Assessing Students with Disabilities and Developing Individualized Education Programs
Assessing Students with Disabilities and Developing Individualized Education Programs
This domain tests evaluation requirements, eligibility decisions, and IEP construction: present levels, measurable annual goals, services, least restrictive environment, accommodations, and transition planning.
Core rules and concepts
- Initial evaluation requires parental consent and must use multiple measures, technically sound instruments, and nondiscriminatory procedures in the child’s native language or mode of communication.
- The IEP team includes the parent, a regular education teacher if the child participates in general education, a special education teacher, a local education agency representative, someone who can interpret evaluation results, the child when appropriate, and others with knowledge or expertise.
- The present levels statement describes academic achievement and functional performance and establishes the baseline for goals.
- Annual goals must be measurable, tied to identified needs, and monitored; progress is reported to parents at least as often as report cards.
- Placement is determined after goals and services are written. The team must consider supplementary aids and services before a more restrictive setting.
- Transition planning begins by age 16, or earlier if state law requires, and includes measurable postsecondary goals, transition services, and a course of study.
Worked example
A team writes this goal: “By May, given a third-grade narrative text, the student will answer 4 of 5 literal comprehension questions correctly on three consecutive probes.” The present levels show 2 of 5 correct. Reasoning: the goal is observable, measurable, time-bound, and directly linked to the baseline and need. A goal such as “improve reading comprehension” is not measurable and cannot drive instruction or progress monitoring.
Traps that cost marks
Writing goals that describe activities rather than skills; choosing placement before goals and services; omitting the regular education teacher or failing to document accommodations; relying on one test score for eligibility; forgetting that evaluation must rule out lack of instruction.