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Home | Center on Multi-Tiered Systems of Support

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Since 2007, the MTSS Center has been a national leader in supporting states, districts, and schools across the country in implementing an MTSS framework that integrates data and instruction within a multi-level prevention system to maximize student achievement and support students’ social, emotional…

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OSEP Funded Technical Assistance Centers

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OSEP Funded Technical Assistance Centers

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Database of Federally Funded Technical Assistance and Research Centers

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The Center for the Integration of IDEA Data (CIID) provides technical assistance to state education agencies (SEAs) to increase the capacity to report high quality data required under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part B Sections 616 and 618. CIID supports the integration of IDEA data systems and processes with the Statewide Longitudinal Data System (SLDS).

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Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports 

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Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports 

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The home of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS). FInd more information on PBIS, how to implement PBIS, get resources and materials, and how to get support. Funded by the U.S.

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Iris Center HLPs

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Developed by the Council for Exceptional Children and the CEEDAR Center, high-leverage practices are 22 essential special education techniques that all teachers of students with disabilities should master for use across a variety of classroom contexts. Six of these practices are referred to as pillar practices-those most essential for educators to implement; and the remaining[.....]

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National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations: Challenging Behaviors

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National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations: Challenging Behaviors

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National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations

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The goals of the National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations (NCPMI) are to assist states and programs in their implementation of sustainable systems for the implementation of the Pyramid Model for Supporting Social Emotional Competence in Infants and Young Children (Pyramid Model) within early intervention and early education programs with a focus on promoting the social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes of young children birth to five, reducing the use of inappropriate discipline practices, promoting family engagement, using data for decision-making, integrating early childhood and infant mental health consultation and fostering inclusion. s

Resource Spotlight

Children's book list

Includes diverse examples of books that can be used to promote social-emotional skills.

Get Training

Supporting implementation of the Pyramid Model with fidelity.

Conference

National Training Institute on Effective Practices: Addressing Challenging Behavior

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Have a question? Want to give us feedback? Contact Us

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National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations

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The goals of the National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations (NCPMI) are to assist states and programs in their implementation of sustainable systems for the implementation of the Pyramid Model for Supporting Social Emotional Competence in Infants and Young Children (Pyramid Model) within early intervention and early education programs with a focus on promoting the ...

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A guide for improving teacher implementation of evidence-based literacy practices within an effective, schoolwide multi-tiered system of support.

Research briefs, infographics, and guides with essential information that can be applied to your school or district.

Webinars and videos about evidence-based literacy practices that support school & district leaders.

Recommended websites, downloads, and videos from reliable sources.

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High Leverage Practices

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The National Center on Improving Literacy is a partnership among literacy experts, university researchers, and technical assistance providers, with funding from the United States Department of Education.

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Your source for improving outcomes for students with literacy-related disabilities, including dyslexia.

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Explore all

Educators

Find tools and resources to support general and special education teachers, interventionists, school psychologists, school counselors, and other school-based personnel working with students with intensive academic and behavioral needs.

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Explore all Find tools and resources to support general and special education teachers, interventionists, school psychologists, school counselors, and other school-based personnel working with students with intensive academic and behavioral needs.

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"We initially chose IRIS because of the past experiences and their credible research-based, high-quality modules that align with specific areas of growth and need to support a state-directed corrective action plan in our region."

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"We initially chose IRIS because of the past experiences and their credible research-based, high-quality modules that align with specific areas of growth and need to support a state-directed corrective action plan in our region."

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By completing the entire Perspectives & Resources section and reviewing the accompanying activities, you should be able to:

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OSEP : Connecting IEPS to State Standards

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OSEP : Connecting IEPS to State Standards

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Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

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Dispelling Myths Associated with Assistive Technology

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The Office of Special Education Programs and the Office of Educational Technology released Assistive Technology Guidance: Myths and Facts Surrounding Assistive Technology Devices and Services.

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Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

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OSEP supports a number of educational media and educational materials projects designed to provide timely access for children with disabilities to the same educational media and materials used by all children.

The IDEA supports activities that use current and emerging technologies to improve access to the content of educational media and materials, including textbooks, for children with disabilities.

These activities are designed to:

1. provide access to television programming, videos, CDs, DVDs, video streamed materials and other multimedia materials for children with disabilities by adding video description or captioning

2. provide free educational materials, including textbooks, in accessible formats such as braille, large print, audio, digital text, and text with audio, that make it possible for children with disabilities to access and use educational materials and textbooks across learning environments.

OSEP Guidance and Resources Other U.S. Department of Education/Federal Partner Resources

U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights
OSEP Funded Technical Assistance Centers and Resources

Media

Accessible materials, including text books

IDEA 2004 Reauthorization Resources

Under the IDEA, states are required to submit outcome data to the Department annually on young children receiving services under IDEA Part C and Part B Preschool in order to access the impact of those programs.
Other U.S. Department of Education/Federal Partner Resources OSEP Funded Technical Assistance Centers and Resources

Charter schools are established according to individual state charter school laws.

The term "charter school," as used in the current IDEA Part B regulations, has the meaning of "charter school" in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.

Children with disabilities who attend public charter schools and their parents retain all rights and protections under Part B of IDEA just as they would if the children were enrolled in other public schools.
OSEP Guidance and Resources

Dear Colleague Letter with the Office for Civil Rights on Charter Schools (Dec. 28, 2016)

Frequently Asked Questions about the rights of students with disabilities in public charter schools under IDEA (Dec. 27, 2016)

Fact Sheet on Know Your Rights: Students with Disabilities in Charter Schools (Aug. 1, 2016)

Other U.S. Department of Education/Federal Partner Resources

The IDEA allows, and sometimes requires, local educational agencies (LEAs) to use funds provided under Part B of the IDEA for coordinated early intervening services (CEIS).

This provision permits LEAs to use no more than 15 percent of Part B funds to develop and provide CEIS for students who are currently not identified as needing special education.
OSEP Guidance and Resources

The IDEA's regulations, pertaining to Significant Disproportionality and CEIS were revised in December 2016. The Department is currently working to update guidance in this area.

Students with disabilities represent a large portion of students in correctional facilities, and it appears that not all students with disabilities are receiving the special education and related services to which they are entitled.

Absent a specific exception, all IDEA protections apply to students with disabilities in correctional facilities and their parents.

The fact that a student has been charged with or convicted of a crime does not diminish his or her substantive rights or the procedural safeguards and remedies provided under the IDEA to students with disabilities and their parents.
OSEP Guidance and Resources
During the September call, OSEP invited Part B, State Special Education Directors, Title I Part D State Coordinators, Local Educational Agencies (LEAs), Juvenile Justice Facilities Administrators, State Adult Correctional Facility Administrators, Juvenile Justice Advocacy Groups, Parents and Technical Assistance Support Centers to hear the latest on correctional education, collaboration, trends, challenges, and successes. Each federal and state agencies shared information and resources to support improving educational outcomes for student with disabilities in correctional settings.

The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) has developed a voluntary State Correctional Education Self-Assessment (SCES) to assist States in self-assessing their systems for providing special education and related services to students with disabilities in correctional facilities. This self-assessment addresses some-but not all-the requirements of Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) as they apply to States, State educational agencies (SEAs), and public agencies (including local educational agencies [LEAs] and responsible noneducational public agencies) in educating these students.
Other U.S. Department of Education / Federal Partner Resources

U.S. Department of Education's Financial Student Aid

Federal Student Aid Eligibility for students confined to adult correctional or juvenile justice facilities (Dec, 2014) English | Spanish

Frequently Asked Questions about Federal Pell Grant Eligibility for Students in Juvenile Justice Facilities

OSEP Funded Technical Assistance Centers and Resources Other U.S. Department of Education / Federal Partner Technical Assistance Centers and Resources

According to IDEA Part B Regulations Section 300.8:

Child with a disability means a child evaluated in accordance with §§300.304 through 300.311 as having an intellectual disability, a hearing impairment (including deafness), a speech or language impairment, a visual impairment (including blindness), a serious emotional disturbance (referred to in this part as "emotional disturbance"), an orthopedic impairment, autism, traumatic brain injury, an other health impairment, a specific learning disability, deaf-blindness, or multiple disabilities, and who, by reason thereof, needs special education and related services.

Visit Section 300.8 for more on disability categories as outlined in IDEA Part B Regulations.

Under the IDEA, the primary vehicle for providing a free appropriate public education (FAPE) is through an appropriately developed individualized education program (IEP) that is based on the individual needs of the child.

In the case of a child whose behavior impedes the child's learning or that of others, the IEP Team must consider - and, when necessary to provide FAPE, include in the IEP - the use of positive behavioral interventions and supports, and other strategies, to address that behavior.

School personnel may remove a child with a disability who violates a code of student conduct from his or her current placement to an appropriate interim alternative educational setting, another setting, or suspension for up to 10 consecutive school days in a school year (to the extent those alternatives are applied to children without disabilities), and for additional removals of not more than 10 consecutive school days in that same school year for separate incidents of misconduct, so long as those removals do not constitute a change of placement.

