The document outlines the sections and guidelines for writing a special education report, including identifying data, reason for referral, background history, observations, tests administered, test results analyzed in various ways, conclusions, recommendations, and a summary table. It provides details on the content and structure for each section to ensure a comprehensive report. Practical guidelines recommend writing in third person, condensing length, separating recommendations, using bold headings, and proper grammar.

1. HOW TO WRITE A
SPECIAL EDUCATION REPORT
Dr. Marilyn Brouette
Briones School
Martinez Unified School District

2. PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION
• To Understand Purpose of Special Ed Reports
• To Provide Report Guidelines
• To Delineate Sections of a
• Comprehensive Report

3. SPECIAL ED REPORT SECTIONS
 Identifying data
 Reason for referral
 Background history
 Observations
 Tests administered
 Test results
 Test by test analysis
 Content area by
content area analysis
 Conclusions
 Recommendations
 Summary table

4. REPORT WRITING

5. Practical Guidelines
 Write the report in the third person
 Condense the length of the report using
single spacing
 Separate your recommendations into three
sections.

6. Practical Guidelines
 Always separate sections
 Make paragraph headings bold and easy
to recognize and locate
 Write reports using complete
sentences, proper tense, syntax and
grammar.

7. Criteria for Writing a
Comprehensive Report

8. Identifying Data
 Name
 Address
 Phone
 Date of Birth
 Grade
 School
 Chronological Age at
the Time of Testing
(CA)
 Parents’ Names
 Teacher
 Referred By
 Date/s of Testing
 Date of Report
 Examiner

9. Reason for Referral
 Explains to the reader the specific reasons
why this evaluation is taking place.
 Write concisely, but be sure to clarify the
purpose.

10. Background History
Family History
Developmental History
Academic History
Social History

11. Behavioral Observations
 Includes a description of a child’s
behaviors during the testing sessions
 The examiner provides professional and
first-hand observation of the child in a
controlled setting

12. Tests and Procedures Administered
 List individual tests included in the test
battery and any procedures used to
enhance the report, such as classroom
observation, review of records, and parent
intake.

13. Test Results
Analyzes the results of each test and looks
at the child’s individual performance on each
measure.
Test by Test Approach
Separately analyses the child’s performance on
each test.
Content Area by Content Area Approach
Analyses the results separately by content area

14. Conclusions
 Explains trends to the stakeholders
 Trends in the child’s testing results may
indicate academic strengths and
weaknesses, modality strengths and
weaknesses, process strengths and
weaknesses, and overall diagnosis and
level or severity of the problems areas
indicated.

15. Recommendations
 Recommendations to the school
 Recommendations to the teacher
 Recommendations to the parent

16. Evaluation Summary Table
 Summarizes and categorizes test scores in
one specific area.

17. REVIEW
 Identifying data
 Reason for referral
 Background history
 Observations
 Tests administered
 Test results
 Test by test analysis
 Content area by
content area analysis
 Conclusions
 Recommendations
 Summary table
Explained reasons for special education reports
and included guides for the following
comprehensive sections: