Comprehensive Evaluation in Special Education

Autism Society of Wisconsin Spring 2019 Conference

Kalahari Convention Center, Wisconsin Dells

Andrea BertoneIris JacobsonJess Nichols

A Common Language to Get Us Started

What is an Evaluation for Special Education?

“Evaluation means 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.”

34 CFR 300.15

Evaluation and Assessment

For the purpose of this training . . . Evaluation

A set of procedures used to determine whether a

child has a disability and the nature and extent of

the special education that the child needs

AssessmentA wide variety of tools, both formal and informal, that

can be used to gather information about

an individual student

Legal Requirements

Both State and Federal Special Education Regulation

Address Components of a Comprehensive Evaluation

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

Wisconsin State Statute

What Procedures are Part of an Evaluation for Special Education?

• Referral or Reevaluation and Notice to Parent

• Review Existing Data

• Request Parent Consent for Additional Assessment

• Receive Parent Consent for Additional Assessment

• Conduct Assessments

• Determine Eligibility

• Develop IEP and Determine Placement

Visual of Procedures Evaluation for Special Education

DPI Evaluation Timeline : https://dpi.wi.gov/sites/default/files/imce/sped/pdf/sa-eval-timeline-visual.pdf

Group Activity: Exploring IDEA

• Silently reflect on the “Exploring Our Assessment System”

o “What you are assessing”

o “How you are assessing”

o “Why you are assessing”

Your turn-1

What requirements in IDEA are strengths in your system?

Go to www.menti.com and use the code:

Your turn-2

What are areas to focus on improving?

Share in Mentimeter.

Go to www.menti.com and use the code:

Share in Mentimeter.

Go to www.menti.com and use the code: 68 58 54

Comprehensive Evaluation

“. . . the evaluation is sufficiently comprehensive to

identify all of the child’s special education and related

service needs, whether or not commonly linked to the

disability category in which the child has been classified”

34 CFR 300.304 (c)(6)

Misuse of 60 days

Have you ever been in a

situation like this?

Considerations for Comprehensive Evaluations

1. Recognizing limitations of typical referrals

1. Obtaining sufficient existing data

1. Creating an evaluation plan with the right team members

Referral starts the process

● Referral consists of information to initially guide your team○Why it is believed the child has a disability

○Should include any information available about suspected impairment area and need for special education.

● Additional supporting information: academic/reading achievement, functional performance including behavior, medical information, and interventions attempted and results

https://dpi.wi.gov/sites/default/files/imce/sped/pdf/forms-guide.pdf#page=11

Sufficient existing data

“The purpose of the review of existing evaluation data is to determine whether there is sufficient information needed to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of a student,

“...including information to determine eligibility and to determine the student’s disability related needs, develop goals, and align special education services.”

(https://dpi.wi.gov/sites/default/files/imce/sped/pdf/forms-guide.pdf#page=37)

https://dpi.wi.gov/sites/default/files/imce/sped/pdf/forms-guide.pdf#page=19

Existing data

● This list includes:

○ Evaluations and information provided by the parents;○ Current classroom based, local, or state assessments; ○ Classroom-based observations; and ○ Observations by teachers and related service providers

https://dpi.wi.gov/sites/default/files/imce/sped/pdf/forms-guide.pdf#page=19

?’s to Consider asking parents and others

• What other educational concerns do you have?

• Do you have any social/emotional/behavioral concerns?

• What are some student strengths, skills, or areas of success?

• Is there any pertinent medical information the school should be aware of?

• Have there been any academic or behavioral interventions attempted and recorded responses to those interventions?

A Balanced View of the Whole Child

Key idea: It’s important for teams to consider

student concerns or deficits, but also gather information around student and

family strengths to paint an unbiased picture of the whole child which is

essential to a comprehensive evaluation.

Asking Key Questions

Read Margolis article “Using

instructionally-relevant questions

to develop evaluations and IEPs”

Instructionally Relevant Questions

Questions should ●seek to understand important information about the

individual student

●be in a variety of domains (social and emotional, engagement, access, daily living and transitions, and academic)

●explore areas of interest, strengths, barriers, and needs

Howard Margolishttp://exclusive.multibriefs.com/content/using-instructionally-relevant-questions-to-develop-evaluations-and-ieps/education

Let's Talk

What questions do you think you should always ask parents, general

education teachers, and other educators when you are conducting a

review of existing data?

