A student must be assessed under the IDEA in all areas of suspected disability. Intellectual Disability or “ID” is one of the areas of eligible disabilities under the IDEA.
A student with an intellectual disability is one who has been determined to meet the criteria for an intellectual disability. In meeting the criteria, a student with an intellectual disability is one who:
Has been determined to have significantly subaverage intellectual functioning as measured by a standardized, individually administered test of cognitive ability in which the overall test score is at least two standard deviations below the mean, when taking into consideration the standard error of measurement of the test;
Concurrently exhibits deficits in at least two of the following areas of adaptive behavior:
Communication,
Self-care,
Home living,
Social and interpersonal skills,
Use of community resources,
Self-direction,
Functional academic skills,
Work,
Leisure,
Health, or
Safety;
Is manifested during the developmental period; and
Adversely affects the student’s educational performance.
To assess for ID, the District or Campus Assessment Personnel will comply with the general evaluation procedures. See [EVALUATION PROCEDURES]. In addition, the evaluation data reviewed by the qualified District or Campus Assessment Personnel must include:
A standardized individually administered test of cognitive ability; and
Adaptive behavior assessment in at least two of the following areas: communication, self-care, home living, social/interpersonal skills, use of community resources, self-direction, functional academic skills, work, leisure, health, or safety.
A referral for an intellectual disability evaluation may be indicated when the Campus Personnel and/or the parent of the student suspects the student is exhibiting significant intellectual and adaptive deficits that adversely affect educational performance. A student suspected of ID may exhibit one or more of the following:
Difficulties in communicating efficiently and effectively that effect self-determination, behavior, social interactions and participation in multiple learning environments
Alternate methods of demonstrating his/her abilities and knowledge
Uneven learning patterns in all domains including cognition, communication, socialization and self-help.
Multiple disabling conditions that may occur concurrently with an intellectual disability, including physical or orthopedic impairments, and/or sensory impairments/challenges
Medical needs that impact health, stamina and engagement in learning tasks
Difficulty learning new tasks, maintaining new skills, and generalizing skills to new environments
Difficulty demonstrating problem solving skills when new skills or information are presented in a traditional academic curriculum
Individualized methods of accessing information and demonstrating knowledge in alternative ways (tactile, visual, auditory, and multi-sensory).
During the evaluation process, Campus or District Assessment Personnel will consider the presence of any cultural and/or linguistic differences when evaluating a student for ID and whether the differences may impact the evaluation results.
To avoid over identifying students, District or Campus Assessment Personnel will exercise caution in making an intellectual disability determination. The determination of an intellectual disability must be made with consideration of professional judgment and multiple information/data sources. Examples of information/data sources include statewide assessment results, RtI progress monitoring data and anecdotal reports, in addition to formal evaluation test scores, such as intellectual quotient or IQ, adaptive behavior, achievement, and/or cognitive function/processing.
If the student does not meet the eligibility criteria for ID, or any other eligibility criteria under the IDEA, or does not need special education or related services due to his/her disability, Campus Personnel should refer the student to the Campus or District Personnel responsible for compliance with Section 504 to determine whether the student is eligible for accommodations or services as a student with a disability under Section 504.
The District will conduct all necessary initial evaluations and reevaluations to identify this disability condition in accordance with state and federal laws. See [EVALUATION PROCEDURES]. In most circumstances, Campus or District Assessment Personnel should complete two or more comprehensive evaluations determining a student to be eligible for special education services as a student with ID before allowing a Review of Existing Educational Data (“REED”) to reevaluate a student with ID. Doing so helps avoid overidentifying students as ID and helps support the validity of the prior evaluation results.
Upon completion of the ID evaluation, each member of the evaluation team should sign the FIE. If the student is eligible for special education as a student with an Intellectual Disability, a Disability Report in this area will be completed.
The District will maintain documentation requirements of compliance associated with Texas Student Data System (TSDS), Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS), and State Performance Plan (SPP). District staff will provide training, with follow up, to ensure the documentation required is in place and compliant.
Notice of Evaluation
Consent for Evaluation
Referral Information
FIE
Disability Report: Intellectual Disability
ARD/IEP
Documentation for the state in TSDS, PEIMS, and SPP
Quick Guide: Intellectual Disability- Region 14
Intellectual Disability - SPEDTEX
20 USC 1401, 1414; 34 CFR 300.8(c), 300.304(c)(4); 19 TAC 89.1040(b)–(c), 89.1050(a)(5)