A disciplinary change of placement is a disciplinary removal of more than 10 consecutive school days or a series of removals that total more than 10 school days in a school year that constitute a pattern of removals because of factors such as the length of each removal, the total amount of time that a child has been removed, and the proximity of the removals to one another.

Within 10 days of any decision to change the placement of a child with a disability because of a violation of a code of student conduct, the responsible local educational agency (LEA), the parent, and relevant members of the child's IEP Team must first conduct a manifestation determination. This occurs through a review of all relevant information in the student's file, including the IEP, any teacher observations, and any relevant information provided by the parents.

The group must determine if the child's behavior was caused by, or had a direct and substantial relationship to, the child's disability, or if the behavior was the direct result of the LEA's failure to implement the IEP.

If the behavior is determined to be a manifestation of the child's disability, the IEP Team either must conduct a functional behavioral assessment unless one had already been conducted prior to the behavior that resulted in a change in placement, and implement a behavioral intervention plan for the child or review an existing behavioral intervention plan and modify it, if necessary, to address the behavior.

Also, unless the parent and the LEA agree to a change in placement, the child must be returned to the placement from which he or she was removed.
OSEP Guidance and Resources Other U.S. Department of Education/Federal Partner Resources OSEP Funded Technical Assistance Centers and Resources IDEA 2004 Reauthorization Resources

In determining whether a child has a disability under the IDEA, and is eligible to receive special education and related services because of that disability, the local education agency (LEA) must conduct a comprehensive evaluation, which requires the use of a variety of assessment tools and strategies to gather relevant functional, developmental, and academic information about the child.

This information, which includes information provided by the parent, may assist in determining:

1. whether the child is a child with a disability

2. the content of the child's IEP to enable the child to be involved in, and make progress in, the general education curriculum

A reevaluation must occur at least once every three years, unless the parent and the public agency agree that a reevaluation is unnecessary.
OSEP Guidance and Resources OSEP Funded Technical Assistance Centers and Resources

Center for Parent Information and Resources
IDEA 2004 Reauthorization Resources

The cornerstone of the IDEA is the entitlement of each eligible child with a disability to a free appropriate public education (FAPE) that emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet the child's unique needs and that prepare the child for further education, employment, and independent living.

Under the IDEA, the primary vehicle for providing FAPE is through an appropriately developed individualized education program (IEP) that is based on the individual needs of the child.

An IEP must take into account a child's present levels of academic achievement and functional performance, and the impact of that child's disability on his or her involvement and progress in the general education curriculum.
OSEP Guidance and Resources

Q&A on Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District Case (Dec. 7, 2017)

Dear Colleague Letter on Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) (Nov. 16, 2015)

OSEP Memo on Educational Expenses for Children in Private Residential Facilities (March 17, 2005) PDF

Highly mobile children include children experiencing frequent family moves into new school districts, such as military-connected children, migrant children, children in the foster care system, and children who are homeless.

While these children often possess remarkable resilience, they also experience formidable challenges as they cope with frequent educational transitions.

It is important for school administrators and teachers, including special education administrators and special education teachers, to have accurate and timely information to meet their responsibilities to make a free appropriate public education (FAPE) available to highly mobile children with disabilities under IDEA, including affording all of IDEA's rights and protections to eligible children and their parents when the children change school districts.
OSEP Guidance and Resources

Letter to State Directors of Special Education on Ensuring a High-Quality Education for Highly Mobile Children (Nov. 10, 2022)

Question and Answers on High Quality Education for Highly Mobile Children (July 19, 2013)

Policy Letter on Guidance on Homeless Children with Disabilities (February 2008)
This Q&A document provides state and local educational officials, early intervention services providers and homeless assistance coordinators with information to assist with implementation of the requirements of the IDEA and the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.

Other U.S. Department of Education/Federal Partner Resources

The IDEA requires states monitor the implementation of IDEA Part B requirements and to make determinations annually about the performance of each local educational agency using the categories:

meets requirements and purposes of Part B

needs assistance in meeting the requirements of Part B

needs intervention in meeting the requirements of Part B

needs substantial intervention in meeting the requirements of Part B

For Part C, the state must monitor implementation of the IDEA Part C requirements and make determinations annually about the performance of each early intervention service program using the following categories:

meets requirements and purposes of Part C

needs assistance in meeting the requirements of Part C

needs intervention in meeting the requirements of Part C

needs substantial intervention in meeting the requirements of Part C

States must use appropriate enforcement mechanisms, if applicable, which must include actions such as:

providing technical assistance

imposing conditions on funding of an LEA (Part B) or early intervention service provider's program (Part C)

requiring corrective action or improvement plans when necessary of an LEA (Part B) or early intervention service provider's program (Part C)

The primary focus of the state's monitoring activities must be on improving educational results and functional outcomes for all children with disabilities and ensuring that:

public agencies meet Part B requirements, with a particular emphasis on the requirements most closely related to improving educational results for children with disabilities.

early intervention services programs meet the program requirements under Part C, with a particular emphasis on those requirements that are most closely related to improving early intervention results for infants and toddlers with disabilities.

OSEP Guidance and Resources

OSEP Memo 09-02 on Reporting on the Correction of Noncompliance (Oct. 17, 2008) MS Word | PDF

OSEP Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Identification and Correction of Noncompliance and Reporting Correction in the SPP/APR (Sept. 3, 2008) PDF

Other U.S. Department of Education/Federal Partner Resources OSEP Funded Technical Assistance Centers and Resources IDEA 2004 Reauthorization Resources

Monitoring, Technical Assistance, and Enforcement (2009): MS Word | PDF

The IDEA provides certain protections to parents of children with disabilities.

A copy of the procedural safeguards available to parents must be provided to the parents one time per school year, except that a copy also must be given to parents (1) upon initial referral or parent request for evaluation; (2) upon receipt of the first state complaint under 34 300.151-300.153 and upon receipt of the first due process complaint under 300.507 in a school year; (3) in accordance with the IDEA's discipline procedures in 300.530(h); and (4) upon request by a parent.

There are several procedural safeguards available to parents under Part B, including:

independent educational evaluations

prior written notice

parental consent

access to education records

the opportunity to present and resolve complaints through the due process complaint and state complaint procedures

the availability of mediation

The requirement to provide a copy of the procedural safeguards available to parents as well as the full list of the procedural safeguards is described in 34 CFR 300.504.

Under IDEA Part C, the procedural safeguards are designed to protect the rights of parents and their infant or toddler with a disability, as well as give families and early intervention lead agencies a mechanism for resolving disputes.

Each lead agency is responsible for establishing procedural safeguards that meet the requirements of 34 CFR 303.400.

The procedural safeguards include provisions related to:

confidentiality of the child and family's early intervention records

the right of parents to review such records

data collection and consent related to the disclosure of personally identifiable information

prior written notice, which ensures that parents receive important information about the lead agency or EIS provider's proposed actions or refusals

parental consent for actions affecting infants and toddlers and their families.

The procedural safeguards also:

ensure that the child's rights are protected if a surrogate parent must be assigned

establish dispute resolution procedures to ensure speedy resolution of any disputes that arise under Part C of the IDEA

contain requirements regarding the state's system of payments.

OSEP Guidance and Resources OSEP Funded Technical Assistance Centers and Resources IDEA 2004 Reauthorization Resources

Physical education services, specially designed if necessary, must be made available to every child with a disability receiving a free appropriate public education, unless the public agency enrolls children without disabilities and does not provide physical education to children without disabilities in the same grades.

Each child with a disability must be afforded the opportunity to participate in the regular physical education program available to nondisabled children unless the child is enrolled full-time in a separate facility or the child needs specially designed physical education as prescribed in the child's individualized education program (IEP).

If specially designed physical education is prescribed in a child's IEP, the public agency responsible for the education of the child must provide the services directly or make arrangements for those services to be provided through other public or private programs. For a child with a disability who is enrolled in a separate facility, the public agency responsible for the child's education must ensure she or he receives appropriate physical education services in accordance with the requirements in 34 CFR 300.108.
OSEP Guidance and Resources Other U.S. Department of Education/Federal Partner Resources

The IDEA is designed to improve educational results for all children with disabilities.

Therefore, it provides benefits and services to children with disabilities in public schools and requires school districts to make services and benefits available to children with disabilities enrolled by their parents in nonpublic (private) schools.

The law includes language requiring state educational agencies (SEAs) and local educational agencies (LEAs) to ensure the equitable participation of parentally placed children with disabilities in programs assisted by or carried out under the equitable participation requirements that apply to them.
OSEP Guidance and Resources Other U.S. Department of Education/Federal Partner Resources

U.S. Department of Education's Office of Innovation and Improvement
OSEP Funded Technical Assistance Centers and Resources

The IDEA and its implementing regulations addresses transition services for children with disabilities.

The term "transition services" means a coordinated set of activities for a child with a disability that:

is designed to be within a results-oriented process that is focused on improving the academic and functional achievement of the child with a disability to facilitate the child's movement from school to post-school activities, including postsecondary education, vocational education, integrated employment (including supported employment), continuing and adult education, adult services, independent living, and community participation

is based on the individual child's needs, taking into account the child's strengths, preferences, and interests

includes instruction, related services, community experiences, the development of employment and other post-school adult living objectives, and, if appropriate, acquisition of daily living skills and functional vocational evaluation

Transition services may be special education, if provided as specially designed instruction, or a related service, if required to assist a child with a disability to benefit from special education.
OSERS Guidance and Resources

A Transition Guide to Postsecondary Education and Employment for Students and Youth with Disabilities (August 2020)
Includes letter from RSA Commissioner and OSEP Director on the importance of collaboration between special education and vocational rehabilitation related to secondary transition

Other U.S. Department of Education/Federal Partner Resources OSEP Funded Technical Assistance Centers and Resources IDEA 2004 Reauthorization Resources

IDEA requires states to collect and examine data to determine if significant disproportionality based on race and ethnicity is occurring in the state and the local educational agencies (LEAs) of the state with respect to:

1. the identification of children as children with disabilities, including the identification of children as children with disabilities in accordance with a particular impairment;

2. the placement in particular educational settings of such children; and

3. the incidence, duration, and type of disciplinary actions, including suspensions and expulsions.

The IDEA does not, however, define "significant disproportionality."

The regulations do not explicitly define the term either. Instead, regulations require states to use a standard methodology for analysis of disproportionality, which includes states setting a threshold above which disproportionality in the identification, placement, or discipline of children with disabilities within an LEA is significant.
OSEP Guidance and Resources

Significant Disproportionality Reporting Under IDEA Part B

Question and Answers and Model State Timeline on Significant Disproportionality (Equity in IDEA) (March 31, 2017)

These resources are a follow-up to the Equity in IDEA final regulation, which was published in the Federal Register Dec. 19, 2016 and became effective on Jan. 18, 2017.

On May 6, 2019, the Department of Justice filed a Notice of Appeal in COPAA v. DeVos. The filing of this Notice of Appeal does not stay the district court order or alter the fact that the December 19, 2016 Equity in IDEA regulation on significant disproportionality is currently in effect.

The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services posted the following to the department's site May 20, 2019: "Pursuant to the plain language of the December 19, 2016 Equity in IDEA regulation on significant disproportionality, and in conjunction with the March 7, 2019 decision in COPAA v. Devos, the department expects states to calculate significant disproportionality for the 2018-2019 school year using the 2016 rule's standard methodology, or to recalculate using the 2016 rule's standard methodology if a different methodology has already been used for this school year."

NOTE: The department postponed the compliance date of this regulation from July 1, 2018 to July 1, 2020 through 83 FR 31306 published July 3, 2018. The regulation also postpones the compliance date for including children ages three through five in significant disproportionality analysis from July 1, 2020 to July 1, 2022.

The Q&A guidance document includes questions and answers on the rule, including the standard methodology; remedies; effective and compliance dates; and a glossary of terms. It is intended to be used as a resource for states as they begin engaging with stakeholders around the implementation of the final rule.

The Model State Timeline outlines the different streams of work and the timelines that states should consider as they implement the new rule.

Webinar on Equity in IDEA 101: Contents of the Final Rule (Feb. 7, 2017)

Webinar on Equity in IDEA 201: Implementing the Final Rule (March 30, 2017)

OSEP Funded Technical Assistance Centers and Resources IDEA 2004 Reauthorization Resources

Teaching is one of the most important and challenging careers, and of all the school-related factors that impact student academic performance, great teachers matter most and that is especially true for children with disabilities.

Great teachers, related services providers and principals matter enormously to the learning and the lives of all children, especially children with disabilities.

States must establish and maintain qualifications to ensure the personnel necessary to implement the IDEA Part B requirements are appropriately and adequately prepared and trained. This includes making sure those personnel have the content knowledge and skills to serve children with disabilities.

IDEA authorizes and OSEP invests in personnel development for those who serve and support children with disabilities (birth through 21) and their families.
OSEP Funded Technical Assistance Centers and Resources

The IDEA and its implementing regulations address the transportation needs of children with disabilities.

Transportation is a related service as defined by 34 CFR §300.34(c)(16) of the IDEA regulations and can include travel to and from school and between schools; travel in and around school buildings; and specialized equipment such as special or adapted buses, lifts, and ramps.

A child's individualized education program (IEP) Team is responsible for determining both if transportation is required to assist a child with a disability to benefit from special education and related services and how the transportation services should be implemented.

The IDEA and the implementing regulations also include travel training in the definition of special education. Travel training is instruction that enables children with disabilities to develop an awareness of the environment in which they live, and to learn the skills necessary to move effectively and safely from place to place within that environment.

Both transportation and travel training are important services IEP Teams should continue to consider when they plan for a child's postsecondary transition needs.
IDEA 2004 Reauthorization Resources

During the last decade, there has been a proliferation of educational models involving varying degrees of in-person and online instruction and practice.

Many state educational agencies (SEAs) and local educational agencies (LEAs), including charter schools that operate as LEAs, provide a variety of Internet-based or online instruction to children, including children with disabilities under the IDEA.

In addition, some LEAs have begun, or are considering, offering children the opportunity to attend virtual schools.

The educational rights and protections afforded to children with disabilities and their parents under IDEA must not be diminished or compromised when children with disabilities attend virtual schools that are constituted as LEAs or are public schools of an LEA.
OSEP Guidance and Resources

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OSEP supports a number of educational media and educational materials projects designed to provide timely access for children with disabilities to the same educational media and materials used by all children. The IDEA supports activities that use current and emerging technologies to improve access to the content of educational media and materials, including textbooks, for children with disabilities.

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Consideration of Exclusionary Factors Including Lack of Instruction

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Consideration of Exclusionary Factors Including Lack of Instruction

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Riverside Insights Training and PD resources

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Riverside Insights Training and PD resources

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Riverside Insights has collected some of our top resources here to support your continued professional development while facilities remain closed due to COVID-19.

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Information, modules and resource guides covering evaluations and assessments

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Introduction

Welcome to the Comprehensive Evaluation topic page! The purpose of this page is to provide educators with information about compliance and best practices related to Referral, Consent for Assessment, Evaluation, and Eligibility. Click on the colored tabs below to view and download content.

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Idaho Training Clearinghouse > Topics > A-M > Comprehensive Evaluation

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Welcome to the Comprehensive Evaluation topic page! The purpose of this page is to provide educators with information about compliance and best practices related to Referral, Consent for Assessment, Evaluation, and Eligibility. Click on the colored tabs below to view and download content.

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Back to Compliance Compliance To Do List (Monthly Timeline)

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Center for Parent Information & Resources: Evaluations

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Center for Parent Information & Resources: Evaluations

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Accurate and updated information as of April 2022
In Spanish | en español

Evaluation is an essential beginning step in the special education process for a child with a disability. Before a child can receive special education and related services for the first time, a full and individual initial evaluation of the child must be conducted to see if the child has a disability and is eligible for special education. Informed parent consent must be obtained before this evaluation may be conducted.

The evaluation process is guided by requirements in Part B of our nation's special education law, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This page will help you learn more about what these requirements are.
Table of Contents
Purposes of Evaluation

The initial evaluation of a child is required by IDEA before any special education and related services can be provided to that child. The purposes of conducting this evaluation are straightforward:

To see if the child is a "child with a disability," as defined by IDEA

To gather information that will help determine the child's educational needs

To guide decision making about appropriate educational programming for the child.

IDEA's Definition of a "Child with a Disability"

IDEA lists different disability categories under which a child may be found eligible for special education and related services. These categories are:

Autism

Deafness

Deaf-blindness

Developmental delay

Emotional disturbance

Hearing impairment

Intellectual disability

Multiple disabilities

Orthopedic impairment

Other health impairment

Specific learning disability

Speech or language impairment

Traumatic brain injury

Visual impairment, including blindness.

To find out more about these disabilities and how IDEA defines them, you'll find Categories of Disability under IDEA right to the point.

Having a disability, though, does not necessarily make a child eligible for special education. Consider this language from the IDEA regulations:

Child with a disability means a child evaluated in accordance with §§300.304 through 300.311 as having [one of the disabilities listed above] and who, by reason thereof, needs special education and related services. [ emphasis added]

This provision includes the very important phrase "...and who, by reason thereof..." This means that, because of the disability, the child needs special education and related services. Many children have disabilities that do not bring with them the need for extra educational assistance or individualized educational programming. If a child has a disability but is not eligible under IDEA, he or she may be eligible for the protections afforded by other laws-such as of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. It's not uncommon for a child to have a 504 plan at school to address disability-related educational needs. Such a child will receive needed assistance but not under IDEA.

Identifying Children for Evaluation

Before a child's eligibility under IDEA can be determined, however, a full and individual evaluation of the child must be conducted. There are at least two ways in which a child may be identified to receive an evaluation under IDEA:

(1) Parents may request that their child be evaluated. Parents are often the first to notice that their child's learning, behavior, or development may be a cause for concern. If they're worried about their child's progress in school and think he or she might need extra help from special education services, they may call, email, or writeto their child's teacher, the school's principal, or the Director of Special Education in the school district. If the school agrees that an evaluation is needed, it must evaluate the child at no cost to parents.

