Special Education Evaluation

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Special Education Evaluation
OI
LD
ED
AU
AI
LD
SI
VI
MR
OHI
TBI
DB
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Evaluation -- One Step in the Special Education
Process
EVALUATION
REFERRAL
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Purposes of a Special Education Evaluation

• Identify children who have delays or learning
  problems
• Determine whether the child is a child with a
  disability under IDEA
• Provide information for educational planning
• Help identify appropriate instructional
  strategies
• Measure progress

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Questions the Evaluation Should Answer

• Does the child have a particular category of
  disability?
• How is the child currently performing in school?
• What are the childs educational needs?
• Does the child need special education and related
  services?
• What services does the child need in order to
  participate in the general curriculum?

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How do we answer those questions?
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Review information that already exists.
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Decide what additional information is needed.
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Collect additional information as needed.
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Information comes from a
variety of sources
in a
variety of settings.
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Areas Evaluated
All Full Individual Evaluations address these
areas
Emotional/Behavioral Sociological Physical L
anguage Assistive Technology Academic Adaptive
Behavior Intellectual
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Emotional/Behavioral
How does the student behave in a group? Does
behavior differ from one class to another? at
home and at school? in class vs. transition
times? Are behaviors interfering with this
students educational performance?
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Assistive Technology
Does the student need devices/services to
maneuver within the environment or perform
fine motor tasks? communicate with others?
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Language
What is the students home language? Is he/she a
second language learner? Do his/her receptive
and expressive language skills appear to be age
appropriate?
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Physical
Did this student pass the nurses vision and
hearing screening? Does he/she have a history of
illnesses or injuries? Are there any physical
factors affecting this students educational
performance?
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Adaptive Behavior
Is the students independent functioning level
similar to his/her cognitive functioning
level? Has he/she mastered age-appropriate
self-help skills? Does he/she need instruction
related to functional academics?
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Sociological
How many schools has the student attended? Is
his/her attendance good? What is the family
configuration? Are there cultural factors which
affect this students educational performance?
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Academic/Developmental
What are the students current levels of
performance What are his/her TAAS or SDAA
scores? Is he/she reaching developmental
milestones at appropriate ages?
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Intellectual
What is the students estimated level of
cognitive functioning? Are there significant
strengths and weaknesses in cognitive abilities?
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Parent Information
Test Results
EVALUATION
School Information
Observations
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WHEN EVALUATING FOR THE PRESENCE OF A DISABILITY

• The student must be tested individually.
• The evaluation must be conducted in the childs
  native language unless it is not feasible to do
  so.
• Tests must NOT be discriminatory on a racial or
  cultural basis.

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WHEN EVALUATING FOR THE PRESENCE OF A DISABILITY

• Standardized tests must be validated for the
  purpose for which they are used.
• Any standardized tests given to the child must be
  administered by trained and knowledgeable
  personnel.

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Special Education Evaluation
OI
LD
ED
AU
AI
LD
SI
VI
MR
OHI
TBI
DB
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Produced by
Gwen Brunson, Lead Educational Diagnostician,
Amarillo ISD Portions taken from information
provided by National Information Center for
Children and Youth with Disabilities (NICHCY),
the Texas Education Agency (TEA), and the U. S.
Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP)