conversation.

• Obtain, organize and regularly update copies of your child’s school records.

• If your child has medical needs, make sure you have letters from your child’s doctors regarding any special treatment or services your child may need at school.

• If your child receives therapy services outside of school, obtain copies of the most recent evaluations done by the therapists.

• Be prepared to attend your child’s IEP meeting with as much updated information about your child as possible.

 

Now, let’s talk about assessments:

Assessments determine your child’s IEP goals and objectives. It is imperative that assessments be accurate and recent. Your child should be assessed regarding all areas related to his/her disability. Where appropriate these areas may include:

• Gross and fine motor skills
• Language ability
• Vision and hearing
• Academic performance Mobility and sensory perception
• Health and development
• Social and emotional levels of development
• Vocational abilities

How do you obtain an assessment? Write a letter to your school district’s special education administrator or your child’s teacher or school principal and request assessments in specified areas. It is important to date your letter in order to start the time lines running. The school district must provide you with an assessment plan within fifteen days of your written request. The assessment plan should clearly explain the types of assessments to be provided. If you want more information regarding what exactly will be done in the assessment, when it will be done, who will do it, how long it will take and any other details, do not hesistate to contact the district and ask questions. Ask the district to explain any standardized tests that they will use and why particular tests have been chosen for the assessment. You should provide the district with any information that you think would help them to assess your child, including providing copies of recent assessments done by professionals outside the school district.

Assessments for children with learning disabilities are a little different. Your child must be evaluated by a team of qualified experts that includes both a regular education teacher and a person knowledgeable about the specific learning disability. Your child must be observed in his/her classroom setting by a qualified person who is not his teacher. The team may evaluate your child regarding basic reading skills and comprehension, oral and written expression, math skills and other academics. The team will then determine whether or not your child has a particular learning disability and how this disability affects your child’s overall learning. Finally, the team will make recommendations for your child’s IEP.

If you agree with the school district’s assessment plan, sign it and return it to the district. The school district then has fifty days within which to complete the assessment and hold an IEP meeting. The districts are required by law to provide you with copies of the assessments prior to the IEP meeting. When you send the district the letter requesting assessments, you should also include a request that the assessment reports be provided to you at least twenty-four hours before the IEP meeting. Carefully review the assessments and make notes about any questions that you have or any suggestions for goals or objectives. The assessment should include a statement of your child’s elegibility for special education, a statement regarding how your child will be involved in and progress in the general curriculum and proposed goals and objectives.

If you do not agree with an assessment, you have the right to obtain an independent assessment. You should inform the school district, in writing, that you disagree with the assessment, that you will be obtaining an independent assessment and that you are requesting that the district pay for the independent assessment. The district must then either pay for the assessment or request a hearing to determine whether the district’s assessment is appropriate. It is important when choosing a professional to conduct the independent assessment, that you make sure that he or she is qualified to do the particular assessment.

Remember, do not feel embarassed to ask the school district personnel to explain the tests, assessments, procedures, terminology or anything else that you do not understand. You are an integral part of the IEP team and that means that you should participate as fully as possible in the decisions that will be affecting your child. Be prepared. Ask questions. Ask more questions. Do not be afraid to give your opinion about what you think is best for your child. You are your child’s advocate.

 

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