Introduction to Special Education Evaluations

Evaluations are a fact of life in special education. They are the gateway to the IEP. School districts are required to identify, locate, and evaluate children that are suspected as having a disability. That requirement is often called the “Child Find” requirement. As a result of Child Find, once a district or a parent identifies a child as possibly qualifying for special education services, the district must conduct an evaluation. The evaluation will result in an eligibility determination. That is, once the child is evaluated, the IEP team will consider whether the child qualifies for special education services; and then, of course, if the child qualifies, then, the child receives the desired IEP. In this episode, we’ll walk through the evaluation process, how to read the report, and then what to do with them once you have them.