District Case Manager

• Evaluation is defined regulations as procedures used to determine whether a child has a disability and the nature and extent of the special education and related services that the child needs.

• The school district must assess the child in all areas of suspected disability including: academic performance, health, vision, hearing, social & emotional status, communication, motor abilities, general intelligence, functional performance, other areas as needed.

• Public agencies are prohibited from using a measure or assessment for purposes different from the purpose for which the measure was designed.

• Assessments are provided and administered in the child’s native language or mode of communication to get accurate information on what the child knows and can do.

• The school district must use a variety of assessments, tools, and strategies to conduct the evaluation.

• When conducting an initial evaluation, a child must be tested in all areas of suspected disability.

• Data gathered from evaluations are used to assist in the development of the IEP.

• Assessments should be valid and reliable for their designed purposes.

• Assessments must be administered by personnel who are trained to do so.

• Assessments and other evaluation materials used should be administered: so as not to be discriminatory on a racial or cultural basis, and in the child’s native language or other mode of communication.

• The determination of eligibility shall be made and the IEP shall be completed in 60 school days (or less) following the date of written consent from the parent.

• Parent written informed consent must be obtained before the evaluation can be conducted.

• Information should be collected through a variety of approaches (observations, interviews, tests, curriculum-based assessment, and so on) and from a variety of sources (parents, teachers, specialists, peers, and the child)

• IDEA lists different disability categories under which children may be eligible for services. For a child to be eligible for services, the disability must affect the child’s educational performance. Students may qualify for services under one or more categories. These 14 disabilities include: autism, deaf-blindness, deafness, developmental delay, emotional disorder, hearing impairment, intellectual disability, multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairment, other health impairment, specific learning disability, speech or language impairment, traumatic brain injury, and visual impairment.

• IDEA 2004 expanded the specific learning disability determination to require States to adopt criteria

  • that does not require the use of a severe discrepancy between intellectual ability and achievement in determining whether a child has a specific learning disability;

  • must permit school districts to use an educational process based on the child’s response to scientific, research-based instructional interventions; and

  • may permit the use of other alternative research-based procedures for determining whether a child has a specific learning disability.

• Once it is determined that a student meets the criteria to receive special education and related services, an Individualized Education Program (IEP) will be developed. An IEP is a written statement of the educational program designed to meet the student’s needs and is developed by a team. The IEP includes a detailed description of what will be done to give the student the extra help needed. The IEP will change based on the student’s needs—it is like a road map showing where the student is and where he or she is going.

The following individuals are required to attend all IEP meetings:

• Parent(s) - Parents are equal participants.

• Student – The student may attend and participate if the parent(s) decide he/she should be present.

• General Education Teacher - The IEP team must include a general education teacher who has knowledge of the curriculum and may be responsible for implementing the IEP, if the child is, or may be, participating in the general education environment.

• Special Education Teacher - There must be a special education teacher on the IEP team who is responsible for implementing the IEP.

• School Administrator - This person must know about the general education curriculum and be able to ensure that the IEP is implemented and has the authority to commit resources.

• Evaluation Personnel - This person must be someone who can explain evaluation and/or test results.

• Others with knowledge or special expertise about the student - The parents or the school may bring other people to the IEP meeting such as community service providers, advocates, lawyers, a friend for support etc.

• Present levels of academic and functional performance

• Annual goals

• Measurements of progress and how progress will be shared

• What special education and related services will be provided: how often they will be provided (frequency), how long they will be provided (duration), where they will be provided (location), who will provide the services

• How the child will access the general education curriculum

• The modifications or supports that will be provided: in the classroom, to and from school, in the school building, for school functions (field trips, sports, prom, playground, etc.)

• Assessment information (which assessments will be administered, any accommodations to the assessments)

• A description of any assistive technology, including training, the student or staff may need

• Special training or support that the student, the parent and school staff need in order to ensure the student is provided FAPE

• A discussion of whether the student needs additional help and support when school is not in session (Extended School Year Services [ESY]), and

• Beginning when the child turns 14½, appropriate transition services, including post secondary services and supports.

• The placement of the child that will implement the IEP.