Initial Evaluation and Eligibility for Special Education Services

Eligibility Determination Meeting

The purpose of the eligibility meeting is to determine if the student meets eligibility for Special Education Services. The required participants on the eligibility team are:

• Parent


• General Educator


• Special Education Service Provider(s)


• Evaluator(s)


• LEA (e.g. administrator)

The Eligibility Determination Meeting consists of three parts:

• Presentation of evaluation report by Evaluator(s): During this portion of the Eligibility Determination Meeting, the Evaluator(s) shares the results of the evaluation with the eligibility team. All members of the team should have the opportunity to read the evaluation as the evaluator reviews the test results.


• Disability Worksheets: The evaluator will facilitate the team’s discussion of each disability category assessed in the evaluation. During this discussion, the evaluator will complete the disability worksheet for each disability considered.
  
  For example, if the disability category of Other Health Impairment was assessed in the evaluation, the Other Health Impairment disability worksheet would be completed.
  
  For each disability considered, the team will determine whether or not the disability has an adverse effect on educational performance and whether or not the student requires specially designed instruction due to the disability. If the team determines there is an adverse effect on the student’s educational performance, then the team must describe how the disability adversely affects the educational and/or functional performance of the student. Likewise, if the team determines the student requires specially designed instruction, the team must describe the evidence that exists indicating the student requires specially designed instruction.
  
  The team will then answer the question “Does the student meet the criteria to be eligible for the selected disability?”. This question must be answered for each disability being considered. If the answer is “No” to either of the above questions, the student is not eligible for Special Education. If the answer is “Yes” to both of the above questions, there are additional rule out factors that must be considered.
  
  If the team determines the student is eligible for the disability being considered, the Primary Evaluator must indicate whether the disability is the Primary disability or a Secondary disability.


• Eligibility Determination: The third component of the Eligibility Determination Meeting is the completion of the Eligibility Determination.
  
  The primary evaluator facilitates the discussion and completion of the Eligibility Determination.
  
  Federal and state regulations are very clear with regard to the fact that a student must NOT be determined to be a student with a disability if the determinant factor is:
  
  
  • Lack of appropriate instruction in reading, including the essential components of reading instruction (defined in § 1208(3) of the ESEA as phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary development, reading fluency including oral reading skills, and reading comprehension strategies);
  
  
  • Lack of appropriate instruction in math; or
  
  
  • Limited English proficiency
  
  
  If, following team discussion, the answer to any of the above questions is “No”, the student will be determined not eligible for Special Education Services.
  
  If the team determines the student is not eligible as a student with a disability the Case Manager will complete the PWN identifying the proposal(s)/refusal(s) and why the action was proposed/refused.
  
  The Primary Evaluator would then select “Not Eligible (Initial) - End Special Education > Not Eligible” as the Outcome Recommendation, and enter the meeting date as the End Date.
  
  If the team determines the student is eligible as a student with a disability, the Primary Evaluator would select “Eligible; Initial” as the Outcome Recommendation, and enter the meeting date as the End Date. Following the completion of the Outcome, the Eligibility Determination should be finalized.
  
  The Reevaluation Date will autopopulate and be stored in the system.
  
  

Following the completion of the eligibility determination report, the report is printed and signed by each team member. The primary evaluator will upload signed eligibility determination report.

If the Eligibility Determination Meeting is not immediately followed by an IEP meeting, the case manager will provide parents with a PWN related to the proposal(s)/refusal(s) regarding identification and why the action was proposed/refused. If an IEP meeting immediately follows the Eligibility Determination Meeting, the case manager may provide one PWN at the conclusion of both meetings relating to all actions proposed/refused in both the Eligibility Determination Meeting and the IEP meeting.

Following the meeting, the paperwork will be filed in the appropriate place: