What is Assessment?

Assessment in preschool special education (Under Part B, Section 619 of IDEA) means the process of collecting data to be used by the IEP team to determine a student’s need for special education and related services [COMAR 13A.05.03 B]. Assessment involves procedures used by trained and appropriate personnel to not only determine eligibility, but also to:

• Gather information that will help to determine the child’s educational needs, or present levels of academic achievement and functional performance, and
• Guide decision making about an appropriate educational program for the child (whether any additions or modifications are needed in the special education and related services to enable the child to meet the goals set out in the IEP and to participate, as appropriate, in the general curriculum).

Initial assessment occurs to determine a child’s initial eligibility for special education and related services. 

Ongoing assessment occurs as required or needed for reevaluation to determine:

• A child’s continued eligibility for special education and related services. 
• Whether additions or modifications need to be made to the IEP.

Ongoing assessment is also a recommended practice for informing intervention and curriculum/instruction decisions for preschool children with IEPs to enable them to participate and progress in appropriate activities.

Assessment procedures must:

• Include a variety of assessment tools and strategies to gather relevant functional, developmental, and academic information about the child from a variety of sources, including information provided by the parent [34 CFR §300.304(b)(1); COMAR 13A.05.05(B)(2)].
• Use technically sound assessment instruments that may assess the relative contribution of cognitive and behavioral factors, in addition to physical and developmental factors [34 CFR §300.304(b)(3)].
• Use assessment materials and procedures which are not discriminatory on a racial or cultural basis [34 CFR §300.304(c)(1)(i)].
• Accurately reflect the child’s aptitude or achievement level or other factors rather than reflecting the child’s impaired skills [34 CFR §300.304(c)(3)].
• Be administered in the child’s native language and primary mode of communication.