Initial Evaluation & Eligibility for Special Education Services

Evaluation Planning

The Initial Referral Process begins with the Evaluation Planning Meeting. The purpose of this meeting is for school professionals and the parent to collaborate on the purpose of the evaluation and determine which areas will be assessed by the evaluator(s).

• Parent attends OnTrack Meeting: If the parent is in attendance at the OnTrack meeting when the Recommendation for Evaluation is made, then the team may transition to an Evaluation Planning Meeting. The Parent Invitation to the OnTrack Meeting serves as the written notification for this meeting. All contacts must be documented in the Contact Log.


• Parent does not attend OnTrack Meeting: If the parent does not attend the OnTrack meeting during which the
  Recommendation for Evaluation is made, then the Evaluation Planning Meeting must be held at a future date following a Notice of Meeting for the Evaluation Planning Meeting being provided to the parent, with at least two different contact methods. The primary evaluator will complete the Notice of Meeting and work with school personnel to send the notification to parent. All parent contacts related to the Notice of Meeting must be documented in the Contact Log . The participants in the Initial Evaluation Planning Meeting are:
  
  
  • Parent
  
  
  • OnTrack Coordinator
  
  
  • Evaluator(s)
  
  
  • General Education Teacher(s)
  
  
  • Student (if appropriate)
  
  

The Primary Evaluator will lead the team through the completion of the Evaluation Planning Meeting.

Participants of the Evaluation Planning Team will all sign the document and the Evaluation Planning document. In addition, all appropriate documents must be uploaded and attached, this could include the Parent Invitation to the OnTrack Meeting, Meeting Response Form or any document printed and signed.

If the team does not suspect a disability, the Primary Evaluator provides the parent with a Prior Written Notice (PWN) identifying the proposals and/or refusals and must clearly state why the evaluation planning team is not conducting an evaluation. This PWN may be provided by the Primary Evaluator to the parent at the end of the Referral/Evaluation Planning Meeting, or may be sent to the parent following the meeting.

To continue to the next step in the Initial Evaluation & Eligibility Process: Consent to Evaluate, click Next below.