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II. The Evaluation Process

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Section A: ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

The purpose of the assessment process is to assist in decision making, not just to establish eligibility for special education and related services. However, one of the important decisions to be made is determining eligibility that must be based on assessment. This section outlines the basic eligibility definitions for each condition as defined by state and federal guidelines. Each disability includes a requirement that the condition adversely affects educational performance. If a condition exists but does not affect educational performance, the child is not considered a child with a disability.

1. General Eligibility Determination:

a. Prior to referral, students experiencing difficulty in the general education classroom should be considered for all support services available to all students such as tutorial, remedial, and interventions.

b. Determination of whether a student is eligible for special education and related services is made by the student’s admission, review and dismissal (ARD) committee. The multidisciplinary team that collects or reviews evaluation data in connection with the determination of eligibility must include the parent, an Educational Diagnostician and/or LSSP, and other appropriately certified person with experience and training in the area of the disability. Additional professionals may be required as defined under each eligibility category.

c. A child must not be determined to have any of the disabilities listed below if the reason or cause is due to one or more of the following

i. Lack of explicit and systematic instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary development, reading fluency, including oral reading skills, and reading comprehension strategies;

ii. Lack of appropriate instruction in math;iii. Limited English Proficiency.

2. Specific Eligibility Determination

a. Auditory Impaired i. The procedures and materials used for the assessment and placement of the child who is deaf

or hard of hearing must be in the child’s preferred mode of communication.ii. The evaluation data reviewed by the group of qualified professionals in connection with the

determination of the child’s disability based on an auditory impairment must include:iii. An audiological evaluation performed by a licensed audiologist;iv. A description of the implications of the hearing loss in a variety of circumstances with or

without recommended amplification; andv. An assessment of the child’s potential for communications through a variety of means,

including:

a. Oral (spoken) and aural (hearing) means;b. Fingerspelling; orc. Sign language

A child with an auditory impairment is one who has been determined to meet the criteria for deafness or for hearing impairment.

Deafness means a hearing impairment that is so severe that the child is impaired with processing linguistic information through hearing, with or without amplification that adversely affects the child’s educational performance.

Hearing impairment means an impairment in hearing, whether permanent or fluctuating, that adversely affects the child’s educational performance but that is not included under the definition of deafness.

b. Autism

Autism means a developmental disability significantly affecting:i. Verbal communication;ii. Nonverbal communication; and iii. Social interaction.

Other characteristics often associated with autism are:i. Engagement in repetitive activities and stereotyped movements;ii. Resistance to environmental change or change in daily routines; andiii. Unusual responses to sensory experiences.

The characteristics of autism are generally evident before age three, but the children who manifest the characteristics after age three could be identified as having autism if the eligibility criteria are satisfied.

Children with pervasive developmental disorders are included under the disability category of autism.

Autism does not apply if the child’s educational performance is adversely affected primarily because the child has an emotional disturbance.

c. Deaf-Blindness

Deaf-blindness means concomitant hearing and visual impairments, the combination of which causes such severe communication and other developmental and educational needs that they cannot be accommodated in special education programs solely for children with deafness or children with blindness.

In meeting the criteria for deaf-blindness, the child with deaf-blindness is one who:i. Meets the criteria for auditory impairment and visual impairment;ii. Meets eligibility criteria for visual impairment and has a suspected hearing loss that cannot be demonstrated conclusively, but there is no speech at an age when speech would normally be expected, as determined by a speech-language therapist, a certified speech and language therapist, or a licensed speech language pathologist;iii. Has documented hearing and visual losses that, if considered individually, may not meet the requirements for auditory impairment or visual impairment, but the combination of such losses adversely affects the student's educational performance; oriv. Has documented medical diagnosis of a progressive medical condition that will result in related auditory and visual losses that, without special education intervention, will adversely affect educational performance.

d. Emotional Disturbance

Emotional disturbance means a condition exhibiting one or more of the following characteristics over a long period of time and to a marked degree that adversely affects educational performance;

i. An inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors. ii. An inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers.iii. Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances. iv. A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression. v. A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems.

The term does not apply to children who are socially maladjusted, unless it is determined that they have an emotional disturbance under the criteria listed above.

Emotional disturbance includes schizophrenia.

Note: Within the Psychological Evaluation, the behaviors that significantly interfere with the learning/educational progress of the student or that of others must also be identified. Thus, the evaluation report will frequently include a Functional Behavioral Assessment.

e. Specific Learning Disability

EVALUATION PROCEDURESSpecific Learning Disability (SLD) is a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language that is spoken or written, that may manifest itself in the imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or do mathematical calculations:

i. The term includes conditions such as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia; and

ii. The term does not include a learning problem that is primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor disabilities, of an intellectual disability, or emotional disturbance, or of environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage.

The group of qualified professionals that collects or reviews evaluation data in connection with the determination of the child’s eligibility based on an SLD must include:

i. The child’s regular teacher; orii. If the child does not have a regular teacher, a regular classroom teacher qualified to teach children

of this age; oriii. For a child whose age is less than school age, and individual qualified by the Texas Education

Agency to teach children of this age; andiv. At least one person qualified to conduct individual diagnostic examinations of children such as:

○ A licensed specialist in school psychology;○ A speech language pathologist; or○ A remedial reading teacher.

Determinant FactorsPrior to and as part of the evaluation, and in order to ensure that underachievement in the child suspected of having an SLD is not due to lack of appropriate instruction in reading or math, the group of qualified professionals must consider:

i. Data that demonstrates the child was provided appropriate instruction in reading and/or math in the general education settings delivered by qualified personnel; and

ii. Data-based documentation of repeated assessments of achievement at reasonable intervals, reflecting formal evaluation of progress of the child during instruction, which was provided to the parent of the child.

Data-based documentation of repeated assessments may include, but is not limited to:i. Response to intervention (RtI) progress monitoring results;ii. In-class tests on grade-level curriculum; oriii. Other regularly administered assessments.

Intervals are considered reasonable if consistent with the assessment requirements of the child’s specific instructional program.

ObservationThe local education agency must ensure that the child is observed in the child's learning environment, including the regular classroom setting, to document the child’s academic performance and behavior in the areas of difficulty.In determining whether the child has an SLD, the group of qualified professionals must decide to either:

i. Use the information from an observation in routine classroom instruction and monitoring of the child’s performance that was done before the child was referred for an evaluation; or

ii. Have at least one member of the group conduct an observation of the child’s academic performance in the regular classroom after the child has been referred for an evaluation and consent is obtained from the parent.

For the child less than school age or out of school, a member of the group of qualified professionals must observe the child in an environment appropriate for a child of that age.The documentation of the determination of an SLD eligibility must contain a statement of:

i. The relevant behavior, if any, noted during the observation of the child; andii. The relationship of that behavior to the child’s academic functioning.:

Additional DocumentationThe documentation of the determination of eligibility must contain a statement of:

i. Whether the child has an SLD;ii. The basis for making the determination, including an assurance that the determination has been

made in accordance with evaluation procedures; andiii. The educationally relevant medical findings, if any.

Each member of the group of qualified professionals must certify in writing whether the report reflects the member’s conclusion.If the report does not reflect a group member’s conclusion, that group member must submit a separate statement presenting the member’s conclusion.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIAA child with an SLD impairment is one:

i. Who has been determined through a variety of assessment tools and strategies to meet the criteria for the SLD stated above;

ii. Who does not achieve adequately for the child’s age or to meet state-approved grade-level standards, in one or more of the following areas:

a. Oral expression;b. Written expression;c. Listening comprehension;d. Basic reading skills;e. Reading fluency skills;f. Reading comprehension;g. Mathematics calculation; orh. Mathematics problem-solving.

iii. Whose lack of adequate achievement is indicated by performance on multiple measures such as:a. In-class tests;b. Grade average over time (e.g., six weeks, semester);c. Norm- or criterion referenced tests:d. Statewide assessments; ore. A process based on the child’s response to evidence-based intervention:

iv. Who does not make sufficient progress under the additional criteria of the RtI Model; or

f. Intellectual Disability

Intellectual disability means significantly sub-average general intellectual functioning that:i. Is reflected in an overall test score of cognitive ability that is at least two standard deviations

below the mean, when taking into consideration the standard error of measurement of the test;ii. Exists concurrently with deficits in adaptive behavior in at least two of the following areas;

a. Communication;b. Self-care;c. Home living;d. Social and interpersonal skills;e. Use of community resources;f. Self-direction;g. Functional academic skills;h. Work;i. Leisure;j. Health; ork. Safety;

iii. Is manifested during the developmental period; andiv. Adversely affects the child’s educational performance.

g. Multiple Disabilities

Multiple disabilities means impairments occurring at the same time (such as intellectual disabilities-blindness or intellectual disabilities-orthopedic impairment), the combination of which causes such severe educational needs that they cannot be accommodated in special education programs solely for one of the impairments.

In meeting the criteria for multiple disabilities, a child with multiple disabilities is one who has a combination of disabilities and who meets all of the following conditions:

i. The disabilities are expected to continue indefinitely; andii. The disabilities severely impair the child's performance in tow or more of the following areas:

a. Psychomotor skills;b. Self-care skills;c. Communication;d. Social and emotional development; ore. Cognition

A child who has more than one disability but who does not meet the criteria must not be classified or reported as having multiple disabilities.

Multiple disabilities does not include deaf-blindness.

h. Noncategorical Early Childhood

The group of professionals that collects or reviews evaluation data in connection with the determination of the child’s eligibility based on noncategorical must include the applicable members for intellectual disability, emotional disturbance, specific learning disability, or autism.

The evaluation data reviewed by the group of qualified professionals in connection with the determination of the child’s disability based on noncategorical must comply with the applicable evaluation procedures for auditory impairment and visual impairment.

Noncategorical early childhood disability means the child:i. Is between the ages of three to five, andii. Is evaluated as having an intellectual disability, and emotional disturbance, a specific learning

disability, or autism.

i. Orthopedic Impairment

The criterion for this disability includes the provision of a report by a licensed physician.

Orthopedic impairment means a severe orthopedic impairment that adversely affects the child’s educational performance.

Orthopedic impairment includes impairments caused by:i. Congenital anomaly;ii. Disease, such as poliomyelitis, bone tuberculosis, andiii. Other causes, such as cerebral palsy, amputations, and fractures or burns that cause contractures.

If the child does not have a physician, the campus assessment professional may submit a request to the Child Study Team requesting a one-time visit to a physician in order to supply information for the Medical History checklist (Orthopedic Impairment) form.

j. Other Health Impairment

A child with OHI is one who has been determined to meet the criteria for OHI due to chronic or acute health problems.

OHI means having limited strength, vitality, or alertness that adversely affects a child’s educational performance.

The term health problems include:i. Asthma;ii. Attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; iii. Diabetes;iv. Epilepsy;v. Hemophilia;vi. Lead poisoning;vii. Nephritis;viii.Rheumatic fever;ix. Sickle cell anemia; andx. Tourette’s Syndrome

The term limited alertness includes a heightened alertness to environmental stimuli that results in limited alertness with respect to the education environment.

k. Speech Impairment

Speech or language impairment means a communication disorder of a voice impairment that adversely affects the child’s educational performance.

The term communication disorder includes:i. Stuttering;ii. Impaired articulation;iii. A language impairment; and iv. A voice impairment

l. Traumatic Brain Injury

The group of qualified professionals that collects or reviews evaluation data in connection with the determination of the child’s eligibility based on a traumatic brain injury (TBI) must include a licensed physician.

TBI means an acquired injury to the brain:i. Caused by an external physical force;ii. Resulting in total or partial functional disability or psychosocial impairment, or both; andiii. That adversely affects the child’s educational performance.

TBI applies to open or closed head injuries resulting in impairments in one or more areas:i. Cognition;ii. Language;iii. Memory;iv. Attention;

v. Reasoning;vi. Abstract thinking;vii. Judgment;viii.Problem-solving;ix. Sensory, perceptual, and motor abilities;x. Psychosocial behavior;xi. Physical functions;xii. Information processing; andxiii.Speech

TBI does not apply to brain injuries that are congenital or degenerative, or to brain injuries induced by birth trauma,

m. Visual Impairment

Visual impairment including blindness means an impairment in vision that, even with correction, adversely affects a child’s educational performance. The term includes both partial sight and blindness.

In meeting the criteria for a visual impairment, the child with a visual impairment has been determined by a licensed ophthalmologist or optometrist:

i. To have no vision or to have a serious visual loss or correction; orii. To have a progressive medical condition that will result in no vision or a serious visual loss after

correction.

The child with a visual impairment is functionally blind if, based on the functional vision evaluation and the learning media assessment; the child will use tactual media, which includes braille, as a primary tool for learning to be able to communicate in both reading and writing at the same level of proficiency as other children of comparable ability.

Section B: THE PROCESS FOR INITIAL EVALUATION

This section includes a description of each step in the evaluation process. The process described in this section is appropriate for most students initially evaluated by assessment professionals.

1. The Process

a. The Educational Diagnostician/LSSP, Counselor, Speech Pathologist, or other trained personnel notifies the parent of his/her rights by providing a copy of the TEA Document: Explanation of Procedural Safeguards, explaining designated sections and offering to answer any questions about it.

The parent/guardian will also receive i. The “Notice of Full and Individual Evaluation (FIE)”. ii An explanation of the notice including a description of the data used, the options

considered, and the reasons rejected. iii A copy of the “Notice of Procedural Safeguards”. iv. The Parent’s Guide to the Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) Process.

v. “Receipt for Explanation of Procedural Safeguards of a Parent with a Child with Disabilities in School, requiring a parent signature.

vi. A Guide to the Admission, Review and Dismissal Process”.

b. A parent signature must be secured on the “Consent for Full and Individual Evaluation” indicating that the parent:

i. Has received the dated Notice of Full and Individual Evaluation (FIE) that describes the proposed FIE, and has been fully informed of the FIE process and why it has been recommended.

ii. Understands and gives consent for the full and individual evaluation of the child.

iii. Understands that consent for a full and individual evaluation is voluntary and may be revoked at any time. However, that revocation is not retroactive (i.e. it does not negate an action that has occurred after the consent was given and before the consent was revoked).

iv. Gives consent for the full and individual evaluation to begin immediately by waiving the required five school day period between the receipt of the Notice of Full and Individual Evaluation and the initiation of the full and individual evaluation.

v. Has been provided the information in their native language or other mode of communication.

The Initial Full Individual Evaluation will assess for all areas of suspected disabilities. The parent may not limit the scope of the evaluation.

a. If the parent has not attended the referral meeting, the parent will be provided the opportunity to sign consent for evaluation within 15 school days from the date of referral. These efforts may include phone calls, certified mail, and home visits. All attempts should be documented.

b. The parent/adult student is also given the “Parent Information Form” at this time and is asked to complete and return it as soon as possible.

c. The parent is informed of the timelines within which the evaluation will begin and be completed, as well as all the areas required in a Full and Individual Evaluation.

d. Exception to the 45 school day timeline: The 45 school days timeline may not apply if:

i. Transfer students: if a student transfers from another district during the evaluation process and before the previous district finishes the evaluation, the assessment professional must attempt to adhere to the timeline. However, the timeline may be extended if necessary as long as progress is being made on the evaluation and the

parent and district agree upon a specific time when the evaluation will be completed.

e. If a parent submits a written request to a school district’s Director of Special Education Services or to a district employee for a full and individual evaluation of a student, the school district must, not later than the 15th school day after the date the district receives the request

i. Provide the parent with prior written notice of its proposal to conduct an evaluation; a copy of the procedural safeguards; and an opportunity to give written consent for the evaluation; orii. Refuse to provide the evaluation and provide the parent or legal guardian with notice of procedural safeguards.

Upon request of a student’s parent, Humble ISD must provide the name and type of the examination or test

f. Parent Refusal or Withdrawal of Consent

i. If the parent refuses to provide consent for initial evaluation, the assessment professional should present the parent with the consent form giving the parent the opportunity to indicate on the form that they do not give consent for evaluation.

ii. If the parent withdraws consent in writing during the evaluation process, the assessment professional(s) discontinue assessment activities. No report is written and no ARD is held.

iii. If the parent withdraws consent in writing after the evaluation is completed but before the written report or ARD is completed, the district MUST finish the report and schedule the ARD. The parent will have the opportunity to refuse services at the ARD meeting. If the parent refuses to attend the ARD, the district should still complete the process for the record, indicating parent refusal.

iv. A parent MAY NOT sign consent for partial assessment or limit the scope of the evaluation during the initial process (such as requesting speech only, no intellectual, etc.). The district has an obligation to perform a Full and Individual Evaluation investigating all the areas of suspected disability. If the parent disagrees with the scope of the evaluation, the parent may withdraw consent for evaluation.

2. Evaluation Procedures

The group that collects or reviews evaluation data in connection with the determination of a child’s eligibility for special education and related services must include, but is not limited to the following:

a. A licensed specialist in school psychology, and educational diagnostician, or other appropriately certified or licensed practitioner with experience and training in the area of the disability; or

b. A licensed or certified professional for a specific eligibility category.

INITIAL EVALUATIONS

The LEA must conduct a full individual and initial evaluation before the initial provision of special education and related services to the child with a disability.

The initial evaluation must consist of procedures to determine:a. Whether the child is a child with a disability; andb. The educational needs of the child.

TIMELINE FOR CONDUCTING INITIAL EVALUATIONS

A written report of an initial evaluation must be completed as follows:a. Not later than the 45th school day following the date on which the local educational agency

receives written consent for the evaluation from the child’s parent; orb. For children under five years of age by September 1 of the school year and not enrolled in public

school and for children enrolled in a private or homeschool setting, not later than the 45th school day following the date on which the LEA receives written consent for the evaluation from the child’s parent; but

c. If, the LEA received consent for the evaluation from the child’s parent at least 35 but less than 45 school days before the last instructional day of the year;

i. The evaluation report must be provided to the parent not later than June 30 of that year; orii. If the child was absent from school three or more days between the time that the LEA

received written consent and the last instructional day of the school year, the evaluation report must be completed not later than the 45th school day following the date on which thee LEA received written consent plus the number of school days the child was absent.

If the child was in the process of being evaluated for special education eligibility by an LEA and enrolls in another LEA before the previous LEA completed the initial evaluation, the new LEA must coordinate with the previous LEA as necessary and as expeditiously as possible to ensure a prompt completion of the evaluation.

School day does not include a day that falls after the last instructional day of the spring school term and before the first instructional day of the subsequent fall term.

The child is considered absent for the school day if the child is not in attendance at the school’s official attendance taking time or at the alternate attendance taking time set for that child.

The child is considered in attendance if the child is off campus participating in an activity that is approved by the school board and is under the direction of a professional staff member of the LEA, or an adjunct staff member who has a minimum of a bachelor’s degree and is eligible for participation in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas.

EVALUATION PROCEDURES

In conducting the evaluation, the LEA must use a variety of assessment tools and strategies to gather relevant functional, developmental, and academic information, including information provided by the parent that may assist in determining:

a. Whether the child is a child with a disability; and

b. The content of the child’s individualized education program, including information related to enabling the child to be involved in and progress in the general education curriculum, or for the preschool child, to participate in appropriate activities.

In conducting the evaluation, the LEA must:a. Not use any single measure or assessment as the sole criterion for determining whether the child

is child with a disability and for determining an appropriate educational program for the child; and

b. Use technically sound instruments that may assess the relative contribution of cognitive and behavioral factors, in addition to physical or developmental factors.

The LEA must ensure that:a. Assessments and other evaluation materials used to assess the child are:

i. Selected and administered so as not to be discriminatory on a racial or cultural basis;ii. Provided and administered:

a). In the child’s native language or other mode of communication; andb). In the form most likely to yield accurate information on what the child knows and can do academically, developmentally, and functionally, unless it is not feasible to so provide or administer;

iii.Used for the purposes for which the assessments or measures are valid and reliable;iv.Administered by trained and knowledgeable personnel; andv. Administered in accordance with any instructions provided by the producer of the

assessments;b. Assessments and other evaluation materials include those tailored to assess specific areas of

educational need and not merely those that are designed to provide a single general intelligence quotient;

c. Assessments are selected and administered so as to best ensure that if an assessment is administered to a child with impaired sensory, manual, or speaking skills, the assessment results accurately reflect the child’s aptitude or achievement level or whatever other factors the test purports to measure, rather than reflecting the child’s impaired sensory, manual, or speaking skills (unless those are the skills the test purports to measure);

d. The child is assessed in all areas of suspected disability, including, if appropriate, health, vision, hearing, social and emotional status, general intelligence, academic performance, communicative status, and motor abilities;

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

f. Assessment tools and strategies that provide relevant information that directly assists persons in determining the educational needs of the child are provided; and

g. It implements assessment procedures that differentiate between language proficiency and disability.

3. Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance

The admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) committee must provide a statement of the child’s present levels of academic achievement.

The ARD committee must provide a statement of the child’s present level of functional performance.

The ARD committee’s present levels statement must include:i. How the child’s disability affects the child’s involvement and progress in the general education

curriculum; orii. How the disability affects the preschool child’s participation in appropriate activities.

4. Documentation and Timelines

a. The assessment professional will summarize pertinent findings from all assessments in the Full and Individual Evaluation and will document the members of the team as participants in the evaluation (all signatures are not required on the FIE.). The district has developed a template for the FIE which outlines the required areas and discussion to be reported.

b. The assessment professional will place all summaries and supporting data in the student’s eligibility folder in the campus special services (audit) files.

c. The assessment professional will verify that there is an evaluation report for each related service for which the student has been considered.

d. For initial evaluations the assessment professional will review the results of the evaluation with the parent prior to the ARD in a face-to-face meeting when possible. For reevaluations a face-to-face meeting may not be necessary; however, the results of the evaluation should be reviewed prior to the ARD, including a written report for the parent to review.

e. The ARD Committee shall make its decisions regarding students referred for a full and individual initial evaluation within 30 calendar days from the date of the completion of the written full and individual initial evaluation report. If the 30th day falls during the summer and school is not in session, the ARD Committee shall have until the first day of classes in the fall to finalize decisions concerning the eligibility determination, the IEP, and the placement, unless the full and individual initial evaluation indicates that the student will need extended school year (ESY) services during that summer. If the 30th day falls on a weekend, holiday, or teacher work day, the ARD Committee will meet before the 30th day.

Section C: EVALUATION GUIDELINES

Learning Disability Evaluation Guidelines

An assessment for a Specific Learning Disability may be conducted when there is significant indication that a student exhibits characteristics of that disability.

In most cases, prior to initial referral, the Diagnostician/LSSP will have participated as a member of student support and/or RtI team to aid in planning and implementation of interventions and data collection.

An evaluation to assess for a Learning Disability can be requested by an ARD Committee/IEP Team or a child study team. A Learning Disability evaluation requested by the CORE Team would be part of an initial evaluation and, therefore, must include all required elements of the FIE. An ARD Committee/IEP Team requesting a Learning Disability evaluation will consider each area of the FIE to determine the need for additional or updated information in each area. (Documentation of that review of data, discussion, and decisions shall be reflected in the Review of Existing Evaluation Data (REED)). If the child study team or ARD Committee/IEP Team is aware of outside service providers knowledgeable about the student’s needs, they should, at the time Consent for Assessment is requested also request Consent for Release of Information for those service providers .

The multi-disciplinary team conducting the evaluation includes, but is not limited to, the child’s general education teacher, or if the child does not have a general education teacher, a general education teacher qualified to teach a child of his/her age, at least one person qualified to conduct individual diagnostic examinations (an LSSP, Educational Diagnostician, or another licensed or certified practitioner with experience and training in the area of the disability). The resulting report should present a coherent rationale to either support or negate a recommendation for special education eligibility as a student with a specific learning disability and rule out alternative educational disorders and environmental explanations for the student’s observed behavioral and/or academic difficulties.

The following are required components of a Full and Individual Evaluation to assess for the presence of a Learning Disability:

1. Reason for Referral● Includes a brief account of academic and/or behavioral concerns

2. Sources of Data● All tests and evaluation measures should be listed● Dates can be included here or embedded within the report

3. Sociological● Family History

o Discuss parent information form, information from parent interviews, and relevant family information

● Educational Historyo Include, as appropriate, school history, previous assessment results, moves/transfers,

discipline records, previous/current grades, attendance, state assessment, promotion/retention, information from teacher information forms/interviews, data from interventions attempted and results, data from modifications/accommodations previously and currently being used, and previous educational services

4. Test Conditions and Behaviors● Discuss, as appropriate, any relevant behavior that impacted standard administration of the

evaluation measures. Discuss the child’s response to evaluation procedures, and indicate whether the evaluation is considered an accurate reflection of the child’s current abilities

5. Language/Communication● Discuss, as appropriate, language dominance, mode of communication, and level of receptive

and expressive language skills.6. Physical/Developmental/Medical

● Include information from the student’s parents, school nurse, and physician, as appropriate● Discuss vision, hearing, and relevant developmental history. ● Include, as appropriate, information regarding developmental milestones, sleep patterns,

medication, significant health history, any observations related to the child’s health status, information concerning fine and gross motor skills, and the need for adapted PE.

7. Emotional/Behavioral/Social Functioning● Must include an observation in the child’s learning environment to document the child’s

academic performance and behavior in the area(s) of disability. ● Include information from parent and teacher(s).

8. Academic Achievement/Educational Performance Levels● Discuss teacher based assessments including curriculum-based assessment and criterion-

referenced assessment. ● Discuss assessment results from standardized achievement tests and discuss impact on

educational instruction.9. Intellectual/Cognitive Functioning

● Utilizing standardized intellectual measures and an integrated approach from cognitive models/Cross-Battery Assessment, identify student abilities across the seven broad processing areas as well as additional narrow ability areas that are considered important in understanding and predicting school achievement and specific areas of achievement related to the target area(s) of concern.

10. Adaptive Behavior● Discuss, as appropriate, information pertaining to adaptive behavior skills (may be from

direct observations, parent/teacher report, and/or standardized measures)11. Assistive Technology

● Consider, as appropriate, the student’s assistive technology needs12. Post-Secondary Transition

● Discuss, as appropriate, post-secondary transition13. Conclusions:

● The documentation of determination of eligibility must contain a statement of:o Whether the child has a specific learning disability;o The relevant behavior, if any, noted during the observation of the child and the

relationship of that behavior to the child’s academic functioning;o The educationally relevant medical findings, if any;o Whether the child has not achieved adequately for the child’s age or to meet state-

approved grade-level standards;o Whether the child exhibits a pattern of strengths and weaknesses in performance,

achievement, or both, relative to age, state-approved grade-level standards or intellectual development;

o The determination of the group that its findings are not the primary result of a visual, hearing, or motor disability; intellectual disability; emotional disturbance; cultural factors; environmental or economic disadvantage; or limited English proficiency on the child’s achievement level; and

o Whether the child has participated in a process that assesses the child’s response to scientific, research-based intervention

● Conclusions should include consideration of educational need for services14. Recommendations

● Include recommendation for ARD committee regarding eligibility● Include, as appropriate, instructional, behavioral, and environmental recommendations

15. Assurances● The multidisciplinary team assures that the testing, evaluation materials and procedures used

for the purposes of evaluation were selected and administered so as not to be racially or culturally discriminatory.

● The multidisciplinary team assures that the tests and other evaluation materials have been validated for the specific purpose for which they were used.

● Technically sound and current instruments were used in the evaluation process.

● The multidisciplinary team assures that the tests and other evaluation materials were administered by trained personnel in conformance with the instructions provided by their producers.

o If test standardization was broken, a statement of why & what was changed needs to be included in the body of the report and also reflected in the assurances with this statement: Where test standardization has been compromised, explanations are provided in the appropriate sections of the report.

● The multidisciplinary team assures that more than one procedure was used for determining whether a student has a disability and for determining an appropriate educational program for the student.

16. Signatures

Psychological Evaluation for Assessment of Autism Evaluation Guidelines

A referral for an autism evaluation may be indicated when a child exhibits significant behavioral characteristics of autism. A student with a diagnosis from an outside agency of autism should also be evaluated to determine the need for special education eligibility and educational needs.

When children exhibit characteristics consistent with Autism but have been diagnosed with a medical condition (e.g., Fragile X), the multidisciplinary team must do a differential diagnosis to determine whether the characteristics are a result of the medical condition. If so, OHI is the appropriate eligibility.

Referral Process:a. Private Diagnosis: A child may enter the school district with a diagnosis of Autism or an

Autism Spectrum Disorder. If this occurs, it is important that the ARD Committee thoroughly reviews the private report and addresses suggested interventions. A referral for an autism evaluation through the school district is frequently necessary for the following reasons:

i. Private diagnoses may not provide the information required to adequately program educationally for children with Autism. Therefore, evaluations through the school district are required to obtain information regarding educational programming.

ii. Criteria for eligibility under TEA as a student with Autism are not met.b. During the initial evaluation process or at any time that the child’s teachers/evaluators begin to

suspect an autism spectrum disorder, the following occurs:i. If the child does not have an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis, it is essential that

the campus consult with Humble ISD staff (facilitators, SLPs, Diagnosticians, and/or LSSPs) prior to the referral for an autism evaluation.

ii. Once a referral for an autism evaluation is made, the following members must be active participants on the multidisciplinary team:

a) LSSPb) LSSP/Educational Diagnosticianc) Speech/Language Pathologist

iii. If a portion of the evaluation was completed previously (e.g., Speech/Language Evaluation), the evaluator still remains an essential member of the multidisciplinary

team and should participate in the evaluation and contribute to the integrated report. The Autism Evaluation Report must be an integrated report to include each component of the assessment (psychoeducational, psychological, and speech/language).

iv. An initial step in the autism evaluation is to meet together with the assessment team to plan for all areas of the evaluation (sociological, physical/medical, speech/language-communication, intellectual/developmental, adaptive behavior, education performance levels/academic achievement, emotional/behavioral/social, assistive technology, and special assessments (functional behavioral assessment, in-home/parent training, vocational/transition, etc.). The team should identify procedures/tests to be used in each area, identify the person(s) responsible for

collecting the data, set a date for a follow-up meeting to review the data, and make plans as to how the report will be integrated into one report. The resulting report should present a coherent rationale to either support or negate a recommendation for special education eligibility as a student with autism and rule out alternative educational disorders and environmental explanations for the student’s observed behavioral and/or academic difficulties.

If the Child Study Team or ARD Committee/IEP Team is aware of outside service providers knowledgeable about the student’s needs, they should, at the time Consent for Assessment is requested also request Consent for Release of Information for those service providers .

For any psychological evaluation, if an assessment is recommended and upon parent request, provide the name and type of test and how it will be used to develop an appropriate IEP.

The following are required components of a psychological evaluation to assess for the presence of an autism spectrum disorder:








evaluation measures. Discuss the child’s response to evaluation procedures, and indicate whether the evaluation is considered an accurate reflection of the child’s current abilities.

5. Language/Communication● Discuss language dominance, mode of communication, level of receptive and expressive

language skills, pragmatic language skills, fluency, articulation, and tone. ● Include assessment from speech/language evaluation which should discuss communication

skills as assessed by adaptive measures. ● Incorporate preferred communication mode used in the home and school and observations of

communicative functioning. ● The emphasis on pragmatic/social language skills is critical as scores on standard language

tests may not accurately reflect the deficit.6. Physical/Developmental/Medical


medication, significant health history, and any observations related to the child’s health

status. ● Discuss, as appropriate, visual motor integration, fine motor assessment from adaptive scales,

gross motor from adaptive scales, observations concerning fine and gross motor skills, the need for adapted PE, and include any current occupational or physical therapy results.




● Discuss assessment results from intelligence tests and discuss impact on educational instruction.

9. Adaptive Behavior● Discuss overall adaptive assessment results on standardized measures as well as observations

of adaptive behavior in the home/school settings (may be from direct observation and/or parent/teacher report)

10. Emotional/Behavioral/Social Functioning● Observations

o Should be across a variety of times/settingso Should include structured and unstructured observationso Data should be collected on both target student and peer behaviors to provide a normative

standard of comparison● Interviews/Information Forms

o Parento Teacher(s) and other school personnelo Student (interview or exploration/play-based assessment – as appropriate)o External agents (i.e., private service providers, MHMR, etc.), as appropriate

● Broad Band Rating Scaleso Teacher(s)o Parento Student (if appropriate)

● Narrow Band Rating Scales as needed o Teacher(s)o Parento Student (if appropriate)

● Specialized Instruments, as appropriate ● Functional Behavioral Assessment, if appropriate

o Identify behaviors that significantly impact educational performance, including thorough baseline information (e.g., setting, frequency, latency, duration, etc.)

o Identify whether or not a behavior intervention plan is recommended and, if so, identify target behaviors for the BIP

o Identify antecedents/consequences to the target behaviorso Identify hypothesized function of the target behaviorso Identify recommended replacement behaviors

11. Assistive Technology● Consider the student’s assistive technology needs

12. Post-Secondary Transition● Discuss, as appropriate, post-secondary transition

13. Conclusions:● Using TEA criteria, discuss presence/absence of symptoms including supporting information

from standardized assessment results, observations, interviews, and direct child interactions● Conclusions should include consideration of educational need for services

14. Recommendations● Include recommendation for ARD committee regarding eligibility● Include, as appropriate, instructional, behavioral, and environmental recommendations● If the student is found to be a student with an autism spectrum disorder, the

recommendations should address all areas contained in the AU Supplement, including in-home training, parent training, and futures training




● Technically sound and current instruments were used in the evaluation process.● The multidisciplinary team assures that the tests and other evaluation materials were

administered by trained personnel in conformance with the instructions provided by their producers.



16. Signatures

If at any time during the evaluation process, the evaluator encounters difficulty obtaining required information, such as completed rating scales, it is the responsibility of the LSSP to persistently pursue the acquisition of the information in order to stay within legal timelines of the assessment/ARD. Please contact the ESS office if assistance/consultation is needed.

Transfer Students or Evaluations Conducted Outside the District:

When a student transfers into the district with an Autism eligibility, that evaluation must be reviewed to determine if it meets TEA criteria. The LSSP will review the existing evaluation data presented. If the evaluation reviewed appears to meet TEA criteria for Autism eligibility and the ARD Committee minutes reflect discussion and acceptance, an eligibility statement should be completed. If the data is incomplete, the ARD Committee must address what additional data will need to be collected and whether an addendum to the existing evaluation will be written or if a new evaluation in its entirety will be conducted.

Psychological Evaluation for Assessment of Emotional Disturbance Evaluation Guidelines

In most cases, prior to initial referral, the LSSP will have participated as a member of student support and/or RtI team to aid in planning and implementation of interventions and data collection.

Psychological Evaluations can be requested by either an ARD Committee/IEP Team or Child Study Team. A psychological evaluation requested by the Child Study Team would be part of an initial evaluation and,

therefore, must include all required elements of the FIE, including assessment of intellectual and academic functioning. An ARD Committee/IEP Team requesting just a psychological evaluation should consult with the campus LSSP to determine the need for additional or updated intellectual and academic testing. (Documentation of that review of data, discussion, and decisions shall be reflected in the Assessment Planning Supplement). If the Child Study Team or ARD Committee/IEP Team is aware of outside service providers knowledgeable about the student’s needs, they should, at the time Consent for Assessment is requested also request Consent for Release of Information for those service providers .

When an ARD Committee/IEP team considers whether or not to refer for an ED evaluation (psychological evaluation), several options should be reviewed/discussed and documented.

1. Would consultation with the LSSP or other professionals potentially be effective in addressing the problem?

2. Would a BIP address the concern? If yes, consider planning for a Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) (or update an existing one) as an FBA is required prior to developing a BIP.

3. Would other district resources effectively improve classroom performance/address the behaviors of concern?

4. What measures have been tried for a sufficient period of time, in a consistent manner, and what has been the impact on the behavior?


A Licensed Specialist in School Psychology (LSSP) is responsible for conducting the psychological evaluation. The resulting report should present a coherent rationale to either support or negate a recommendation for special education eligibility as a student with an emotional disturbance and rule out alternative educational disorders and environmental explanations for the student’s observed behavioral and/or academic difficulties.

When a psychological evaluation is occurring concurrently with additional testing, the recommended practice is for the data from the psychological evaluation to be integrated within the body of the student’s FIE. If the psychological evaluation will stand alone, then the psychological evaluation must include a summary of the student’s previous evaluations and current functioning levels.

The following are required components of a psychological evaluation to assess for the presence of an emotional disturbance:






discipline records, previous/current grades, attendance, state assessment, promotion/retention, information from teacher information forms/interviews, data from interventions attempted and results, data from modifications/accommodations previously

and currently being used, and previous educational services4. Test Conditions and Behaviors

● Discuss, as appropriate, any relevant behavior that impacted standard administration of the evaluation measures. Discuss the child’s response to evaluation procedures, and indicate whether the evaluation is considered an accurate reflection of the child’s current abilities

● If the psychological evaluation is not being conducted as part of a full and individual evaluation, then this information may be found in the Emotional/Behavioral section.


and expressive language skills.● If the psychological evaluation is not being conducted as part of a full and individual

evaluation, then this information may be found in the Educational History section. 6. Physical/Developmental/Medical


medication, significant health history, any observations related to the child’s health status, information concerning fine and gross motor skills, and need for adapted PE.

● If the psychological evaluation is not being conducted as part of a full and individual evaluation, then this information may be found in the Emotional/Behavioral section.



educational instruction.● If the psychological evaluation is not being conducted as part of a full and individual

evaluation, then this information may be found in the Educational History section. 8. Intellectual/Cognitive Functioning

● Discuss assessment results from intelligence tests and discuss impact on educational instruction.

● If the psychological evaluation is not being conducted as part of a full and individual evaluation, then this information may be found in the Educational History section.

9. Adaptive Behavior● Discuss, as appropriate, information pertaining to adaptive behavior skills (may be from

direct observations, parent/teacher report, and/or standardized measures)● If the psychological evaluation is not being conducted as part of a full and individual

evaluation, then this information may be found in the Educational History section.10. Emotional/Behavioral/Social Functioning

● Observationso Should be across a variety of times/settingso Should include structured and unstructured observationso Data should be collected on both target student and peer behaviors to provide a normative


o Parento Teacher(s) and other school personnelo Studento External agents (i.e., private service providers, MHMR, etc.), as appropriate

● Broad Band Rating Scales

o Teacher(s)o Parento Student (if appropriate)

● Narrow Band Rating Scaleso Teacher(s)o Parento Student (if appropriate)

● Functional Behavioral Assessment, if appropriateo Identify behaviors that significantly impact educational performance, including thorough

baseline information (e.g., setting, frequency, latency, duration, etc.)o Identify whether or not a behavior intervention plan is recommended and, if so, identify

target behaviors for the BIPo Identify antecedents/consequences to the target behaviorso Identify hypothesized function of the target behaviorso Identify recommended replacement behaviors

11. Assistive Technology● Consider, as appropriate, the student’s assistive technology needs


13. Conclusions:● Conclusions should address all five areas of an emotional disturbance, explaining why each

criterion is or is not met● Conclusions should include consideration of educational need for services

14. Recommendations● Include recommendation for ARD committee regarding eligibility● Include, as appropriate, instructional, behavioral, and environmental recommendations● If counseling as a related service is being recommended (as it appears that counseling as a

related service is necessary in order for the student to benefit from the IEP), include in the recommendation: ●Duration of the service in terms of frequency and amount of time per session

● Specification of direct, indirect, or both forms of counseling services

● Suggested goals to support the IEP15. Assurances

● The multidisciplinary team assures that the testing, evaluation materials and procedures used for the purposes of evaluation were selected and administered so as not to be racially or culturally discriminatory.





● The multidisciplinary team assures that more than one procedure was used for determining whether a student has a disability and for determining an appropriate educational program for

the student.16. Signatures

If at any time during the evaluation process, the evaluator encounters difficulty obtaining required information, such as completed rating scales, it is the responsibility of the LSSP to persistently pursue the acquisition of the information in order to stay within legal timelines of the assessment/ARD. Please contact the ESS office if assistance/consultation is needed.

Transfer Students or Evaluations Conducted Outside the District:When a student transfers into the district with an Emotional Disturbance eligibility or if the student returns from a hospital or other placement with a psychological evaluation, that evaluation must be reviewed to determine if it meets TEA criteria. The LSSP will review the existing evaluation data presented. If the evaluation reviewed appears to meet TEA criteria for Emotional Disturbance eligibility and the ARD Committee minutes reflect discussion and acceptance, an eligibility statement should be completed. If the data is incomplete, the ARD Committee must address what additional data will need to be collected and whether an addendum to the existing evaluation will be written or if a new evaluation in its entirety will be conducted.

ADHD Evaluation Guidelines

An OHI/ADHD evaluation may be conducted when there is significant indication that a student exhibits characteristics of that disability.

In most cases, prior to initial referral, the LSSP will have participated as a member of student support and/or RtI team to aid in planning and implementation of interventions and data collection.

ADHD Evaluations can be requested by either an ARD Committee/IEP Team or Child Study Team. An ADHD evaluation requested by the Child Study Team would be part of an initial evaluation and, therefore, must include all required elements of the FIE, including assessment of intellectual and academic functioning. An ARD Committee/IEP Team requesting just an ADHD evaluation should consult with the campus LSSP to determine the need for additional or updated intellectual and academic testing. As evaluations involving a medical diagnosis, including ADHD, require input from a physician, the ARD Committee/IEP Team or Child Study Team should at the time Consent for Assessment is requested also request Consent for Release of Information for the student’s physician(s) .

When an ARD Committee/IEP team considers whether or not to refer for an ADHD evaluation, several options should be reviewed/discussed and documented.

1. Would consultation with the LSSP or other professionals potentially be effective in addressing the problem?

2. Would a BIP address the concern? If yes, consider planning for a Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) (or update an existing one) as an FBA is required prior to developing a BIP.

3. Would other district resources effectively improve classroom performance/address the behaviors of concern?

4. What measures have been tried for a sufficient period of time, in a consistent manner, and what has been the impact on the behavior?


The Licensed Specialist in School Psychology (LSSP) is responsible for conducting the ADHD Evaluation. The resulting report should present a coherent rationale to either support or negate a recommendation for special education eligibility for Other Health Impaired due to ADHD and rule out alternative educational disorders and environmental explanations for the student’s observed behavioral and/or academic difficulties.

When an ADHD evaluation is occurring concurrently with additional testing, the recommended practice is for the data from the ADHD evaluation to be integrated within the body of the student’s FIE. If the ADHD evaluation will stand alone, then the ADHD evaluation must include a summary of the student’s previous evaluations and current functioning levels.

The following are required components of an ADHD Evaluation:









● If the ADHD evaluation is not being conducted as part of a full and individual evaluation, then this information may be found in the Emotional/Behavioral section.


and expressive language skills.● If the ADHD evaluation is not being conducted as part of a full and individual evaluation,

then this information may be found in the Educational History section. 6. Physical/Developmental/Medical

● Include information from the student’s parents, school nurse, and physician● UPON RECEIPT OF ADHD REFERRAL, SUBMIT TO PHYSICIAN THE MEDICAL HISTORY

CHECKLIST (Ensure Consent for Release of Information has been obtained). The Medical History Checklist should be sent directly to the physician’s office.

● Discuss vision, hearing, and relevant developmental history. ● Include, as appropriate, information regarding developmental milestones, sleep patterns,


● If the ADHD evaluation is not being conducted as part of a full and individual evaluation,

then this information may be found in the Emotional/Behavioral section.7. Academic Achievement/Educational Performance Levels

● Discuss teacher based assessments including curriculum-based assessment and criterion-referenced assessment.

● Discuss assessment results from standardized achievement tests and discuss impact on educational instruction.

● If the ADHD evaluation is not being conducted as part of a full and individual evaluation, then this information may be found in the Educational History section.

8. Intellectual/Cognitive Functioning● Discuss assessment results from intelligence tests and discuss impact on educational

instruction.● If the ADHD evaluation is not being conducted as part of a full and individual evaluation,

then this information may be found in the Educational History section.9. Adaptive Behavior

● Discuss, as appropriate, information pertaining to adaptive behavior skills (may be from direct observations, parent/teacher report, and/or standardized measures)

● If the ADHD evaluation is not being conducted as part of a full and individual evaluation, then this information may be found in the Educational History section.

