Partners in Evaluating Student: The Story of Maria, Eloisa, and Henrique Hernandez

1. Chapter 9 Families as Partners in Evaluating a Student

2. Sharing Their Story • The family profiled in this chapter is Maria, Eloisa and Henrique Hernandez. Maria Hernandez is entering 7th grade and has special education eligibility. She reads below grade level, has a mild speech-language deficit, appears to lack confidence and does not socialize easily. • Her parents do not see her academic progress as being as important as her teachers do. She is given an ”alternative assessment” under IDEA law. • The school staff places high priority on students’ performance on the statewide assessments as required under the NCLB.

3. Sharing Their Story • School priorities seem to be ranking high in the state and nationally. Most of her teachers believe that Maria’s inclusion in regular education classes may impair their ability to teach other students and therefore reduce district’s scores and their reputation. • One teacher concurs with Eloisa and Henrique. Together they raise concerns about the partnership that will be formed when Maria comes up for her three year reevaluation. • Will they be successful in advocating for more inclusion and social skills training for Maria?

4. Think About It • What does IDEA require as families and professionals evaluate a student to determine if the student has a disability and needs special education? How wide in scope must the evaluation be? • What practices advance family and professional partnerships in a student’s nondiscriminatory evaluation, especially where there is a history of disagreement?

5. Identifying and Screening Students • Referral/Evaluation • Identifying and screening students • Implementing pre-referral and RTI strategies • Initiating and reviewing a referral • Providing notice and obtaining consent • Collecting evaluation information • Analyze evaluation information • Discussing evaluation results with families

6. Identifying and Screening Students • IDEA lays the foundation for partnership that can yield a full understanding of what a student needs by way of special education. • The referral process begins when a parent, teacher or other professional familiar with the student want to consider whether the student is eligible for special education services. • “Referral” describes a formal request to conduct an evaluation. • “Screening” may arise from analyzing tests results given to all student. These all-student tests screen students to determine who needs further evaluation.

7. Implementing Pre-referral and Response to Intervention Strategies Implementing Pre-referral Interventions • Pre-referral Intervention • Pre-referral intervention occurs before professionals request a student’s parents to consent to a full, nondiscriminatory evaluation. • Purpose of Pre-referral Intervention • To analyze the student’s strengths and weaknesses and provide additional assistance to the student and the teacher so that student is able to achieve without needing a formal evaluation for special education services.

8. Implementing Pre-referral and Response to Intervention Strategies • Pre-referral Intervention Teams • Pre-referral teams may be called intervention assistance team (IAT), teacher assistance teams (TAT) and instructional consultation teams(ICT). • Team membership may include general and special educators, school psychologist, and other professionals. • Although parents are not usually members of the pre-referral team they can provide valuable information.

9. Implementing Pre-referral and Response to Intervention Strategies • Response to Interventions • RTI involves multiple “tiers” of increasingly more intensive interventions for a student. • Under an RTI approach only those students who do not adequately respond to research-validated interventions in general education are referred for a nondiscriminatory evaluation. • IDEA gives local education agencies the option of using RTI procedures as part of the evaluation process related to a student who may have a specific learning disability.

10. Initiating and Reviewing a Referral • Nature, Purpose, and Sources of a Referral • A referral consists of a formal request made to the appropriate administrator, of the student’s school, to evaluate a student to determine whether he or she has a disability; and if so, to determine the student’s educational needs. • A referral may be made by the student’s parents or anyone concerned about the student’s education.

11. Initiating and Reviewing a Referral • Referral and Response to Intervention • A referral may occur because educators or other professionals suspect that a student needs specifically designed instruction or services, that are not otherwise available to the general education students. • A referral usually takes place after a pre-referral intervention. Schools that use RTI will determine a student’s eligibility for special education services after the student has failed to make adequate progress with interventions provided at the lower levels.

12. Initiating and Reviewing a Referral • Parents and Referral • IDEA does not require a child’s parent to consent for referral, but some states and local educational agencies do. • Parents respond in different ways when they learn their child is referred. Some express relief and others may object. • The partnership principles of communication, respect, and commitment are particularly important when you discuss referral with the child’s parents and other family members.

13. Initiating and Reviewing a Referral • Parents’ Rights • To be informed of the team’s decision to evaluate their child for special education services • To provide or withhold consent from the school to evaluate their child.

14. Notifying and Obtaining Parents’ Consent • Notifying • Schools must provide written, timely notice to parents, in their native language, when the school proposes to initiate or change a student’s identification, evaluation, educational placement, or services. • It is imperative that information is clear, accurate, and easily understood. • The purpose of the notice is to inform the student’s parents why educators want to evaluate their child.

15. Notifying and Obtaining Parents’ Consent • Obtaining Parents’ Consent • IDEA requires educators to secure parents’ consent for each proposed evaluation, reevaluation, or special education placement. • Informed consent is composed of three components: • Parent knowledge • Parent voluntariness • Parent competence

16. Collecting Evaluation Information • The student’s evaluation for special education services is designed to determine whether the child has a disability, has an exceptionality (gifted or talented) and, if so, what the student’s special education and related services will be. • The evaluation data also informs educators and the student’s parents about the student’s placement in the least restrictive environment (the general curriculum) .

17. Collecting Evaluation Information • Partnership Practices in Evaluation • Involve parents and other family members in decisions • Enhance the partnership principles of equality and respect by honoring the family’s cultural diversity • Allow family’s preferences and concerns to guide decisions about the evaluation process

18. Collecting Evaluation Information • Parents’ and Other Family Members’ Participation in Collecting Evaluation Information • To create partnerships with families, invite them to: • Share their family story • Express preferences and great expectations and describe their child’s strengths and needs • Help professionals evaluate and administer evaluations • Collaborate with professionals to construct portfolio assessments • Work with professionals to conduct a transdisciplinary evaluation

19. Collecting Evaluation Information • Incorporating Person-Centered Planning • A team-based approach to identify and meet the wants, needs, and great expectations of a person with a disability. • The individual with a disability determines the goals to be achieved; Support in achieving the goals is typically provided by family members, friends, community members, and professionals.

20. Collecting Evaluation Information • Right of Parents to Obtain Independent Evaluations • IDEA provides parents the right to an independent evaluation and requires schools to take the evaluation into account as it carries out the entire evaluation process.

21. Analyzing Evaluation Information • The evaluation team is responsible for scoring, analyzing, interpreting, synthesizing and evaluating the results of each assessment procedure. • Scoring and analysis is usually done individually, while synthesis of the findings is usually done in the team setting. • Families vary in the degree to which they desire participation in analyzing data; however a genuine invitation should always be extended.

22. Discussing Evaluation Results • Notifying Parents • Option 1: Hold a conference with the parents prior to the IFSP/IEP meeting • Particularly important when sharing results of an initial evaluation • Option 2: Review the evaluation during the IFSP/IEP meeting

23. Discussing Evaluation Results • Taking the Family’s Perspective • Parents will vary in their responses to learning that their child has a disability. • Present information in an optimistic manner to enhance hope and motivation. • Engage in partnership practices of sensitivity, availability, accessibility, respect, and honesty when sharing evaluation information. • Parents’ perspectives are likely to reflect their culture and beliefs.

24. Discussing Evaluation Results • Considering the Student’s Role in Discussing Evaluation Results • Parents may opt to share the evaluation results and recommendations with their child. • Student may participate at the end of the conference that parents attended initially. • One or more members of the team may hold a separate conference with the student.

25. Discussing Evaluation Results • Sharing the Evaluation Results with Parents: • Ensure families have a clear understanding of the student’s strengths and preferences. • Support parents in adjusting emotionally to the evaluation information. • Interpret and communicate information to lay the foundation for the student’s education and partnerships.

26. Fostering Trust • Opportunities within the evaluation process that build trust may include: • Communicating by responding to parents’ questions honestly and clearly • Demonstrating your professional competence by describing and giving concrete examples of their child’s performance • Proving your commitment to the child by talking about outcomes. • Respecting the family and child

27. Revisiting Eloisa, Henrique, and Maria Hernandez • IDEA requires educators to evaluate each child fairly but using a whole person approach • IDEA requires the team to “gather relevant, functional, developmental, academic information including information provided by the parent, that may assist in determining the content of the child’s individual education program, including ….information related to enabling a child to be involved in and progress in the general education curriculum.” Regular education is defined as academic, extracurricular, and other non-academic activities .

28. Revisiting Eloisa, Henrique, and Maria Hernandez • When Maria was in elementary school, she was included in academics and the rest of the school life. She made friends, and was happy. She has made two moves to different middle schools. Her network of friends has dissolved and her social skills are not growing (they appear to be deteriorating). • The Hernandez family will need to bring several principles of partnership to bear at the reevaluation meeting. • When faced with objections, what will they do? • What should the educators do?

29. Summary • Referral/Evaluation • Identifying and screening students • Implementing pre-referral and RTI strategies • Initiating and reviewing of referral • Providing notice and obtaining consent • Collecting evaluation information • Analyze evaluation information • Discussing evaluation results with the family

30. Linking Content To Your Life • Reflect on practices that you will use to promote partnerships in student evaluation, potentially using the questions found in this section on page 207.