Evaluation Process
By:Diana Fernandez
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires all children being considered for special education services to be evaluated individually in a nondiscriminatory manner. This evaluation takes time and is a combination of forms, tests, interviews, etc. Children with disabilities must go through a rigorous process in order for them to be placed in programs that accurately meet their needs. The process in which students are evaluated for special education services consists of various steps. The main step is identifying whether a child has a disability or not; if the child has a disability, administrators must find the appropriate services. The child will be tested, observed, and will respond "to scientific, research-based interventions"(PBS). Finally, the child's Individualized Education Program(IEP) will be developed. It is important for children with disabilities to go through this process because they will seek the services they need in order to help their disability. Although evaluation tests help determine whether a student has a disability or if he/she were just not taught well enough in previous schools, it is difficult to tell. This difficulty suggests that tests are not the proper way to identify a student’s special needs. The IEP will be developed according to the student's disability; however, once admitted into the program, the individualized part of IEP vanishes because some students need more attention than others even though they are all in the same program for the same disability.
By:Diana Fernandez
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires all children being considered for special education services to be evaluated individually in a nondiscriminatory manner. This evaluation takes time and is a combination of forms, tests, interviews, etc. Children with disabilities must go through a rigorous process in order for them to be placed in programs that accurately meet their needs. The process in which students are evaluated for special education services consists of various steps. The main step is identifying whether a child has a disability or not; if the child has a disability, administrators must find the appropriate services. The child will be tested, observed, and will respond "to scientific, research-based interventions"(PBS). Finally, the child's Individualized Education Program(IEP) will be developed. It is important for children with disabilities to go through this process because they will seek the services they need in order to help their disability. Although evaluation tests help determine whether a student has a disability or if he/she were just not taught well enough in previous schools, it is difficult to tell. This difficulty suggests that tests are not the proper way to identify a student’s special needs. The IEP will be developed according to the student's disability; however, once admitted into the program, the individualized part of IEP vanishes because some students need more attention than others even though they are all in the same program for the same disability.
"Eat Smart for a Great Start Newsletter." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 28 Feb. 2014.
<http://www.pbs.org/parents/education/learning-disabilities/special-education-and-ieps/special-education-evaluation/>.
<http://www.pbs.org/parents/education/learning-disabilities/special-education-and-ieps/special-education-evaluation/>.