10. Emotional/Behavioral/Social Functioning● Observations

o Should be across a variety of times/settingso Should include structured and unstructured observationso Data should be collected on both target student and peer behaviors to provide a normative


o Parento Teacher(s) and other school personnelo Studento External agents (i.e., private service providers, MHMR, etc.), as appropriate

● Broad-Band Rating Scales (such as the BASC-II or the Conners CBRS)o Teacher(s)o Parento Student (if appropriate)

● Narrow Band Rating Scales ● Teacher(s)

o Parento Student (if appropriate)

● Functional Behavioral Assessment, if appropriateo Identify behaviors that significantly impact educational performance, including thorough

baseline information (e.g., setting, frequency, latency, duration, etc.)o Identify whether or not a behavior intervention plan is recommended and, if so, identify

target behaviors for the BIPo Identify antecedents/consequences to the target behaviorso Identify hypothesized function of the target behaviorso Identify recommended replacement behaviors



13. Conclusions:● Include brief integrated results of data collected● Conclusions may include the following:

o A statement indicating that characteristics consistent with a diagnosis of ADHD are present across settings, that the student demonstrates an educational need for special education services, and a recommendation that the ARD committee consider OHI eligibility.

o A statement indicating that the student does not exhibit characteristics consistent with a diagnosis of ADHD or is not currently demonstrating an educational need for special education services.

o Other. Please specify.14. Recommendations









16. Signatures

If concluding data indicates that characteristics consistent with a diagnosis of ADHD are present and that the recommendation will be for the ARD committee to consider OHI eligibility:

● If the Medical History Checklist received from the physician documents the condition of ADHD and

indicates educational impact, then no further action is necessary

● If the student does not have a previous diagnosis of ADHD, then immediately complete the Summary

of Findings for Physician form and fax to the student’s physician, along with the Documentation of Medical Condition form and Consent for Release of Records, therefore allowing sufficient time for the paperwork to be returned.

In some cases, a student will not have a regular physician or has a need to utilize the district contracted physician. Determine this at the time Consent for Assessment and Consent for Release of Information are requested. In these cases, all team members must expedite the evaluation process and immediately upon completion of gathering data request a Child Study Team review. Submit to the DPS office professional the CST Request and the Summary of Findings for Physician forms.

If at any time during the evaluation process, the evaluator encounters difficulty obtaining required information, such as completed rating scales or physician information, it is the responsibility of the LSSP to persistently pursue the acquisition of the information in order to stay within legal timelines of the assessment/ARD. Please contact the ESS office if assistance/consultation is needed.

Transfer Students or Evaluations Conducted Outside the District:When a student transfers into the district with an Other Health Impaired eligibility due to ADHD, that evaluation must be reviewed to determine if it meets TEA criteria. The LSSP will review the existing evaluation data presented. If the evaluation reviewed appears to meet TEA criteria for OHI/ADHD eligibility and the ARD Committee minutes reflect discussion and acceptance, an eligibility statement should be completed. If the data is incomplete, the ARD Committee must address what additional data will need to be collected and whether an addendum to the existing evaluation will be written or if a new evaluation in its entirety will be conducted. Intellectual Disability Evaluation Guidelines

An assessment for Intellectual Disability may be conducted when there is significant indication that a student exhibits characteristics of that disability.

Prior to initial referral, the Diagnostician/LSSP may have participated as a member of student support and/or RtI team to aid in planning and implementation of interventions and data collection. However, when the eligibility of Intellectual Disability is suspected, intervention supports should occur concurrently with the special education evaluation.

An evaluation to assess for Intellectual Disability can be requested by either an ARD Committee/IEP Team or Child Study Team. An Intellectual Disability evaluation requested by the Child Study Team would be part of an initial evaluation and, therefore, must include all required elements of the FIE. An ARD Committee/IEP Team requesting an Intellectual Disability evaluation will consider each area of the FIE to determine the need for additional or updated information in each area. (Documentation of that review of data, discussion, and decisions shall be reflected in the Review of Existing Evaluation Data (REED). If the Child Study Team or ARD Committee/IEP Team is aware of outside service providers knowledgeable about the student’s needs, they should, at the time Consent for Assessment is requested also request Consent for Release of Information for those service providers.

The multi-disciplinary team conducting the evaluation includes a licensed or certified practitioner with experience and training in the area of intellectual disability. The resulting report should present a coherent rationale to either support or negate a recommendation for special education eligibility as a student with a specific learning disability and rule out alternative educational disorders and environmental explanations for the student’s observed behavioral and/or academic difficulties.

The following are required components of a Full and Individual Evaluation to assess for the presence of Intellectual Disability:



3. Sociological

● Family History o Discuss parent information form, information from parent interviews, and relevant

family information● Educational History

o Include, as appropriate, school history, previous assessment results, moves/transfers, discipline records, previous/current grades, attendance, state assessment, promotion/retention, information from teacher information forms/interviews, data from interventions attempted and results, data from modifications/accommodations previously and currently being used, and previous educational services




and expressive language skills.6. Physical/Developmental/Medical



7. Emotional/Behavioral/Social Functioning ● Include information from parent and teachers




● Discuss assessment results from intelligence tests and discuss impact on educational instruction.10. Adaptive Behavior

● Discuss information pertaining to adaptive behavior skills ● Include data from direct observations, parent and teacher report, and standardized measures



13. Conclusions:● Include brief integrated results of data collected, including results of standardized measure of

cognitive ability, academic achievement data, and data from measures of adaptive behavior functioning

● Conclusions should include consideration of educational need for services14. Recommendations



for the purposes of evaluation were selected and administered so as not to be racially or

culturally discriminatory.● The multidisciplinary team assures that the tests and other evaluation materials have been

validated for the specific purpose for which they were used.● Technically sound and current instruments were used in the evaluation process.● The multidisciplinary team assures that the tests and other evaluation materials were




16. Signatures

Section D: REEVALUATIONS

The LEA must ensure that a reevaluation of each child with a disability is conducted:i. If the LEA determines the educational or related service needs, including improved academic

achievement and functional performance, of the child warrant a reevaluation;ii. If a reevaluation is requested by the child’s parents or teacher; oriii. Before determining that the child is no longer a child with a disability.

A reevaluation must occur:i. Not more frequently than once a year, unless the parent and the LEA agree otherwise; andii. At least once every three years, unless the parent and the LEA agree that a reevaluation is

unnecessary.

An evaluation must be included as part of the summary of performance for a child graduating under certain conditions.

An evaluation is not required before the termination of the child’s eligibility due to exceeding the age eligibility for a free appropriate public education under state law.

The scope of a reevaluation for the child with a visual impairment must be determined by a multidisciplinary team that includes a certified orientation and mobility specialist.

Specific information should be included from a variety of sources for each of the areas required for the FIE: health, vision, hearing, social, emotional/behavioral status, cognitive functioning, academic performance, communicative status, motor abilities, adaptive behavior, and assistive technology.

ii. The assessment professional schedules the review of the data. Parental consent is NOT required for a review of the data. This may be a formal ARD meeting, an informal staffing, phone conference, or other methods as long as the following occurs:a) documentation of the data reviewed; andb) all required IEP members participate and discuss the data including the parent. Following are the considerations for the team:

o What is the history of assessment?

o Has there been a thorough evaluation conducted previously?o Review existing evaluation data including last assessment.o How long ago was the last complete evaluation?o What special education services is the student receiving, for how long?

Are significant changes in placement/services being considered necessary?

o What is the nature of the disability?o What is the age of the student?o Review any evaluations and information from parents.o Consider information/observation provided by teachers and related

service providers.

iii. The IEP team determines that no additional evaluation will be performed:a) if the decision was reached in an ARD, document the specific eligibility and need

for services including related services. The Review of Existing Evaluation Data (REED) becomes the evaluation report and part of the ARD as well. The REED must contain specific data and discussion reviewed in all areas required by the FIE. A copy must be made to insert into the evaluation section of the student’s audit file, along with a new eligibility statement.

b) if the decision was made outside an ARD, an ARD must be convened to formally accept the decision and eligibility.

c) in either case, the parent needs to be notified of both the determination and reasons given for no additional data needed and their right to request an evaluation.

v. If additional evaluation is requested, the “Notice of Full and Individual Evaluation” is completed. The parent is given a copy of the Procedural Safeguards. An ARD is convened when the evaluation is completed. The additional evaluation requested, the written report and the ARD MUST be completed by the re-evaluation due date. a) If the parent fails to respond to the request for consent for re-evaluation, the

district may proceed with the evaluation IF there is clear documentation that the district has made reasonable efforts to obtain consent for the reevaluation. Reasonable efforts include detailed records of telephone calls made or attempted and the results of those calls, copies of correspondence sent to the parents and any responses received, and detailed records of visits made to the parent’s home or place of employment and the results of those visits and the parent still does not respond.

b) If the parent refuses to consent to the re-evaluation, the IEP team should attempt to come to consensus regarding what information is unconditionally necessary to answer the basic questions needed regarding eligibility and services. If the campus believes that formal assessment is the only avenue to providing FAPE, the district may pursue due process. Contact the ESS office for assistance in these situations.

b. Re-evaluation of LD eligibility

A student in special education must be re-evaluated at least every three years. Several considerations must be made when determining if there is a need for formal evaluation or if

a review of existing data is sufficient. The following should considered:1. What is the history of assessment?2. Has there been a thorough evaluation conducted previously?

a. At least two formal FIEs should be completed before considering a review of existing data.

b. Exception: a speech only (i.e. artic/fluency/voice), however, language must be considered informally.

3. Conduct a review of existing evaluation data including the last assessment.4. How long ago was the last complete evaluation? 5. Following a REED, the next re-evaluation should be formal assessment (i.e. you should not have

two consecutive REEDs). a. Exception: a speech only (i.e. artic/fluency/voice), however, language must be considered

informally.6. What special education services is the student receiving? How long has the student been

receiving special education services? Are significant changes in placement/services being recommended?

7. What is the nature of the disability?8. What is the age of the student? 9. Review evaluations and information provided by the parents.10. Consider information/observations provided by teachers and related services providers.11. Is additional data needed to determine:

a. Whether the child has or continues to have a disability;b. Whether the child is suspected of having an additional eligibility;c. The present levels of performance and educational needs of the child;d. Whether the child continues to need special education and related services; ande. Whether any additions or modifications are needed to enable the child to meet annual

goals and to participate in the general curriculum.

● No further formal assessment may be needed if:

a. The student is receiving significant special education services (continues to present an educational need)

b. The previous assessment was thoroughc. There is no other area of suspected LDd. There is sufficient data to make programming and placement decisions

●When consideration of dismissal from special education services is appropriate:

a. If the student is receiving minimal special education support and needs can be met through other means such as interventions in general education

b. Consider conducting formal assessmentc. If there is indisputable consistent data that there is no educational need for special

education services and there is no additional eligibility suspected, then an assessment planning supplement may be utilized as the evaluation

●Conduct formal assessment if:

a. The last two evaluations were a review of existing datab. The previous evaluation is not thoroughc. If additional areas of LD are suspected

●Use caution in determining that a child is no longer eligible.

●Carefully consider the child’s response to removal of supports.

● Examine whether the special education instruction has been appropriate and if so, whether such

evidence argues for continuation of LD eligibility.a. low level of service for a short period of time may mean the student is no longer

eligibleb. high level of service for a long period may mean the student could not be successful

without special education support

●Consider the student’s ability to meet the instructional demands of grade-level standards without

special education and related services.

c. Re-evaluation of Autism and Intellectual Disability

Autism and Intellectual Disability would probably be stable and may not require formal assessment. Use the general considerations listed in 5a.iii above to determine if formal assessment is needed. When eligibility is not in question, an FBA may be appropriate to aid in planning for educational needs.

d. Re-evaluation of Attention Deficit and Emotional Disturbance.

ADHD and ED eligibilities have more potential for change of how the disability affects the student’s educational programming and educational needs and therefore will likely need a full evaluation more frequently. Use the above considerations to aid in determining if formal assessment is needed.i. If utilizing the REED as the reevaluation, sufficient data must be included to determine continued eligibility and educational needs. Data should include:

o Discipline file datao Data on past and current behaviors, to include information from teachers and

parentso Behavioral data should include baseline information (e.g., setting, frequency,

latency, duration, etc.)o Data from interventions attempted and resultso Data from modifications/accommodations being usedo Discuss progress toward current behavior and social skills IEPso Discuss behaviors addressed on the current BIP and any changes

recommendedo Documented attempts should be made to gather updated medical information

from the physiciano For ED, identify the previous area of ED eligibility. Data should support this

criterion continuing to be met. ii. Conduct formal assessment if:

o The previous evaluation is not thorougho If another eligibility is suspected or if the student may meet criteria for an

additional/different area of ED eligibility iii. When consideration of dismissal from special education services is appropriate:

o If the student is receiving minimal special education support and needs can be met through other means such as interventions in general education

o Consider conducting formal assessmento If there is indisputable consistent data that there is no educational need for

special education services and there is no additional eligibility suspected, then an assessment planning supplement may be utilized as the evaluation

e. Re-evaluation of Speech Impairment

● Use the above considerations to aid in determining if formal assessment is needed.

● No further formal assessment may be needed if:

● The student’s area of disability lies within the speech domain (e.g., articulation, fluency, voice) and:

● There is no concern about any other areas within the speech/language domain. All areas of speech/language must be addressed in an FIE, whether formally or informally. Parent/teacher information, as well as reviews of grades, state assessments, DBA’s, etc should be considered.

▪ There is sufficient data to make programming and placement decisions.

● The area of disability lies within the language domain and:

▪ The previous assessment was comprehensive.

▪ Informal measures of language are adequate for programming and placement

decisions (Parent/teacher information, as well as reviews of grades, state assessments, DBA’s, data from therapy, etc).

● Conduct formal assessment if:

● The previous evaluation is not thorough.

● There is not sufficient data available for programming and placement decisions.

● Additional areas of disability within the speech/language domain are suspected.

Reminders:

●Remember to contact related service and other providers prior to the completion of the assessment

planning supplement

●When no additional formal assessment is needed and the Assessment/Evaluation Planning Supplement

will stand as the students 3-year reevaluation, the Assessment/Evaluation Planning Supplement (Re-evaluation FIE) must include thorough data in all areas of an FIE.

●A new eligibility form must be accepted/signed by the ARD committee at each three year reevaluation

period.

Requesting Additional Evaluationsi. If requesting an OT/PT, ADHD, Speech, Psychological, Assistive Technology, APE,

etc., evaluation, the appropriate assessment professional must participate in reviewing information and recommending the evaluation. This can be done without consent if the consultation involves reviewing records, existing data, or collaborating with the teacher.

ii. If evaluation is appropriate, the assessment professional (i.e., diagnostician, LSSP, or SLP) schedules a review of data to request the evaluation.a) The REED is used to document the data of the area in question.b) All required IEP members, including the parent, participate and discuss the data.

This discussion can be in an informal meeting, or can be held with different parts of the IEP team on different days as long as signatures are obtained on the REED.

c) If the discussion takes place during an ARD, the ARD signatures suffice. A date for the ARD is determined, which is typically within 60 calendar days. However, the ARD committee can and should consider what is appropriate for the student’s needs and type of assessment. Related service assessments requested to be completed during the summer are, by nature, inappropriate since related services personnel must have access to the child’s current educational environment to do the evaluation. Autism evaluations may take longer due to the severity of the student. If the ARD date is near school holidays, such as Thanksgiving or Christmas, extra time may be justified.

Section E: FIE ADDENDUM

An addendum may be considered to an FIE if 1. The previous FIE did not have sufficient data to make the necessary decisions regarding eligibility,

programming and/or placement.2. Additional information/data was received since the previous FIE which may affect eligibility,

programming and/or placement decisions.3. If the previous FIE is more than one year old, an addendum is not appropriate and a full individual

evaluation should be completed.

Section F: TRANSFER STUDENTS

TRANSMITTAL OF RECORDS

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act does not require the child’s new and previous LEA’s to obtain parental consent before requesting or sending the child’s special education records if the disclosure is for purposes related to the child’s enrollment or transfer.

To facilitate the transition for the child with a disability who transfers from one LEA to another:1. The new LEA in which the child enrolls must take reasonable steps to promptly obtain the child’s

record from the previous LEA in which the child was enrolled including:a. The individualized education program (IEP) and supporting documents; andb. Any other records relating to the provision of special education and related services to the

child;2. The previous LEA in which the child was enrolled must take reasonable steps to:

a. Promptly respond to such request from the new LEA by furnishing the new LEA with a copy of the child’s records including the child’s special education records:

i. Not later than the tenth working day after the date a request for information is received by the previous LEA

WHEN AN EVALUATION IS PENDING

If a child is in the process of being evaluated for special education eligibility and enrolls in a new LEA, the new LEA must coordinate with the previous LEA, as necessary and as expeditiously as possible, to ensure prompt completion of the initial evaluation.

If the child transfers from another LEA when an initial evaluation is pending, the timelines for conducting the evaluation apply to the new LEA unless:

1. The new LEA is making sufficient progress to ensure a prompt completion of the evaluation; and2. The parent and the new LEA agree to a specific time when the evaluation will be completed.

IEP FOR THE CHILD WHO TRANSFERS WITHIN THE STATE

If the child transfers to a new LEA in the same state within the same school year and the parents or the previous LEA verify that the child was receiving special education services in the previous LEA, the new LEA must, in consultation with the parents, provide the child with a free appropriate public education (FAPE) including services comparable to those described in the IEP from the previous LEA until the new LEA either:

1. Adopts the IEP from the previous LEA; or2. Develops, adopts and implements a new IEP.

The new LEA’s timeline for adopting the IEP from the previous LEA or developing, adopting, and implementing a new IEP is 30 school days from the date the child is verified as being eligible for special education services.

IEP FOR THE CHILD WHO TRANSFERS FROM OUTSIDE THE STATE

If the child transfers to a new LEA in another state within the same school year and the parents or the previous LEA verify that the child was receiving special education services in the previous LEA, the new LEA must, in consultation with the parents, provide the child with FAPE including services comparable to those described in the IEP from the previous LEA and the new LEA must:

● if the new LEA determines necessary, conduct an evaluation; or

● Within 30 school days from the date the child is verified as being a child eligible for special

education services:a. Develop a new IEP.

Section G: ONGOING ASSESSMENT

Assessment of students in special services is an ongoing process to determine student progress toward meeting objectives and toward making progress in the general education curriculum, as well as to ensure the appropriateness of the student's program. Classroom teachers assess student progress daily as part of the instructional program. These procedures are designed to ensure coordination between general and special services and that the student’s services are amended as needed. The screening of a student by a teacher or specialist to determine appropriate instructional strategies for curriculum implementation is NOT an evaluation for eligibility and does NOT require parental consent.