(2) The school system may ask to evaluate the child. Based on a teacher's recommendation, observations, or results from tests given to all children in a particular grade, a school may recommend that a child receive further screening or assessment to determine if he or she has a disability and needs special education and related services. The school system must ask parents for permission to evaluate the child, and parents must give their informed written permission before the evaluation may be conducted.

Giving Parents Notice

It is important to know that IDEA requires the school system to notify parents in writing that it would like to evaluate their child (or that it is refusing to evaluate the child). This is called giving prior written notice. It is not enough for the agency to tell parents that it would like to evaluate their child or that it refuses to evaluate their child. The school must also:

explain why it wants to conduct the evaluation (or why it refuses);

describe each evaluation procedure, assessment, record, or report used as a basis for proposing the evaluation (or refusing to conduct the evaluation);

where parents can go to obtain help in understanding IDEA's provisions;

what other options the school considered and why those were rejected; and

a description of any other factors that are relevant to the school's proposal (or refusal) to evaluate the child.

The purpose behind this thorough explanation is to make sure that parents are fully informed, understand what is being proposed (or refused), understand what evaluation of their child will involve (or why the school system is refusing to conduct an evaluation of the child), and understand their right to refuse consent for evaluation, or to otherwise exercise their rights under IDEA's procedural safeguards if the school refuses to evaluate.

All written communication from the school must be in a form the general public can understand. It must be provided in parents' native language if they do not read English, or in the mode of communication they normally use (such as Braille or large print) unless it is clearly not feasible to do so. If parents' native language or other mode of communication is not a written language, the school must take steps to ensure:

that the notice is translated orally (or by other means) to parents in their native language or other mode of communication,

that parents understand the content of the notice, and

that there is written evidence that the above two requirements have been met.

Parental Consent

Before the school may proceed with the evaluation, parents must give their informed written consent. This consent is for the evaluation only. It does not mean that the school has the parents' permission to provide special education services to the child. That requires a separate consent.

If parents refuse consent for an initial evaluation (or simply don't respond to the school's request), the school must carefully document all its attempts to obtain parent consent. It may also continue to pursue conducting the evaluation by using the law's due process procedures or its procedures, unless doing so would be inconsistent with state law relating to parental consent.

However, if the child is home-schooled or has been placed in a private school by parents (meaning, the parents are paying for the cost of the private school), the school may not override parents' lack of consent for initial evaluation of the child. As the Department of Education (2006) notes:

...once parents opt out of the public school system, States and school districts do not have the same interest in requiring parents to agree to the evaluation of their children. In such cases, it would be overly intrusive for the school district to insist on an evaluation over a parent's objection. (71 Fed. Reg. at 46635)

Timeframe for Initial Evaluation

Let's move on from the prerequisites for initial evaluation (parent notification and parent consent) to the actual process of initial evaluation and what the law requires. Let us assume that parents' informed consent has been given, and it's time to evaluate the child. Must this evaluation be conducted within a certain period of time after parents give their consent?

Yes. In its reauthorization of IDEA in 2004, Congress added a specific timeframe: The initial evaluation must be conducted within 60 days of receiving parental consent for the evaluation-or if the state establishes its own timeframe for conducting an initial evaluation, within that timeframe. (In other words: Any timeframe established by the state takes precedence over the 60-day timeline required by IDEA.)

The Scope of Evaluation

A child's initial evaluation must be full and individual, focused on that child and only that child. This is a longstanding provision of IDEA. An evaluation of a child under IDEA means much more than the child sitting in a room with the rest of his or her class taking an exam for that class, that school, that district, or that state. How the child performs on such exams will contribute useful information to an IDEA-related evaluation, but large-scale tests or group-administered instruments are not enough to diagnose a disability or determine what, if any, special education or related services the child might need, let alone plan an appropriate educational program for the child.

The evaluation must use a variety of assessment tools and strategies to gather relevant functional, developmental, and academic information about the child, including information provided by the parent. When conducting an initial evaluation, it's important to examine all areas of a child's functioning to determine not only if the child is a child with a disability, but also determine the child's educational needs. This full and individual evaluation includes evaluating the child's:

health,

vision and hearing,

social and emotional status,

general intelligence,

academic performance,

communicative status, and

motor abilities

As IDEA states, the school system must ensure that-

...the evaluation is sufficiently comprehensive to identify all of the child's special education and related services needs, whether or not commonly linked to the disability category in which the child has been classified.

Review Existing Data

Evaluation (and particularly reevaluation) typically begins with a review of existing evaluation data on the child, which may come from the child's classroom work, his or her performance on State or district assessments, information provided by the parents, and so on.

The purpose of this review is to decide if the existing data is sufficient to establish the child's eligibility and determine educational needs, or if additional information is needed. If the group determines there is sufficient information available to make the necessary determinations, the public agency must notify parents:

of that determination and the reason for it; and

that parents have the right to request assessment to determine the child's eligibility and educational needs.

Unless the parents request an assessment, the public agency is not required to conduct one.

If it is decided that additional data is needed, the group then identifies what is needed to determine:

whether your son or daughter has a particular category of disability (e.g., "other health impairment," "specific learning disability");

your child's present levels of performance (that is, how he or she is currently doing in school) and his or her academic and developmental needs;

whether your child needs special education and related services; and

if so, whether any additions or modifications are needed in the special education and related services to enable your child to meet the goals set out in the IEP to be developed and to participate, as appropriate, in the general curriculum.

An example may help crystallize the comprehensive scope of evaluations: Consider a first-grader with suspected hearing and vision impairments who's been referred for an initial evaluation. In order to fully gather relevant functional, developmental, and academic information and identify all of the child's special education and related services needs, evaluation of this child will obviously need to focus on hearing and vision, as well as, cognitive, speech/language, motor, and social/behavioral skills, to determine:

the degree of impairment in vision and hearing and the impact of these impairments on the child;

if there are additional impairments in other areas of functioning (including those not commonly linked to hearing and/or vision) that impact the child's aptitude, performance, and achievement; and

what the child's educational needs are that must be addressed.

With this example, any of the following individuals might be part of this child's evaluation team: audiologist, psychologist, speech-language pathologist, social worker, occupational or physical therapist, vision specialist, regular classroom teacher, educational diagnosticians, or others.

Variety, Variety!

The evaluation must use a variety of assessment tools and strategies. This has been one of the cornerstones of IDEA's evaluation requirements from its earliest days. Under IDEA, it is inappropriate and unacceptable to base any eligibility decision upon the results of only one procedure. Tests alone will not give a comprehensive picture of how a child performs or what he or she knows or does not know. Only by collecting data through a variety of approaches (e.g., observations, interviews, tests, curriculum-based assessment, and so on) and from a variety of sources (parents, teachers, specialists, child) can an adequate picture be obtained of the child's strengths and weaknesses.

IDEA also requires schools to use technically sound instruments and processes in evaluation. Technically sound instruments generally refers to assessments that have been shown through research to be valid and reliable (71 Fed. Reg. at 46642). Technically sound processes requires that assessments and other evaluation materials be:

administered by trained and knowledgeable personnel;

administered in accordance with any instructions provided by the producer of the assessments; and

used for the purposes for which the assessments or measures are valid and reliable.

In conjunction with using a variety of sound tools and processes, assessments must include those that are tailored to assess specific areas of educational need (for example, reading or math) and not merely those that are designed to provide a single general intelligence quotient, or IQ.

Taken together, all of this information can be used to determine whether the child has a disability under IDEA, the specific nature of the child's special needs, whether the child needs special education and related services and, if so, to design an appropriate program.

Consider Language, Communication Mode, and Culture

Another important component in evaluation is to ensure that assessment tools are not discriminatory on a racial or cultural basis. Evaluation must also be conducted in the child's typical, accustomed mode of communication (unless it is clearly not feasible to do so) and in a form that will yield accurate information about what the child knows and can do academically, developmentally, and functionally. For many, English is not the native language; others use sign to communicate, or assistive or alternative augmentative communication devices. To assess such a child using a means of communication or response not highly familiar to the child raises the probability that the evaluation results will yield minimal, if any, information about what the child knows and can do.

Specifically, consideration of language, culture, and communication mode means the following:

If your child has limited English proficiency, materials and procedures used to assess your child must be selected and administered to ensure that they measure the extent to which your child has a disability and needs special education, rather than measuring your child's English language skills.

This provision in the law is meant to protect children of different racial, cultural, or language backgrounds from misdiagnosis. For example, children's cultural backgrounds may affect their behavior or test responses in ways that teachers or other personnel do not understand. Similarly, if a child speaks a language other than English or has limited English proficiency, he or she may not understand directions or words on tests and may be unable to answer correctly. As a result, a child may mistakenly appear to be a slow learner or to have a hearing or communication problem.

If an assessment is not conducted under standard conditions-meaning that some condition of the test has been changed (such as the qualifications of the person giving the test or the method of giving the test)-a description of the extent to which it varied from standard conditions must be included in the evaluation report.

