Assessment for Special Education

The special education process under IDEA is designed to ensure that each individual child’s needs are carefully considered and addressed. Learn ten steps in the special education process, from evaluation to reviewing student progress.

This article gives parents who may be unsure about getting their child evaluated some ideas of how an evaluation can help their child and their family.

Early childhood assessment is used to gather and provide early intervention providers, educators, and families with critical information about a child’s development and growth. This directory includes information and resources about early childhood assessment.

This collection of resources on screening and assessment, including toolkits, videos, and trainings, is geared towards early childhood educators.

This website gives parents direction on what to do if they are concerned about their child’s development including: talking to their child’s doctor, completing a milestone checklist, and asking about developmental screenings. Parents can also ask for a referral and/or get an evaluation. More tips for parents are included.

This CDC Learn the Signs, Act Early resource explains the differences between developmental monitoring, developmental screening, and diagnostic evaluation. Links to checklists of developmental milestones for children ages birth through five are included.

Early childhood special education services for children, three through five years of age and their families in Illinois, are provided through local school districts and special education cooperatives. This website provides general special education resources, child find resources, and family resources.

This guide (found on the Parents’ Rights page of the State Board of Education website) is for parents, teachers, administrators, and others to help them learn about the educational rights of children who have disabilities and receive special education and related services.

• Chapter 3 – Referral and Evaluation (PDF) Page 18 of this document clarifies that in Illinois, the law states that school districts have up to 60 school days (as opposed to calendar days) to complete an evaluation for special education.

The evaluation process is guided by requirements in Part B of our nation’s special education law, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This page will help you learn more about what these requirements are.

This topical guide about evaluation and assessment in early intervention will introduce you to important books, videos, and information resources available from the EI Clearinghouse and other sources.

This resource offers tips to help parents talk with their child’s doctor’s office and evaluation centers about concerns with their child’s development.

This article gives parents information about the different kinds of evaluations and help that are available depending on your child’s age and needs.

This easy-to-read article for parents explains what developmental screening is, who is involved, and how the process begins.

This teacher-focused article gives great ideas on how to implement formative assessments in the early childhood classroom using anecdotal records and observations in a way that is organized and manageable.

All school districts and cooperative agreements in Illinois have been required to provide official written notice to parents of suspected and eligible special education students regarding a broad range of topics since the advent of the Education of All Handicapped Children Act (PL 94-142) in 1975. Use of these forms, court decisions, and amendments to federal and state statutes has resulted in the need to revise the notice requirements and forms over time. The information enclosed contains instructions concerning the purpose of each form and its use, and additional information. These documents, available in multiple languages, include procedural safeguards for parents and guardians, initial request for an evaluation, and more.

This article gives parents and educators an overview of the evaluation process, the goal of special education evaluation, and the series of steps in evaluation, as well as additional links to learn more.