in special education, identify yhe issues and concerns re assessment?

Answer 1

Depending on the problems/issues there are test which can be done through your local school system. After that special classes can be given or the person might have to go to a special school with specially trained teachers.

Reassessment might be ordered each year or not needed at all. Checking with your local school will be best.

Answer 2

The areas that may be assessed could include cognitive ability, speech &/or language, sensory processing, behavior, fine and gross motor, medical conditions, etc. Not every child is assessed in every area unless there are concerns in that area. If a child is evaluated and found to have significant delays in an area, they may be eligible for services through the school system. The law says that a child may be served in the least restrictive environment, so even if a child is identified as having a disability, if he/she can manage in a regular classroom with some accommodations, then there is no need for a special class. Also, each child that is determined to have a disability will have an individual education plan with goals that is renewed each year. Reevaluation is usually done every 3 years, unless the parent or teacher feels there is a need to test prior to that.

Answer 3

THANK GOD you asked this question. There are federal LAWS called IDEA that schools and parents are suppose to follow. BUT the schools do NOT follow these laws and there is no enforcement of these laws, so the schools seem to be an entity unto themselves.
According to the law, schools are suppose to 'find and identify' any child that has problems that they might qualify for special ed.
A teacher can request this to get started or the parent can. BUT, the 'catch' that schools throw in the way of this is that they tell parents that their child has to go through their 'intervention process' first, and then if this doesn't work then they'll try special ed. This is a bunch of bull. They do NOT tell parents that they can skip this process and ask if their child can have an assesment to see if they can qualify for special ed.
The correct legal process is that the teacher OR the parent is suppose to ask the 'special ed department' to do an evaluation of the child to see if the child can qualify for special ed. BUT the school will tell the parent that they CAN"T ask for this. And, schools will tell the teacher to NOT ask for help from special ed dept, but to ask help thru the 'intervention process', because this is different than special ed. They then make the parent think that this will help and they CAN"T ask for special ed help.
When the parent figures out that they CAN ask for this eval to be done, most times they have to FIGHT to get the school to do this. I have had to file a formal state complaint 2 times to have this done. Then when they do it, they take months to get it done. By law they have 60 DAYS. Then after this, they usually tamper with the whole testing and say the child does not qualify. The next step is to go over test results with parent and state if child qualfies for sped or not. After this, if child does NOT qualify, parent can request from the school an 'independent educational evaluation by public expense' This means that the school will pay for an outside evaluator, chosen by the PARENT, to do another evaluation. The school will then use this eval to determine if child qualifies for special ed. The school will STILL say no way. Parents usually have to hire advocates and even lawyers to get what their child is legally entitled to.
Most schools around the country are very adversial, hostile, cheats, law violators when it comes to special ed. Even the state dept of education allows this.
Go to www.schwablearning.org go to their parent message board and learn all about it.