1. Review Student Progress Periodically

a. Not less than each grading period or more frequently if designated by ARD Committee, the special education case manager is responsible for:

i. Reviewing the child’s progress towards the goals/objectives adopted by the ARD Committee.

ii. Obtaining documentation from the classroom teacher that the required accommodations and modifications have been implemented.

iii. Determining if changes or adjustments may be needed in supports, modifications, IEP goals and objectives. If changes are needed, the case manager will notify the Educational Diagnostician/LSSP/SLP or CSTA that an ARD is needed.

b. Progress Reports must be sent to parents at the same interval agreed upon in the ARD meeting (not less than each grading period) and must include how the student is progressing toward the annual goal(s).

i. Every student in special education should receive a report card that resembles the general education report card that has a meaningful relationship between the annual goals and grading criteria.

ii. In addition to the report card, the service providers review and update the student's progress toward meeting goals and objectives and send a copy to parents at the specified reporting period. The case manager must keep updated goals/objectives (including report cards) in a file that can be accessed for auditing. A copy of updated objectives must be included in each annual ARD.

iii. If the child has failed the same content area course/class for one 9 week grading period with <40% or has failed a 9 week grading period plus the next progress report with >40%, review with the teacher responsible for providing the instructional services the reasons for the failure, documenting those reasons and ensuring that all supports/modifications put in place by the ARD Committee have been utilized. If there is evidence that the plans are insufficient for the student’s needs, the special services teacher should contact the Educational Diagnostician/LSSP to discuss whether an ARD should be convened. If there appears to be no need to change the ARD Committee’s accepted recommendations, the special services teacher may

convene a staffing to ensure that there is adequate understanding of the plans and the child’s needs.

Section H: SUMMARY OF PERFORMANCE (SOP)

Purpose: The summary of Performance (SOP) is required under the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 (IDEA 2004). The language as stated in IDEA 2004 regarding the SOP is as follows: For a child whose eligibility under special education terminates due to graduation from secondary school with a regular diploma, or due to exceeding the age of eligibility, the local education agency shall provide the child with a summary of the child’s academic achievement and functional performance which shall include recommendations on how to assist the child in meeting the child’s postsecondary goals.

The SOP, with accompanying documentation, is also critical as a student transitions from high school to higher education, training and/or employment. This information is necessary under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act to establish a student’s eligibility for reasonable accommodations and supports in postsecondary settings. It is also important for determining eligibility and programming for the Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services (DARS), Mental Health Mental Retardation Authority of Harris County (MHMRA), or any agency that requires documentation to provide services and/or reasonable accommodations for a student.

The SOP must be completed during the final year of a student’s high school education. The timing of completion of the SOP may vary depending on the student’s post-secondary goals. If a student is transitioning to higher education, the SOP, with accompanying documentation, may be necessary as the student applies to a college or university. Likewise, this information may be necessary as a student applies for services from DARS or MHMRA. In some instances, it may be most appropriate to wait until the spring of a student’s final year to provide an agency or employer the most updated information on the performance of the student.

1. Student Information (p. 3) – Complete this section as specified. Please note this section also requests that you provide copies of the most recent formal and informal assessment reports that document the student’s disability and provides information to assist in post-high school planning. Career goals for students should identify the post-school environment the student intends to transition to upon completion of their high school education.

2. Summary of Performances (pp. 3-6) – This section includes three critical areas of student performance: functional, academic, and cognitive. Next to each specified area, please check the appropriate box. Please list the accommodations, modifications, and assistive technology that were essential in high school to assist the student in making progress. If not applicable, please specify the reason (i.e., age-appropriate, skills mastered, etc.).

a. An Accommodation is defined as a support or service that is provided to help a student fully access the general education curriculum or subject matter. Students with impaired spelling or handwriting skills, for example, may be accommodated by a note taker or given permission to take class notes on a laptop computer. An accommodation does not change the content of what is being taught.

b. A Modification is defined as a change to the general education curriculum or other material being taught. Teaching strategies, for example, can be modified so that the material is presented differently and/or the expectations of what the student will master are changed.

c. Assistive Technology is defined as any device that helps a student with a disability function in a given environment but does not limit the device to “high-tech or costly” options. Assistive technology can also include simple devices such as laminated pictures for communication, removable highlighter tapes, Velcro, and other “low-tech” devices.

The completion of this section may require the input from a number of school personnel including the special education teacher, regular education teacher, school psychologist, or related services personnel. It is recommended that one individual be responsible for collecting the information required on the SOP.

3. Recommendations to Assist Student in Meeting Post-Secondary Goals (p. 6) – This section should describe any essential accommodations, modifications, assistive technology or general areas of need that students will require to be successful in a post-high school environment, including higher education, training, employment, independent living and/or community participation. If not applicable, please specify the reason (i.e., age-appropriate, skills mastered, etc.).

4. Student Input (Required) (p. 7) – Students are required to provide information related to this Summary of Performance. The student’s contribution can help (a) secondary professionals complete the summary, (b) the student to better understand the impact of his/her disability on academic and functional performance in the postsecondary setting, and (c) postsecondary personnel to more clearly understand the impact of the disability on this student. This section may be filled out independently by the student or completed with the student through an interview. Students in Life Skills or Applied Skills will need parental/guardian input to provide information for this section.

5. Evaluator: Signatures, titles and dates are required for those who provided information for this form.

Section I: EVALUATION BY RELATED SERVICE PERSONNEL

Related services are defined as “transportation and such developmental, corrective, and other supportive services as are required to assist a child with a disability to benefit from special education…”

1. Before a related service is specified in the IEP, a person qualified to provide that service must conduct an evaluation of the student to determine:

a. The student’s current competencies in the areas being assessed;b. Whether the student needs the service in order to benefit from instruction;c. What IEP goals and objectives would be appropriate for serving the student;

d. What levels and types of related services are necessary.

2. Except for initial evaluations, all related service evaluations must be requested by the IEP team through a review of data.

a. consultation with professionals to determine if a formal evaluation should be initiated is permissible without parent consent if:

i. The consultation involves working with the teacher regarding strategies.ii. The consultation involves reviewing records and student work samples or observing

in the classroom.iii. The consultation is a one-time student centered contact such as that which involves

equipment.iv. The consultation is not likely to result in a change in the child’s annual goals,

services, or the need for a BIP.

b. Once a consult is completed, the professional will communicate with the campus regarding whether evaluation is necessary. If no evaluation is necessary, suggestions may be implemented as part of educational methodology. If evaluation is recommended, the Assessment Planning Supplement must be completed and parental consent obtained.

c. If the requested evaluation is available through campus-based LSSP, the request may go directly to that person.

d. To request evaluation by personnel not campus based, i.e., VI, AI, OT, PT, and Adapted PE:

i. The Assessment Professional submits a completed “Request for Consultation” form to the special services central office.

ii. When OT or PT input is requested, the referring agent completes the “Request for Consultation” form and gives it to the Diagnostician. This information needs to state specifically what the problem is, how it is interfering with classroom performance, and the functional skill in question.

iii. The Diagnostician sends the completed “Request for Consultation” form to the designated office professional in the ISC building.

3. The need for counseling as a related service may be documented in several ways:

a. Evaluation conducted by district personnel:

i. “Written Report for Counseling as a Related Service,” is completed when a counseling evaluation only is conducted.

ii. The written Report of Evaluation for Emotional Disturbance addresses counseling needs. No additional documentation is required.

b. Evaluations conducted by personnel outside the district:

The psychological evaluation conducted outside the district must make specific recommendations for counseling as it relates to educational need. If the ARD Committee agrees with the evaluations, goals and objectives are written and no further documentation is required. If the information is missing or the ARD Committee disagrees, an evaluation is requested.

Note: Although the campus LSSP is responsible for Counseling as a Related Service Reports, general education counselors may, in some cases, be delivering these services.

4. No specific evaluation is required to provide special transportation as a related service; however, the ARD Committee must document the justification for special transportation on the ARD/IEP form in eSped.

Section K: ECI SUMMER EVALUATIONS

Any child referred for evaluation through ECI that is under the age of 3, MUST be evaluated and the ARD must be held by their third birthday, even if that date falls during the summer months. All referrals received up to two weeks before the closing of school should be screened by the home campus. Referrals received during the last two weeks of school may be referred to the district assessment team for summer screening and/or evaluation.

Section L: AUDITORY PROCESSING DISORDERS

1. Auditory Processing Disorders

a. Definition – From an auditory perspective an Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) is defined as an unexpected observed deficiency in one or more of the following auditory behaviors that is NOT manifested primarily as a result of a another global cognitive or developmental disorder.

i. Sound localization and lateralizationii. Auditory discriminationiii. Temporal aspects of auditioniv. Auditory pattern recognitionv. Poor auditory performance with competing acoustic signalsvi. Poor auditory performance with degraded acoustic signals

b. Diagnosis – There is no eligibility category designated specifically for Auditory Processing Disorder. An APD is diagnosed primarily by an audiologist and is relatively rare. Contact the District Audiologist for information on how to make a referral for assessment for this condition.

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