Describe the process that occurs when a student is assessed for special education services.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

The general education teachers are the professionals most likely to express concern about a student that begins the process of deciding whether that student is entitled to special education services. The teacher is likely to gather data to document the concern, including keeping samples of the student's work or keeping a log of behavior incidents that occur in the classroom. In more than half of the states, the next step the teacher takes is to request that the case be reviewed by a team of professionals (teacher assistance team, intervention assistance team) who help the teacher problem solve regarding the student, to generate new ideas for helping the student, to consider various explanations for the noted problems, and to prevent-if possible-the need for special education. An alternative option for addressing serious student learning problems is response to intervention: RTI uses ongoing data collection and often includes a three-tiered approach to intervention. Without teams and RTI, some type of screening is used to discuss the nature, severity, and persistence of the student's difficulty. IF these processes lead to the consensus that a student's difficulties are serious enough that special education should be considered, the student is referred for a full assessment, and a multidisciplinary team convenes. Students must be evaluated to determine their strengths and to explore any area of functioning in which a disability is suspected.