Go to www.menti.com and use the code:

#2: Sufficient existing data

“The IEP team, including the parents, has reviewed existing data available about the child and determined

that there is a need to gather additional information and data through the use of additional assessments and

other evaluation materials”

https://dpi.wi.gov/sites/default/files/imce/sped/pdf/forms-guide.pdf#page=18

#2: Sufficient existing data

“Parents must be provided a description of the information used as the basis for the IEP team’s decision to conduct additional assessments.”

https://dpi.wi.gov/sites/default/files/imce/sped/pdf/forms-guide.pdf#page=18

The Review of Existing Data meeting

Requirements of existing data

• gathering of existing data• determining additional information

needed• figuring out what eligibility areas may

apply• creating an evaluation plan

The Review of Existing Data meeting

Turn and talk:• Strategies for getting information

without a meeting?• Is that more efficient and effective than

having the meeting? Why?• Are there any situations where you may

consider holding the meeting?

Instructionally Relevant Questions

Construct personalized, relevant questions prior to conducting assessments, interviews, record

reviews and observations

Howard Margolishttp://exclusive.multibriefs.com/content/using-instructionally-relevant-questions-to-develop-evaluations-and-ieps/education

Existing data

“Problems can arise when the existing data review is not comprehensive and additional assessments are added later in the process.

IEP Team Members should think expansively about the data needed to assist them in determining eligibility for special education and what they may need to determine appropriate services.” https://dpi.wi.gov/sites/default/files/imce/sped/pdf/forms-guide.pdf#page=38

Evaluation planning and assessments

1. Consider your district’s current assessment list of assessments available based on student areas of need:

How do you determine from a review of existing data what assessments are needed to get the information you are looking for?

2. How do you identify the information that you do NOT have accessible but think you need?

Selecting Assessments

What strategies can be used to support the outcome of a comprehensive evaluation?

Share with another district.

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Observations

Determining Eligibility for Special Education

Eligibility Checklist

https://dpi.wi.gov/sped/laws-procedures-bulletins/laws/eligibility

Impact of Evaluation on IEP Development

Need for Special Education

• A student’s impairment area eligibility for special education does not dictate any specific special education services a student will or will not receive

• A student’s special education services are based on IEP discussion of individual student needs that affect access, engagement, and progress in grade level curriculum, instruction, and environments

Additional Considerations

• If a student’s behavior impedes his or her learning or the learning of others, the IEP team must consider the use of positive behavioral interventions, supports and strategies to address the behavior

• Behavior supports must be individualized to meet the student’s specific needs

• OSEP Dear Colleague Letter August 2016 https://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/school-discipline/files/dcl-on-pbis-in-ieps--08-01-2016.pdf

Special Considerations

● If there is concern most significant cognitive disability

● Considering intensive interventions when concerns are primarily academic

● Thinking about the whole child when doing re-evaluations for speech and language eligibility 

Additional Outcomes of a Comprehensive Evaluation

• IEP Developmento Special factorso CCR IEPs (linking steps 1 to 5)o Special Education services

• IDEA and FAPE Considerationso Functional skills / affect of behavior on academic skills o Progress monitoring / growth

College and Career Ready IEP 5 Step Process

Understand Achievement

Identify Effects of Disability

(and disability related needs)

Develop GoalsAlign Services

Analyze Progress

IEP Development

• Special Education MUST include:o Specially designed instruction

• Special Education may also include:o supplementary aids and services, o related services, and o program modifications & supports for personnel

• If a disability-related need affects reading, there must be at least one goal and service to support that need

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Change isn’t easy

The Power of Your Influence

1. What did you learn?

2. What surprised you?

3. How might this impact your

work?

Questions

Resources

• https://dpi.wi.gov/sped/laws-procedures-bulletins/laws/eligibility

• Margolis, H. (2018). “Using instructionally-relevant questions to develop evaluations and IEPs”.

• WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION GUIDE TO SPECIAL EDUCATION FORMS

• https://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/school-discipline/files/dcl-on-pbis-in-ieps--08-01-2016.pdf