The evaluation process for special education services is a crucial step in determining if your child is eligible. It involves a series of assessments to identify the student's strengths and weaknesses, and to create an Individualized Education Program (IEP). Special education teachers are knowledgeable about evaluation and are experts in the use and interpretation of data. This includes formal and standardized evaluations that are used to identify students for special education services, develop student IEPs, and report on ongoing services.
In addition, informal evaluations are used to assess students' academic, behavioral, and functional capabilities. Parents and guardians have a critical role in their children's education. They should be involved in the discussion and decision-making process about their child's need for special education. The IEP team will work together to ensure that special education programs and services are provided to meet the child's needs. The IEP is accessible to all regular education teachers, special education teachers, related service providers, and other service providers who are responsible for its implementation. The general education teacher can also inform the rest of the team what they need to help the child understand the general education curriculum and achieve the goals contained in the IEP.
Special educators must be aware of how context, culture, language, and poverty can influence student performance; manage conversations with families and other stakeholders; and choose appropriate evaluations based on each student's profile. If the IEP team determines that the child cannot participate full time with children without disabilities in the regular classroom, the general curriculum, and in extracurricular and other non-academic activities, the IEP must include a statement that explains why it is not possible to participate fully. If a participating agency does not provide the transition services described in the IEP, the public agency will reconvene the IEP team to identify alternative strategies to meet the transition objectives for the student established in the IEP. Finally, if your child needs special education support during school hours, for all activities, the IEP will cover all of these needs. Special education teachers should play an active role in communicating evaluation data and evaluating the understanding of all team members, paying special attention to families' understanding. Training should focus directly on helping the teacher meet a child's unique and specific need. At this point in your child's life, the state may transfer to your young adult all (or some of) the educational rights that you, as a parent, have had thus far.
Children learn to become independent adults through quality educational and social experiences with their peers. As such, parents and guardians should access resources to help them understand their children's assessments for special education services in Central New York.
