Assessment, Eligibility, and Individualized Program Planning
What this domain tests
This domain tests how teams gather valid data, determine eligibility, and write legally defensible IEPs that drive instruction and transition.
Core rules
- Pre-referral/MTSS: universal screening, Tier 1 core instruction, Tier 2 targeted intervention, Tier 3 intensive intervention, with progress monitoring.
- Evaluation: use multiple sources, including norm-referenced and criterion-referenced tests, observations, work samples, parent/teacher reports, and record review. Standard scores have a mean of 100 and standard deviation of 15; percentile ranks show standing relative to norms.
- Eligibility requires a disability category, adverse educational effect, and need for specially designed instruction; exclusionary factors must be ruled out.
- IEP components: present levels, measurable annual goals, special education and related services, LRE statement, accommodations, progress monitoring, and transition planning by age 16 or younger in some states.
- Procedural safeguards: prior written notice, consent, independent educational evaluation, mediation, due process, and records access.
Worked example
A student earns a math composite standard score of 82 and solves 8 digits correct per minute on CBM, versus a class median of 25. Eligibility is not automatic. The team reviews intervention response, classroom data, and exclusionary factors. If eligible, a defensible goal is: 'Given 4th-grade computation probes, the student will solve 20 two-digit multiplication problems in 5 minutes with 80% accuracy across 3 consecutive probes.'
Traps
- Qualifying a student from one score.
- Confusing percentile rank with standard score.
- Assuming a medical diagnosis guarantees eligibility.
- Writing vague goals such as improve math.
- Omitting transition or progress-monitoring language.