If your child has impaired sensory, manual, or speaking skills, the law requires that tests are selected and administered so as best to ensure that test results accurately reflect his or her aptitude or achievement level (or whatever other factors the test claims to measure), and not merely reflect your child's impaired sensory, manual, or speaking skills (unless the test being used is intended to measure those skills).

What About Evaluation for Specific Learning Disabilities?

IDEA's regulations specify additional procedures required to be used for determining the existence of a specific learning disability. Sections 300.307 through 300.311 spell out what these procedures are. You can learn more by reading of our Building the Legacy training curriculum on IDEA 2004.

It's important to note, though, that IDEA 2004 made dramatic changes in how children who are suspected of having a learning disability are to be evaluated.

States must not require the use of a severe discrepancy between intellectual ability and achievement.

States must permit the use of a process based on the child's response to scientific, research-based intervention; and

States may permit the use of other alternative research-based procedures for determining whether a child has a specific learning disability.

The team that makes the eligibility determination must include a regular education teacher and at least one person qualified to conduct individual diagnostic examinations of children, such as a school psychologist, speech-languate pathologist, or remedial reading teacher.

Determining Eligibility

Parents were not always included in the group that determined their child's eligibility and, in fact, were often excluded. Since the IDEA Amendments of 1997, parents are to be part of the group that determines their child's eligibility and are also to be provided a copy of the evaluation report, as well as documentation of the determination of the child's eligibility.

Some school systems will hold a meeting where they consider only the eligibility of the child for special education and related services. At this meeting, your child's assessment results should be explained. The specialists who assessed your child will explain what they did, why they used the tests they did, your child's results on those tests or other evaluation procedures, and what your child's scores mean when compared to other children of the same age and grade.

It is important to know that the group may not determine that a child is eligible if the determinant factor for making that judgment is the child's lack of instruction in reading or math or the child's limited English proficiency. The child must otherwise meet the law's definition of a "child with a disability"-meaning that he or she has one of the disabilities listed in the law and, because of that disability, needs special education and related services.

If the evaluation results indicate that your child meets the definition of one or more of the disabilities listed under IDEA and needs special education and related services, the results will form the basis for developing your child's IEP. The IEP is discussed in detail in CPIR's pages beginning at All About the IEP.

What Happens if You Don't Agree with the Evaluation Results?

If you, as parents of a child with a disability, disagree with the results of your child's evaluation as obtained by the public agency, you have the right to obtain what is known as an Independent Educational Evaluation , or IEE. An IEE means an evaluation conducted by a qualified examiner who is not employed by the public agency responsible for the education of your child. If you ask for an IEE, the public agency must provide you with, among other things, information about where an IEE may be obtained.

Who pays for the independent evaluation? The answer is that some IEEs are at public expense and others are paid for by the parents. For example, if you are the parent of a child with a disability and you disagree with the public agency's evaluation, you may request an IEE at public expense. "At public expense" means that the public agency either pays for the full cost of the evaluation or ensures that the evaluation is otherwise provided at no cost to you as parents. The public agency may grant your request and pay for the IEE, or it may initiate a hearing to show that its own evaluation was appropriate. The public agency may ask why you object to the public evaluation. However, the agency may not require you to explain, and it may not unreasonably delay either providing the IEE at public expense or initiating a due process hearing to defend the public evaluation.

If the public agency initiates a hearing and the final decision of the hearing officer is that the agency's evaluation was appropriate, then you still have the right to an IEE but not at public expense. As part of a due process hearing, a hearing officer may also request an IEE; if so, that IEE must be at public expense. Whenever an IEE is publicly funded, that IEE must meet the same criteria that the public agency uses when it initiates an evaluation. The public agency must tell you what these criteria are-such as location of the evaluation and the qualifications of the examiner-and they must be the same criteria the public agency uses when it initiates an evaluation, to the extent they are consistent with your right to an IEE. However, the public agency may not impose other conditions or timelines related to your obtaining an IEE at public expense.

Of course, you have the right to have your child independently evaluated at any time at your own expense. (Note: When the same tests are repeated within a short time period, the validity of the results can be seriously weakened.) The results of this evaluation must be considered by the public agency, if it meets agency criteria, in any decision made with respect to providing your child with FAPE. The results may also be presented as evidence at a hearing regarding your child.

What Happens Down the Road?

After the initial evaluation, evaluations must be conducted at least every three years (generally called a triennial evaluation) after your child has been placed in special education. Reevaluations can also occur more frequently if conditions warrant, or if you or your child's teacher request a reevaluation. Informed parental consent is also necessary for reevaluations.

As with initial evaluations, reevaluations begin with the review of existing evaluation data, including evaluations and information provided by you, the child's parents. Your consent is not required for the review of existing data on your child. As with initial evaluation, this review is to identify what additional data, if any, are needed to determine whether your child continues to be a "child with a disability" and continues to need special education and related services. If the group determines that additional data are needed, then the public agency must administer tests and other evaluation materials as needed to produce the data. Prior to collecting this additional information, the agency must obtain your informed written consent.

Or, if the group determines that no additional data are needed to determine whether your child continues to be a "child with a disability," the public agency must notify you:

of this determination and the reasons for it; and

of your right, as parents, to request an assessment to determine whether, for the purposes of services under IDEA, your child continues to be a "child with a disability."

A final note with respect to reevaluations: Before determining that your child is no longer a "child with a disability" and, thus, no longer eligible for special education services under IDEA, the public agency must evaluate your child in accordance with all of the provisions described above. This evaluation, however, is not required before terminating your child's eligibility due to graduation with a regular high school diploma or due to exceeding the age eligibility for FAPE under State law.

Want More Details?

You may find the following sections of our website particularly helpful for understanding the requirements and responsibilities intrinsic to the special education process.

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Evaluating School-Aged Children for Disability

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Accurate and updated information as of April 2022 In Spanish | en español Evaluation is an essential beginning step in the special education process for a child with a disability. Before a child can receive special education and related services for the first time, a full and individual initial evaluation of the child must be conducted to see if the child has a disability and is eligible for special education.

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Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

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Comprehensive Special Education Evaluation: Why it Matters

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Table of Contents Overview Changing Mindsets Start the Evaluation Plan the Evaluation Implement the Evaluation Plan Completing the Evaluation After the Evaluation: IEP Development and Other Outcomes Printable Version Overview The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires special ed…

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Find Assessment resources by drop down dates

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Calendar and Resources for Special Education Directors Welcome to the Special Education Director resource page. On this page you will find a calendar with important dates and resources to help you meet requirements as well as technical assistance delivered through the Special Education Director Academy.

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Listing of ALL OSEP Funded Technical Assistance Centers

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Listing of ALL OSEP Funded Technical Assistance Centers

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Database of Federally Funded Technical Assistance and Research Centers

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The Center for the Integration of IDEA Data (CIID) provides technical assistance to state education agencies (SEAs) to increase the capacity to report high quality data required under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part B Sections 616 and 618. CIID supports the integration of IDEA data systems and processes with the Statewide Longitudinal Data System (SLDS).

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Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

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Chapter III-Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Department of Education - Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

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Statute/Regs Main " Regulations Part 300 (Part B) Sec. 300.1 to 300.818 Assistance to States for the Education of Children with Disabilities Part 303 (Part C) Sec. 303.1 to 303.734 Early Intervention Program for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities idea_regulations-template-default single single-idea_regulations postid-61061 group-blog elementor-defaultLast modified on September 10, 2018

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Dyslexia is complex
Assessing for it doesn't have to be

The Tests of Dyslexia (TOD™) is the first comprehensive assessment of dyslexia, eliminating the need for multiple tests and leading to more effective instructional planning.

Pre-order Now and Save 10%

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Educational & Psychological Assessments for Clinicians & Educators | WPS

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Leading independent publisher of clinical assessments in the areas of autism, speech & language, school psychology, and occupational therapy. Learn more.

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Social-emotional Learning Series

This series is designed to help you develop and implement an SEL program in your school/district and use that foundation to inform interventions. Take advantage of the entire series, select individual sessions, bundle two or more, or work with your assessment consultant to develop a plan that suits your needs.

All sessions can accommodate up to 40 attendees. While this series utilizes example assessments and resources from Pearson, this framework can be applied to any CASEL-aligned SEL program.
Explore the Series

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Expert-Led Assessment Training & Professional Development | Pearson Clinical Assessments

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Training and professional development is a vital part of learning how to properly administer, score, and interpret the assessments you depend on. Obtaining that training directly from the source is the best way to ensure you're using each measure with fidelity. Explore our expert-led training options!

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Annotated Copy of Procedural Safegaurds: MN

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Annotated Copy of Procedural Safegaurds: MN

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The Individualized Education Program (IEP) is the document that outlines the special education and related services that your school district will provide for your child at no cost to you. It is developed for children who have been evaluated and are in need of special education. The IEP provides a written record of decisions made at IEP meetings.

