Evaluation Process
Wondering if your student may need speech and language services? Here's where to start.
- Gather information about the student -- their academic performance, social skills, functional life skills, areas of strength, and areas of concern (including concerns outside of speech and language).
Talk with an SLP, who will recommend strategies to try in the classroom and/or at home.
If strategies are not effective... school staff will submit a formal referral for a speech/language evaluation.
What does the evaluation process look like?
A referral is submitted, and the student's family is sent a notice of referral via email.
The SLP will reach out to all team members about a possible testing plan, which is then sent to the student's family.
The family signs a consent form for formal testing, and the SLP begins assessing the student.
An evaluation meeting is scheduled and held to discuss current academic levels and results of testing.
If the student qualifies for services, an IEP meeting is held to discuss current needs and supports to be successful across educational settings.
A speech-language pathologist will become the child's Case Manager; unless the child is being evaluated and qualifies for academic or social/emotional/vocational support. In this case, a special education teacher would be the case manager. Case managers are the "go-to" person with questions, concerns, or progress updates across all IEP goals.
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Evaluation Timeline Visual