Summer Evaluation Guidance

Archived COVID-19 Page

Explanation

The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) released guidance allowing and encouraging districts to complete Part C and Part B special education initial evaluation/reevaluations that require in-person assessments and observations in schools during summer programming, consistent with MDH guidance. According to MDE, these evaluations can occur if the charter school or district has elected to provide summer and ESY programming wholly through a distance learning model or a hybrid summer programming and ESY model.

SCRED Summer Evaluation Guidance

After careful consideration of the guidance from MDE as well as the timing of the guidance and internal structures in place throughout the SCRED member districts, we will proceed as follows:

Prioritize Part C Evaluations

Part C evaluations will occur during the summer months, but on-site at schools and not in homes. If a family is unable or unwilling to come onsite to complete an evaluation, the interim IFSP provision may be used. Therefore, while allowable and encouraged, it is not required that Part C evaluations be completed over the summer.

- Why? Part C evaluations routinely occur in the summer, as those timelines are not based on school days, but rather calendar days. In addition, we recognize the urgency of early intervention and Part C services are largely family focused, which are more conducive to a distance learning format.

Interim IFSP

If a family is unable or unwilling to come into a school building to complete an evaluation, then typical interim IFSP procedures should be followed. Data gathered through screening or evaluation/assessment tools that do not require face-to-face assessment should be used as the basis for the interim IFSP. The rationale for the Interim IFSP must be documented in the student's file.

In Rare Circumstances, Complete Part B Evaluations

Apart from rare exceptions, which will require SSS/SpEd Director approval, Part B evaluations will continue to be held off until students return to the building or stronger/different guidance is received from MDE.

- Why? There is no infrastructure in place to support Part B evaluations. Staff do not typically come into schools in the summer to complete evaluations with students, as part B timelines run off a school day calendar. In addition, the guidance doesn’t not expressly require we complete the evaluations, only encourages that we complete them. We do not have proper budgets, plans, or the coordination time necessary to carry this out.

If you believe you have a Part B case (preschool or K-12) that warrants a more urgent evaluation, contact your Special Services Supervisor as soon as possible to determine next steps.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Do Infants and Toddlers need to wear masks during evaluations?

No. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) does not recommend children wear cloth face masks unless they can reliably wear, remove and handle the cloth face covering throughout the day/event. The vast majority of infants and toddlers, particularly those suspected of having disabilities will be able to do this. Thus, masks should not be required. Instead, staff are encouraged to wear cloth face coverings and maintain a distance of six feet.

How do I complete an evaluation involving manipulatives while maintaining social distancing?

During the assessment, parents may be used as a proxy to help facilitate the delivery of manipulatives to the infant/toddler. If this method is used, then the proceeding procedure should be followed:

Wash your hands before, during and after the assessment
Thoroughly sanitize all manipulatives prior to use and place them on a surface (i.e., a table or a countertop) between where the examiner will sit and where the parent and their infant/toddler will sit.
Explain the purpose and role of the proxy to the parent at the beginning of the evaluation. For example: "In order to maintain social distancing requirements, I'm going to be asking you to hand various items to your child throughout the assessment and may also ask you to give your child a number of different instructions."
Ensure that the parent does not assist their child in responding; for example: "It is important that I see exactly what your child can and cannot do during the assessment, so please make sure to only say what I say and resist the urge to help your child respond."
Have the parent set used manipulatives back on the surface from which they came. At the end of the assessment, thoroughly sanitize all manipulatives prior to putting them away.
Document the variation in standard administration practices and the rationale for the variation within the student's evaluation summary report (ESR).

If parents are not comfortable or are unable to assist with the assessment, limit any amount of time spent within six feet of the child to a few minutes at a time, not to exceed 15 minutes without resuming social distancing for a period of time.

Plexiglass dividers may also be used to promote health and safety. Contact your district administrator if you feel that plexiglass is needed.

I'm supposed to observe the child in their natural environment. How do I do this if the evaluation is occurring onsite?

If an observation beyond what occurs during the assessment is not required, it is recommended that the evaluation plan be amended to remove the observation. If the observation is necessary, then consider the following recommendations:

Complete the observation during the assessment and note within the ESR that the observation occurred outside of the natural environment due to the COVID-19 pandemic and guidelines from the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and Minnesota Department of Education (MDE).
Use virtual means, such as Google Meet, to complete an observation of the child within their home/daycare setting.

When should I start completing Part C evaluations?

Anytime, but consider waiting until later July or early August. There is no mandate to complete special education evaluations this summer, only encouragement. Therefore, it is reasonable to wait until district-level procedures have been solidified (work with your SSS on this) and until after you've had a bit of a (much deserved) break!

In rare cases when a part B evaluation is warranted, it is highly recommended that those evaluations get completed later into August, when IEP teams are more accessible.

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