When developing your child's IEP, the team must consider your child's strengths, your concerns regarding your child's education, the results of the most recent evaluation, academic, developmental, and functional needs, and special factors.

The IEP is a written plan that guides your child's special education services. The plan must allow your child to advance appropriately toward meeting annual IEP goals, allow your child to be involved in and progress in the general curriculum as much as is appropriate for your child, guide the staff in providing services, and record the services the school district has committed to provide.

School districts are required to implement the IEP as soon as possible following the meeting. The IEP must be written and provided to you within 14 calendar days of the proposed start of the IEP services. Read it and ask yourself, "Is this IEP an appropriate step toward a productive and independent life for my child?" Your answer to this question will guide your decision to agree or disagree with the IEP.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) calls for a team of individuals, including parents and school personnel, to work together to develop an Individual Educational Program (IEP) for a child who qualifies for special education services.

Because IEP decisions are made by a team rather than by any one individual, it's important and helpful to understand the role of each member. While each person brings a different set of experiences, concerns, and skills to the table, you can expect that they all share a common goal: enabling the child to succeed in school and in life.

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A Guide to the Individualized Education Program (IEP)

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This resource will help you understand the Individualized Education Program (IEP) and the importance of your participation in developing your child's IEP. You are a required member of your child's IEP team, and your ideas must always be considered in any decisions the IEP team makes.

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Annotated IEP Companion Checklist: PA PATTAN

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Annotated IEP Companion Checklist: PA PATTAN

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The purpose of this document is to support the participation, development, and implementation of an Individualized Education Program (IEP). Each section provides questions to help guide discussion. Utilize the IEP Planning Notes column to support your planning and participation for an upcoming IEP meeting.

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The purpose of this document is to support the participation, development, and implementation of an Individualized Education Program (IEP). Each section provides questions to help guide discussion. Utilize the IEP Planning Notes column to support your planning and participation for an upcoming IEP meeting.

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Introduction

An Individualized Education Program (IEP) helps a student access general education content and bring them closer to grade level. This IEP topic page is for new and experienced special educators and includes resources on the many different components of the IEP process. Click on the Resources tabs below to view and download content, or you can search for resources by keywords as well.

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Idaho Training Clearinghouse > Topics > A-M > IEP (Individualized Education Program)

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An Individualized Education Program (IEP) helps a student access general education content and bring them closer to grade level. This IEP topic page is for new and experienced special educators and includes resources on the many different components of the IEP process.

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Downloadable PDF

We're pleased to share this Dyslexia Assessment Tool Kit with you.

It's filled with expert guidance, best practices, and assessment options to help you identify dyslexia and support your students as they build one of the most important skills they will ever learn: reading.

For 75 years, Western Psychological Services (WPS) has partnered with researchers and practitioners to develop assessments that change people's lives for the better. This year, we're happy to introduce the , authored by Nancy Mather, PhD; R. Steve McCallum, PhD; Sherry Mee Bell, PhD; and Barbara Wendling, MA. The TOD is the first Tests of Dyslexia (TOD™️) comprehensive dyslexia assessment complete with a screener, dyslexia-specific early and comprehensive assessments, co-normed rating scales, and a companion guide with evidence-based interventions and recommendations. It's designed to work with a variety of Specific Learning Disability (SLD) models.

Whether you're using the TOD or other assessments in your evaluation, we hope the resources in this tool kit will enhance your skills, build your confidence, and equip you to see your students more clearly.

At WPS, we see you and the powerful work you do in clinics, classrooms, and other settings every day. We're here to support you on every step of your professional journey.

Table of Contents

The Path to Identifying Dyslexia

Identifying dyslexia is a little like following a footpath: With each step, you learn something new-about your student and about the landscape of dyslexia as that student experiences it.

Identifying dyslexia is not about reaching a single destination, because students-and their abilities-transform again and again. Instead, it's about careful observation, skillful mapping, and learning to change course when necessary.

Let's get this journey underway.

Start by Definin g Dyslexia .

The first step is to understand that the definition of dyslexia can vary depending on the purpose of an evaluation. If you're assessing eligibility for services in a school setting, the criteria set by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and your state Department of Education must be considered.

On the other hand, identifying dyslexia to qualify for workplace disability accommodations may involve medical diagnostic criteria. Understanding each person's goals will make it clear how you need to proceed.

International Dyslexia Association

ICD-11: Developmental Learning Disorder with Impairment in Reading

IDSM-5-TR: Specific Learning Disorder with Impairment in Reading

" Dyslexia is an alternative term used to refer to a pattern of learning difficulties characterized by problems with accurate or fluent word recognition, poor decoding, and poor spelling abilities." Symptoms persist at least six months despite targeted interventions.

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): Specific Learning Disability

When a preschool student has delays or difficulties with these skills, it's time to take a closer look:

In grade-school students, these issues can be signs of dyslexia:

Click here to read more about dyslexia symptoms age by age. Or to download the infographic, click here .

To identify dyslexia and plan interventions, people in many different roles need to work together-each person sharing a unique perspective and an important set of skills.

School district guidelines and private practice policies may determine the contributions of people in different roles. Other factors may also influence who administers which tests. To sort out assignments and responsibilities, your team may ask questions like these:

Every evaluation team looks a little different. Here's a look at how different roles can function in a comprehensive dyslexia evaluation. As you review the roles described below, consider how teams collaborate in your situation.

Your day-to-day knowledge of a child's reading ability is central to the diagnostic process-because you are likely to have the most direct contact with the student. You're listening as the child reads aloud in class. You're often the first to see assignments that show difficulties with spelling or comprehension. You witness the anxiety, avoidance, and frustration firsthand.

You also provide some of the most compelling evidence-in the form of curriculum-based assessments and work products-to demonstrate what the child can do and where the gaps exist.

Your relationship with parents, students, and caregivers can strengthen their ability to trust the process. You communicate with those at home, informing them of progress, stumbling blocks, and course changes.

Perhaps most important, you carry out the evidence-based instruction that will help this student learn to read. Your knowledge of the Science of Reading and the student's strengths and needs makes all the difference.

Your knowledge of reading and dyslexia assessments, along with your skill in selecting the right assessment tools for each child, forms the basis of a comprehensive evaluation. Your ability to analyze how a student performs-not only on assessments, but on daily measures-helps create a complete picture of the child. The data you gather at each phase of the journey will help instructors plan and students grow.

When you understand the challenges presented by disabilities, you and your colleagues create equitable testing environments. Your awareness of each student's culture, language, and personal history will help the team create spaces where all students feel safe and valued as they learn.

You collaborate with the whole team in planning for the student, so that families and students can see that their priorities, concerns, and goals are part of the intervention plan. And for many students, you become a trusted coach and instructor who provides explicit, strategic reading instruction.

Your knowledge of learning disabilities equips you to spot the signs of dyslexia and distinguish them from the symptoms of other conditions that can lead to reading difficulties and behavior issues.

Your training enables you to select the most useful validated assessments for each situation. And you know how to create a testing environment that is fair and equitable for every student. You consider co-morbidities, overlapping symptoms, personal and educational histories, and the many sequelae of learning disabilities. When testing is complete, you add your observations to those of the other team members to form a full picture of the student at the center of the evaluation.

Equipped with this rich trove of data, you provide an accurate diagnosis. You work with your colleagues to design an intervention plan that amplifies strengths and meets needs. You communicate with students, families, caregivers, and the rest of the dyslexia team to monitor progress throughout the journey.

You may be among the first to spot dyslexia risk, especially if you're reviewing data from universal screening in your school. You partner with other educators to review schoolwide scores and identify which students seem to need extra evaluation. Sometimes you're the one who recognizes the reading problem underneath the behavior issues attracting so much attention. You are in the unique position to reach out to a student and offer help.

You may be the first to say the word "dyslexia" to students and families-which means you may also be first to offer support and guidance. It may be you who talks everyone through the process, explaining who is responsible for each step and answering the many questions that inevitably arise.

You may also work hand in hand with other members of the dyslexia team to be sure that intervention plans are documented, implemented, updated, and communicated. There is almost no part of the dyslexia journey you do not touch.

Every reader and teacher in the school-that's who you serve. You work with administrators to ensure teachers have the evidence-based materials, time, and professional development needed to provide excellent reading instruction.

You support teachers in planning and delivering lessons grounded in the Science of Reading. You expand your colleagues' knowledge of effective teaching practices.

In addition to coaching, you teach. You work with students who need extra instruction and support. Based on what you observe, you may recommend an evaluation. Because you're highly trained in reading assessment, you can interpret test results and identify specific skills to address.

The information you share with families, students, and colleagues helps everyone understand the student and the plan. You're uniquely positioned to influence instruction, motivate students, and keep families informed about growth.

Dyslexia is a complex condition, and diagnosing it takes time and skill. On an evaluation team, your training is invaluable. It enables you to assess the full range of a student's language skills, including reading, listening, speaking, and writing.

Through careful assessment, you can help determine which language skills may be delayed or impaired, thus illuminating the nature of reading difficulties. The information you provide can help clarify whether a student has dyslexia or another condition that affects reading and literacy.

