IEP assessments are required for your child to qualify for an IEP. If you suspect your child has a disability, you email at least two members of the school staff and request that your student be assessed in all suspected areas of disability. This letter is worth taking time and trouble to write carefully. Often how specific you can be with your documentation and details will impact whether or not the District agrees to assess the student.
Once the District has received your request, they have 15 days to agree to assess or to deny the request. If they agree to provide IEP assessments: which IEP assessments will they use? Any area of need should be assessed. Some common categories for assessment include:
- Hearing
- Vision
- Psychological testing including assessments in: autism, anxiety, attention and executive functioning, auditory and/or visual processing, cognitive development, and phonological processing
- Development
- Adaptive behavior
- Academics: academic performance assessments, reading, and school-wide tests
- Physical Therapy,
- Adaptive Physical Education
- Occupational therapy including handwriting, sensory, gross motor, and fine motor skills
- Speech and language, communication
IEP assessments can also include assessments in the following areas:
- Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA),
- Assistive technology assessment (AT), and/or
- Augmentative alternative communication (AAC) assessment.
The school team will propose which assessment they think your child will need. You can also ask for additional assessments if you do not think they have covered all areas of need.
Some students will be tested in most of these areas. Others will only need testing in a few areas. It is not about quantity but ensuring that they are testing your student in the areas where you, the school, or the family’s pediatrician have concerns.
IEP assessments are crucial to qualify your student for special education services and supports.
To obtain those services, there is always an initial IEP assessment. The team then takes those IEP assessments, discusses them, and determines whether or not the student qualifies.
Once your student has an IEP, they will have an IEP for the next 3 years. After 3 years, the team will provide a new batch of IEP assessments to determine whether or not your student continues to qualify for an IEP. It also gives the team updated information on your child’s current levels.
For help at your child’s next IEP meeting, more information about our special education advocacy services, or for a FREE 20-minute consultation to see if we are a good fit for you: call or email today!
As parents, we understand. As advocates, we can help.