How to Assess Special Education Programs

Students that have special needs have the right to be evaluated for an Individual Education Plan. The IEP should identify the student's strengths and weaknesses and provide guidelines for delivering a more effective education. The student's IEP should be assessed at least once a year. During this assessment the special education program should be evaluated based on how effective it has been at reaching the student's academic goals.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Assessment tools
• The student's school file

Assess Special Education Programs - Steps for Parents

1. List your child's strengths and weaknesses. Include all of their strengths and weaknesses, even if they don't seem to relate to the student's academic life. For example you child may be good at reading, staying calm and problem solving. However, their weaknesses may be lacing their shoes, completing their work in a timely manner and following directions.

2. Create a list of goals that you have for your child. This list can include both short term and long term goals. Both of these goal types will be discussed in your child's IEP meeting.

3. Evaluate your lists and prioritize your goals. This will help the IEP team to create teaching strategies that will focus on your main concerns first and then work towards meeting the other goals as your child progresses.

4. Meet with your child's IEP team and discuss your concerns, goals and expectations. Ask questions about how your child's academic program can be arranged to meet their individual needs.

5. Talk with your child's teachers to see how they are doing in class. This is a great way to learn about behavior problems, struggles and successes that your child hasn't told you about.

6. Talk with your child to see how they feel about their special education program. Try to assess if this program is meeting their emotional, psychological and academic needs. You may also want to review your child's school work with them to gage how well they are doing.

Assess Special Education Programs - Steps for Educators

7. Get to know the student. This should be done by talking with the student, observing them in their classroom and by completing appropriate assessment tests.

8. Identify what accommodations the student needs to be successful in school. For example they may need assistive technologies, mobility assistance or an aide to help them throughout the school day. Adjustments to their work environment may also need to be made. For example if the student has Autism or ADD, removing clutter from their desk and reducing noise levels may help them to focus better on their school work.

9. Review the student's current academic plan and see if it has all of the features and assistance that the student needs to be successful. Write down areas of the current academic plan that needs to be adjusted.

10. Evaluate the current IEP based on how well it addresses the student's physical, emotional and academic needs. Determine what services the child needs like speech therapy, physical therapy and occupational therapy.

11. Attend the student's IEP meeting. Discuss your findings and listen to the concerns and comments noted by the other members on the IEP team. Decide as a team how effective the current IEP is and then decide what changes and updates the IEP needs to be more effective.