Your training and cultural competence enhance the team's ability to meet the needs of English learners. You are skilled in distinguishing language disorders from other factors, such as linguistic and socioeconomic differences.

Through targeted language interventions, you can help a student develop vocabulary, literacy, and reading skills-and you're instrumental in helping parents and caregivers foster reading development at home.

On an evaluation team, your skill in administering universal screeners and standardized assessments is vital. Dyslexia and reading tests are only the beginning. You can also assess many common co-morbidities such as ADHD and autism, along with conditions that can complicate dyslexia interventions, such as sensory processing differences, executive dysfunction, and other learning disabilities.

Your ability to analyze and adapt environments can help teachers and reading specialists create classrooms and activities that promote engagement and learning. You may be able to recommend assistive technologies that make learning to read simpler. You're trained to help students achieve their functional and academic goals.

How does a student function at school and at home in light of the challenges dyslexia presents? How do handwriting and letter-formation fit into the intervention plan? How has dyslexia affected the student's self-concept? And how can a student stay motivated, engaged, and organized throughout the school year? These are questions an occupational therapist is uniquely qualified to explore.

Throughout the dyslexia journey, your skill in problem-solving informs each decision. And your direct involvement in skill building facilitates each student's long-term success.

The lived experience of each student, parent, and caregiver is central to this journey. Their perspectives and priorities can inform the diagnostic process and the intervention plan. As a clinician or educator, you have an opportunity to

Dyslexia is a lifelong condition. Even so, decades of research show that people with dyslexia can

learn to read;

succeed in school and on the job; and

manage dyslexia symptoms.

Identifying dyslexia isn't a one-and-done event. The full journey looks like this: Screen. Assess. Intervene. Monitor and adapt. To reach the best outcomes, start early and support students each step of the way.

For more specific guidance in planning your dyslexia assessment journey, reach out to a WPS Assessment Consultant in your area.

Universal screening helps identify student s at risk for dyslexia. Screeners are quick, targeted measures designed to reveal reading difficulti es and the risk of dyslexia .

Screening is vital, because it allows you to begin early interventions for students with reading difficulties-even if dyslexia isn't the cause.

But screening isn't an isolated event.

It should be part of a comprehensive plan designed by a team of professionals-one that can include teachers, special educators, reading specialists, diagnosticians, speech-language pathologists, school psychologists, and other professionals-in partnership with students, families, and caregivers.

As you plan your screening strategy, consider questions like these:

With so many screening tools available, it's important to choose a dyslexia screener that works in your setting. Dyslexia screeners should:

assess all the skills that enable a student to learn to read;

be validated for identifying dyslexia risk;

include students in the normative sample who are representative of the populations you serve; and

be simple to use with easy-to-understand results.

WPS offers these tools to help you screen for dyslexia risk:

The Tests of Dyslexia-Screener (TOD-S)

Picture Vocabulary. The TOD-S Picture Vocabulary test measures a student's receptive vocabulary, or their understanding of words they hear or read. When scores on the Picture Vocabulary test are higher than other screening tests, it's important to take a closer look. That's because students with dyslexia often have an oral vocabulary that is more highly developed than their reading or spelling skills.

Letter and Word Choice. The TOD-S Letter and Word Choice test measures how well a student recognizes letters and spells words. Difficulty with these tasks may mean a student has trouble with phonemic awareness, orthographic mapping, or other skills that are critical to building the ability to read.

Reading Fluency. The TOD-S Reading Fluency test measures how efficiently students read. Test A is a word-reading test with a 2-minute time limit, intended for kindergarten and 1st Grade. Test B is a question-reading test with a 3-minute time limit, intended for Grades 2 and up. Slow and effortful reading is a key indicator of dyslexia risk.

Assess

Dyslexia has been linked

Differences in early oral language development have been linked to later difficulties with learning to read and spell. In one 2022 study , for example, Finnish researchers found that babies and toddlers with a family history of dyslexia responded to changes in speech sounds differently than those without familial dyslexia (Virtala et al., 2022).

Some early language delays may resolve on their own, but their presence can sometimes predict the development of dyslexia. That's why it's vital to explore these skills in a dyslexia evaluation:

phonemic awareness

rapid automatized naming

processing speed

working memory

visual - verbal paired associate learning

WPS offers powerful assessments to help you identify language needs and differentiate between dyslexia and language or communication disorders.

Th e CASL-2 measures oral language processing skills -what students comprehend and what they can express across four categories: l exical/ s emantic, s yntactic, s upralinguistic, and p ragmatic language. T he CASL-2 standard scores can help you distinguish typically developing students from a utistic students, deaf/hard-of -hearing students, students with language or communication disorders, and those with intellectual or learning disabilities.

OWLS-2 assesses four language processes (lexical/semantic, syntactic, pragmatic, and

supralinguistic) on four separate scales: Listening Comprehension, Oral Expression, Reading Comprehension, and Written Expression. The Listening Comprehension and Oral Expression Scales do not require students to read, and age-based item sets help you assess students in a developmentally appropriate way. Alternative responses are inclusive of students who speak African-American English. OWLS-2 identifies learning disabilities, language disorders, and related difficulties according to IDEA requirements.

The Oral Passage Understanding Scale (OPUS) gauges a student's listening comprehension. An evaluator reads passages aloud and asks questions to determine how much the listener understands and recalls. With CASL- 2 and OWLS- 2, the OPUS provides a complete picture of each individual's language abilities. Ages 5 to 21 years.

To correctly identify dyslexia, the International Dyslexia Association recommends that you assess these skill areas:

Best Practice Tip: B egin with the easiest skills and move to more challenging ones. This process will help you pinpoint exactly where instruction should be targeted. For young students, you may want to begin assessments with pictures.

T he can be used as early as kindergarten (age 5) to Grade 2 (up to 9 years 3 months) to obtain a student's Early Dyslexia Diagnostic Index (EDDI). The Tests of Dyslexia-Comprehensive (TOD-C) provides a Dyslexia Diagnostic Index (DDI) for individuals in Grade 1 (age 6) through adulthood (89 years, 11 months). The TOD-E and TOD-C have age-based Tests of Dyslexia-Early (TOD-E) and grade-based norms, as well as standard scores and growth scores for measuring progress.

The TOD assesses each area recommended by the International Dyslexia Association, including spelling, reasoning, vocabulary, fluency, phonics, decoding, basic reading, sight word acquisition, phonological awareness, orthographic processing, working memory, rapid automatized naming, comprehension, and visual-verbal paired associate learning .

Learn more about the first comprehensive dyslexia assessment in this video presentation .

It's possible for people to have more than one health or neurodevelopmental condition at the same time. These conditions sometimes overlap with dyslexia:

Dyslexia can occur in any population, so it's crucial to determine whether a reading problem is the result of dyslexia or is related to a health condition, disability, mental illness, or neurodevelopmental difference .

Questions like these can help you make that determination:

For a more detailed look at ways to distinguish between co-occurring conditions, read What to Know About Dyslexia's Co-Morbidities .

Your team may find these tools helpful for identifying autism, ADHD, and language disorders.

OWLS-2 assesses four language processes (lexical/semantic, syntactic, pragmatic, and

Supralinguistic) on four separate scales: Listening Comprehension, Oral Expression, Reading Comprehension, and Written Expression. The Listening Comprehension and Oral Expression Scales do not require students to read, and age-based item sets help you assess students in a developmentally appropriate way. Alternative responses are inclusive of students who speak African American English. OWLS-2 identifies learning disabilities, language disorders, and related difficulties according to IDEA requirements.

If spelling is affected by a phonological deficit, you're likely to notice that the student

doesn't put phonemes in the right order,

adds or leaves out some phonemes, or

mixes up similar consonant sounds and vowel sounds.

With spelling difficulties that are orthographic in nature, a student may

organize the phonemes correctly but use the wrong graphemes,

reverse letter shapes,

transpose words, or

spell common words according to their sounds (Mather, 2022)

When you've taken the time to observe each child's pattern of strengths and needs, your team will be better able to map an instructional strategy that makes sense for that individual.

Dyslexia can lead to anxiety, depression , and a loss of self-esteem for some students. As you're planning an evaluation and intervention strategy, it's a good idea to assess the emotional impacts your student may be experiencing ( Ihbour et al., 2021) .

WPS offers a range of tools to help you assess anxiety, depression, and self-concept.

Equipped with separate forms for children in elementary school , high school, and college, the School Motivation and Learning Strategies Inventory (SMALSI) assess es 10 skills that have been linked to higher motivation and better study habits. The skills include study strategies, note-taking and listening skills, reading comprehension strategies, writing and research skills, test-taking strategies, organizational techniques, and time management skills . The SMALSI also measures academic motivation, test anxiety, and the ability to concentrate.

H uman beings in all professions develop assumptions, beliefs, and biases . T he se mental " shortcuts " are often based on stereotypes , some of which we may not realize are part of our thinking . Biases can

Examples of implicit bias at work in dyslexia identification:

Male students tend to be over-referred for dyslexia assessment. Some researchers think classroom behavior may play a larger role than reading difficulties in these referrals (Knight & Crick, 2021).

Data on second-grad e students in 126 U.S. schools sh owed dyslexia is less likely to be identified in minoritized students , even when dyslexia screeners show they have the behavioral characteristics of dyslexia ( Odegard et al., 2020).

As you plan evaluations, aim to eliminate these types of bias:

construct bias , by ensuring that you measure the same indicators of dyslexia across all cultural identity groups;

method bias , by ensuring that you carefully consider testing environments, materials, and procedures; and

item bias , by ensuring that test items can be understood by students of different cultures, languages, education, and income levels (Verpalen et al., 2018).

It isn't easy to identify and address biases. It can be even more challenging to eliminate them in institutional processes, policies, and systems. But doing so leads to more reliable evaluation results for students.

Fifty years of research confirms that effective interventions for dyslexia and other specific learning disorders have three common elements:

1. They're explicit

2. They're individualized . Which interventions and accommodations a student needs should be based on data from diagnostic and progress-monitoring assessments.

3. They're comprehensive

Another princip le that researchers can agree on: The earlier interventions begin, the better outcomes are likely to be. Here's what experts have shared about how to intervene with students who have reading difficulties .

"Structured literacy'" is a phrase coined in 2019 by the International Dyslexia Association . It refers to the practice of clearly and strategically teaching

In classrooms where structured literacy is taking place, teachers explain and model

Teachers track what students are learning , monitoring their progress and adjusting instruction in response to learning.

In structured literacy settings, students

Structured literacy is for everyone. And it's especially important for those with dyslexia.

Click infographic on the right to see at full size.

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In addition to direct instruction in the components of reading, students with dyslexia need explicit spelling instruction.

At first, effective spelling instruction focuses on writing each sound in a word in the right order. When this skill is solidly in place, teachers can address spelling patterns and rules. It's important that students with dyslexia take all the time they need to learn the spelling of irregular words and to practice with multiple modalities such as tracing and speaking aloud, in addition to seeing and writing.

Be prepared to individualize instruction so each student focuses on the words and patterns that present the biggest challenge for them. The authors of the TOD recommend at least 60--75 minutes of direct spelling instruction each week.

A detailed guide to teaching spelling rules and patterns, including activities, strategies, and technologies, is included in the Dyslexia Interventions and Recommendations: A Companion Guide to the Tests of Dyslexia (TOD).

What should accommodations look like for students with dyslexia? Most of the time, accommodations offer alternatives to:

the ways students access information

the ways students show what they have learned

the environment in which a student learns

the timing of tests and assignments

Planning accommodations should be teamwork: educators, specialists, students, and caregivers. Here are a few to consider. Educators can

Here's a look at a few such tools.

The International Dyslexia Association 's Knowledge and Practice Standards for Teachers of Reading encourage s educators to

understand how to use assessments to monitor a student's progress;

link information from progress-monitoring assessments to decisions about what, how, and how fast to teach; and

share progress with caregivers, colleagues, and students in a way they can understand.

T eachers keep an eye on student progress every day in the classroom. With each activity and assessment, teachers evaluate what students produce and they make immediate instructional decisions based on what students can and can't yet do.

Monitoring progress in this way helps teachers understand which instructional strategies are working and which might need to be changed (Miciak & Fletcher, 2020). The measures a teacher uses to monitor progress in the classroom usually aren't standardized, and they're generally given to all students to check for understanding.

Formal progress monitoring differs in some important ways.

Progress monitoring is the use of quick, easy-to-administer assessments to measure student growth over time. F ormal progress monitoring focuses on students who are receiving interventions , either because they have reading difficulties or they have a higher risk of d yslexia.

The National Center on Intensive Intervention recommends that educational teams

Best Practice Tip: When you give p rogress-monitoring assessments, it's important to keep as many factors the same as possible so that the data accurately reflect a student's progress rather than some other condition. Choose the same assessment . When, where, and how you test should also stay the same -right down to the instructions and guidance you provide.

WPS is pleased to offer these tools to help you track student growth, evaluate the effectiveness of instruction, and measure response to interventions.

Phonological and Print Awareness Scale (PPA Scale™)

Walking a student through dyslexia diagnostics and interventions can be rigorous and challenging. Gains aren't guaranteed, and p rogress isn't always smooth and linear. But a more worthwhile journey is hard to imagine.

I dentifying dyslexia in kindergarten, Grade 1, or Grade 2 and following up with intensive, quality interventions can lower dyslex ia risk in the long run . In some studies, the risk dropped from 20% to below 5% for students who received excellent instruction . That's not to say gains can't be had if interventions begin in Grade 3 or later -but progress may be slower (Fletcher et al., 2021).

Identifying dyslexia takes time and a range of assessments . You'll need quantitative as well as qualitative data from as many sources as possible. That's because dia gnoses that rely on a single indicator are often less reliable and more likely to involve measurement error than those which incorporate several kinds of information . Research ers recommend considering reading difficulties , limited response to intervention, and high cumulative risk factors in your evaluation ( Wagner et al., 2019).

esearch on dyslexia and the Science of Reading is always expanding, and assessments are continuously being updated and improved. It's important to take advantage of professional development and training opportunities available to you.

WPS is pleased to offer a series of free, on-demand dyslexia webinars that take a deeper look at the condition, the diagnostic process, and evidence-based interventions. You can view them here .

W e hope this Dyslexia Assessment Tool Kit has given you a clearer picture of the diagnostic, intervention, and progress-monitoring tools available to you and your team.

When you're ready for next steps, we invite you to speak with a WPS Assessment Consultant in your area. WPS Assessment Consultants are seasoned educators and clinicians. They're ready to help you map a dyslexia assessment journey that takes you and your students where you need to go.

Research and Resources:

Fletcher, J. M., Francis, D. J., Foorman, B. R., & Schatschneider, C. (2021). Early detection of dyslexia risk: Development of brief, teacher-administered screens. Learning Disability Quarterly, 44 (3), 145-157. https://doi.org/10.1177/0731948720931870

Grigorenko, E. L., Compton, D. L., Fuchs, L. S., Wagner, R. K., Willcutt, E. G., & Fletcher, J. M. (2020). Understanding, educating, and supporting children with specific learning disabilities: 50 years of science and practice. The American Psychologist, 75 (1), 37-51. https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0000452

Ihbour, S., Anarghou, H., Boulhana, A., Najimi, M., & Chigr, F. (2021). Mental health among students with neurodevelopment disorders: Case of dyslexic children and adolescents. Dementia & Neuropsychologia, 15 (4), 533-540. https://doi.org/10.1590/1980-57642021dn15-040014

International Dyslexia Association. (2019). Structured literacy: An introductory guide . Baltimore, MD: Author. (2018). Knowledge and practice standards for teachers of reading. https://dyslexiaida.org/knowledge-and-practices/

Mather, N. (2022). Best practices in dyslexia assessment. https://pages.wpspublish.com/webinars

Moats L. (2019). Structured literacy™: Effective instruction for students with dyslexia and related reading difficulties . Perspectives on Language and Literacy . https://app.box.com/s/d0f0z903gkcreh2ewdtnunln4lyxhezi

Odegard, T., Farris, E., Rimrodt-Frierson, S., Middleton, A., Oslund, E. (2020). Characteristics of students identified with dyslexia within the context of state legislation . Journal of Learning Disabilities, 53 (5), 366-379. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0022219420914551

Rawan, D. (n.d.). My truth about dyslexia―What I wish for other kids with dyslexia and their parents. https://sites.ed.gov/osers/2018/10/my-truth-about-dyslexia/

Virtala, P., Putkinen, V., Kailaheimo-Lönnqvist, L., Thiede, A., Partanen, E. & Kujala, T. (2022). Infancy and early childhood maturation of neural auditory change detection and its associations to familial dyslexia risk. Clinical Neurophysiology, 137 (159). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clinph.2022.03.005

Wilmot, A., Pizzey, H., Leitão, S., Hasking, P., & Boyes, M. (2023). Growing up with dyslexia: Child and parent perspectives on school struggles, self-esteem, and mental health.  Dyslexia ,  29 ( 1), 40- 54.  https://doi.org/10.1002/dys.1729

World Health Organization. (February 2022). 6A03.0 Developmental learning disorder with impairment in reading. https://icd.who.int/browse11/l-m/en#/http%3a%2f%2fid.who.int%2ficd%2fentity%2f1008636089

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Downloadable PDF We're pleased to share this Dyslexia Assessment Tool Kit with you. It's filled with expert guidance, best practices, and assessment options to help you identify dyslexia and support your students as they build one of the most important skills they will ever learn: reading.

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This module details the process of developing high-quality individualized education programs (IEPs) for students with disabilities. The module discusses the requirements for IEPs as outlined in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) with implications of the Supreme Court's ruling in Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District (est.

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The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a law, or statute, authorizing: formula grants to states discretionary grants to state educational agencies, institutions of higher education, and other nonprofit organizations The IDEA statute includes four parts: Part A outlines IDEA's general provisions, including the purpose of IDEA and the definitions used throughout the statute.