3.23 Request for SpEd Assessment

INITIAL ASSESSMENT/PARENT REQUEST FOR ASSESSMENT

Written Referral/Request

All referrals for special education and related services must be documented. When a parent makes a verbal referral, appropriate staff shall offer assistance to the parent to put the request in writing. All school staff referrals should also be in writing and should include a brief reason for the referral, documentation of the resources of the general education program that have been considered and/or utilized, and the results of the interventions attempted. This documentation, however, should not delay the time lines for completing the assessment plan or assessment.

Notice of Referral, Proposed Action, and Consent for Assessment

After receiving the referral, the assessment team must review it to determine that the resources of the general education program have been considered, and when appropriate, utilized (E.C. § 56303) and identify any areas of suspected disability. In response to the referral, the assessment team must then complete a written notice of referral including what the proposed or denied action is, how it was reached, and what sources of information were used in developing the proposed or denied action (E.C. § 56500.4(a)).

Yosemite Valley & Monarch River Process

When a parent requests a Special Education assessment the request must be forwarded to the Assessment Team. In collaboration with the SST, District School Psychologist and other interested staff it will be determined if the special education assessment will be initiated.

Should the request for a special education assessment be denied a PWN needs to be completed and sent to the parents. The PWN needs to state the reasons why we are choosing not to assess.

If the proposed action is to conduct an assessment, the team must also complete an assessment plan (E.C. § 56321(a)). These forms, along with a notice of procedural safeguards (E.C. § 56301(d)(2)) must be submitted to the parent for review and possible approval/consent within 15 days of receiving the written referral unless the parent agrees in writing to an extension. No assessment shall be conducted unless the written consent of the parent is obtained prior to the assessment, except under certain circumstances. If the parent does not provide consent for an initial assessment, the LEA may request due process to override the lack of consent (E.C. § 56321(c)(2)).

Yosemite Valley and Monarch River Assessment Request: sped.assessments@centralvcs.org