principal need to know about special education eligibility

1. WhatDoesa
Principal
Needto
KnowAbout
Special
Education
Eligibility
PAGE 1
Ana Luz A. Fuentebella
ADVANCE EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP and MNGT IN SPED
PROF. Dr. AIDA DAMIAN

2. PAGE 2
To receive special education services, students need to be
determined to be eligible, as specified by federal law. This
chapter describes the process from pre-referral through
assessment. The principal’s role in the process is ensuring
that appropriate procedures and timelines are followed,
while also working to meet the needs of the student in the
classroom. Any problems in the procedures used in
determining a child’s eligibility call into question every
aspect of the services provided to the student. Because the
Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, 2006)
enumerates specific procedures for determining eligibility,
it is very important that the principal have a thorough
understanding of the law.

3. PAGE 3
For most children, the process of determining eligibility begins in the
general education classroom. It may begin when the classroom teacher
notices that something, either academic or behavioral, is different
about this child as compared to the others. Potential problems a
student may demonstrate include:
• Difficulty performing at grade level,
• Difficulty paying attention,
• Difficulty following directions,
• Difficulty getting along with others,
• or Difficulty using fine or gross motor skills.

4. PAGE 4
Pre-Referral Intervention
The purpose of pre-referral intervention is to find ways to increase the
student’s success in the general education classroom without making
changes to the grade-level curriculum. Implementing pre-referral
interventions and strategies also helps general education teachers
develop skills and approaches that respond to the increasing variability
in the learning characteristics of the students they teach. Teachers need
to be able to identify a student’s academic or behavioral needs; to adapt
or modify materials, assignments, or the environment to respond to
these needs; and to determine whether this assists the student in
making progress.

5. PAGE 5
During the pre-referral process teachers should document everything that
demonstrates the extent of the student’s difficulties and any attempts
that have been made to effect change. Even if the teacher has notified
the principal of the problem, it is necessary to go beyond discussion to
documentation. The teacher should collect examples of the student’s
work compared to others in the class. As appropriate, teachers may need
to provide examples of behavior and when and where it is demonstrated,
or time samples of off-task behavior. This is where it may be important for
you, your school counselor, or your school psychologist to offer assistance
by observing the student in the classroom and making recommendations.
With a detailed description of the problem from the teacher, an
observation by another professional may help to further define the
problem or assist in identifying instructional or behavioral strategies to
ameliorate the student’s difficulties.

6. PAGE 6
Referral for Special Education Evaluation
Parents who initiate a referral do not need to provide the same
supporting documentation requested of teachers; they just
need to put in writing that they want their child tested. As a
principal and a member of the multidisciplinary team, you can
gather the information from the other members of the team to
determine if testing is warranted.

7. PAGE 7
Initial Multidisciplinary Team Meeting
The multidisciplinary team should include a general education teacher, an individual
knowledgeable of the suspected disability, the parent(s) or guardian(s), and an administrator
(frequently, the principal). As principal, it is appropriate for you to participate on the team;
as discussed in the Introduction, you should make it a practice to know the students in your
school (particularly those who are struggling), and should be able to recognize how this
particular student is functioning compared to other students in the building. Prior to the
meeting, certain information will need to be collected, such as examples of class work from
the student and grade-level peers (for comparison), notes from any observations of the
student, results from screening instruments or normative tests, report cards and reports
from previous teachers, and comments from other staff who interact with the student (e.g.,
art teacher, PE teacher). You will also want to include any behavioral reports on the student,
in addition to academic records.

8. PAGE 8
Evaluation for Special Education Eligibility If the multidisciplinary team
recommends testing the student to determine eligibility for special education,
the next step is to obtain parental consent. This means that:
• Parents must be notified in writing of intent to assess a student for special education
eligibility and the reasons for the assessment, and must be provided with a written
statement of their rights under the law. This statement needs to be understandable to the
public.
• Parents need to be apprised of their due process rights. They also need an explanation of
the tests, who will be doing the testing, when the tests will occur, and how long the
process will take.
• Parents need to be aware of what the likely results would be if the child is found eligible
for special education. Parents need to acknowledge they have received their notice of
rights.

9. PAGE 9

10. PAGE 10

11. PAGE 11
Evaluation for Related Services
As discussed in Chapter 1, students who need special education often need related services in order
for them to receive the benefits of education. If, based upon the initial referral, you suspect a
student may need related services, then the student needs to be evaluated for such services by
individuals trained in the appropriate techniques. For example, if you are assessing a child for
services on the basis of intellectual disability but suspect there may also be a need for physical
therapy, then an individual trained in providing assessments in physical therapy needs to assess the
child. All assessments for related services (e.g., occupational therapy, speech and language services,
counseling services) have to occur within the same period as the other assessments. After gathering
the information from the assessments, the multidisciplinary team needs to meet to review the
results. Because principals often lead these types of team meetings, it is important for you to
understand the different members’ roles, the information expected from them, and the result of the
meeting. Figure 3.3 provides a checklist of steps to follow when scheduling and conducting a
multidisciplinary team meeting to evaluate students for special education support.

12. PAGE 12

13. PAGE 13

14. PAGE 14

15. PAGE 15
Independent Education Evaluation
If the parents do not feel the evaluation of their child is adequate, they can
request an independent educational evaluation (IEE) at public expense. A
qualified individual not affiliated with the district conducts the IEE. The IEE can
cover the same territory as the school’s evaluation, or it can cover only part,
such as diagnostic information about reading or a different intelligence test.
When a parent requests an IEE, the school should be prepared to provide a list
of qualified individuals who administer such evaluations. The school must
consider the results of the IEE as a part of its decision making, though it does
not have to accept the results as the definitive statement of the child’s
educational performance. If the school does not accept the results of the IEE, it
must provide the parents in writing with a description of how the independent
evaluation was made available to the district, a record of the subsequent
discussion, and reasons for the disagreement.

16. PAGE 16
First Skill Second Skill
Third Skill
Conclusion
A well-developed evaluation plan is the backbone of any program
for a student with a disability. Without understanding the student’s
functioning level, planning and providing appropriate educational
services is virtually impossible. Make sure that both staff and
students’ families are aware of the needs of a well developed
evaluation plan.

17. THANK YOU…
PAGE 17