ECSE 601--Assessment of Infants and Young Children with Disabilities

This session will cover:•Legal Foundations•ECSE/EI Eligibility Requirements•Purpose of Evaluation and Assessment•DEC Recommended Practices

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Influences on Current Special Education PracticesCivil Rights Laws1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision,

the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that it was unlawful under the Fourteenth Amendment to arbitrarily discriminate against any group of people. The Court then applied this concept to the education of children, ruling that a separate education for African American students could not be an equal education.--“Separate is inherently unequal”--It has become the cornerstone for ensuring

equal rights for students with disabilities.

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Influences on Current Special Education PracticesCivil Rights LawsSection 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation

Act of 1973--It is a civil rights law that prevents

discrimination against all individuals with disabilities in programs that receive federal funds, as do all public schools. Section 504 ensures that equal opportunity for participation in the full range of school activities. Some children that may not be eligible for services through special education may be entitled to receive accommodations under Section 504 (e.g., ADHD, ADD, Asthma).

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Influences on Current Special Education PracticesCivil Rights LawsAmericans with Disabilities Act

(ADA)--ADA was signed by President Bush in

July 1990. This civil rights law is based on the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973, however, it further extends the rights of people with disabilities. This law protects all individuals with disabilities from discrimination and also ensures that buildings, transportation, and other public places are accessible to people with disabilities.

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Influences on Current Special Education PracticesFederal Education LawsP.L. 94-142, 1975, Education for the Handicapped Act (EHA)◦ Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE)◦ Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)◦ Individualized Education Program (IEP)◦ Nondiscriminatory Evaluation ◦ Due Process◦ Zero Reject/Child Find

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Influences on Current Special Education PracticesFederal Education LawsP.L. 99-457, 1986--This act that amended P.L.94-142 established

Part H, which deals with programs and services for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families (birth through 3 years of age).

--The focus of services is on the entire family.--Rather than an IEP, this age group has an

Individualized Family Services Plan (IFSP). --An IFSP may spell out assistance for parents in

addition to the child.

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Influences on Current Special Education PracticesFederal Education LawsP.L. 101-476, 1990, IDEA--P.L. 101-476 is the reauthorization of P.L. 94-142. It

also changed the name to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to reflect more “person-first” language.

--The term “handicapped” was removed from the law and the preferred term “disability” was substituted.

--Case Manager was changed to Case Coordinator--Now emphasized Concerns, Priorities, and Resources

(CPRs)--(previously only strengths and needs)--Included transitional and assistive technology as

related services

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Influences on Current Special Education PracticesFederal Education LawsKey Additions Mandated by IDEA,

1990 --Transition services--Early Childhood Education--Severe Disabilities --Emotional Disturbance --New Categories of Disabilities

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Influences on Current Special Education PracticesFederal Education LawsP.L. 105-17, 1997, IDEA

--P.L. 105-17 was signed into law in June 1997 by President Clinton.

--One of the most important new provisions added was that the law recognized that most students with disabilities spend all or most of their school time in general education settings and so it included a provision that a general classroom teacher become a member of the team for IEP.

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Influences on Current Special Education PracticesFederal Education LawsKey Additions Mandated by P.L.

105-17--General education teacher roles and

responsibilities--Evaluation and eligibility--Assessment of students --Transitions --Discipline--Paraprofessionals --Mediation

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Influences on Current Special Education PracticesFederal Education LawsP.L. 108-466, 2004, IDEA (IDEIA)

The word “improvement” was inserted: “Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act”

However, the law is still referred to as IDEA.

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Influences on Current Special Education PracticesFederal Education Laws

Significant changes in IDEA 2004 A requirement that special

education teachers meet the “highly qualified” mandate introduced in the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB; 2001).

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Influences on Current Special Education PracticesFederal Education LawsSignificant changes in IDEA 2004

◦To be highly qualified, All special education teachers must be highly

qualified under the NCLB definition; also, special education teachers must have a state special education certification; not hold an emergency, temporary, or provisional certification; and have at least a bachelor’s degree.

Special education teachers who teach content courses and are the teachers of record for those courses must meet the NCLB highly qualified requirements. (Smith, 2005)

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Influences on Current Special Education PracticesFederal Education LawsSignificant changes in IDEA 2004

◦Deleting the requirement that IEPs include short-term objectives, except for students who are assessed using alternative assessment procedures that are aligned with alternate achievement standards (Smith, Polloway, Patton, & Dowdy, 2006).

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Influences on Current Special Education PracticesMajor changes of IDEA 2004 (P.L. 108-

446) applying to infants and young children with disabilities Part C service coordinator participating in IEP meetings

for transition from Part C to Part B servicesParents’ option of continuing Part C EI services until

kindergartenIFSP materials to be considered for IEP developmentMinor changes in the child’s IEP could be made upon the

agreement between parents and the teacher without reconvening the IEP team

Requiring quarterly reports to parent on the child’s progress and how that progress is being measured

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ECSE/EI Eligibility RequirementsPart C of P.L. 108-446

--Birth to 3 years experiencing delay in one or more of the following areas: cognitive development, physical development (including vision and hearing), communication development (language and speech), social/emotional development (psychosocial), and adaptive development (self-help skills).

(A child with a delay)

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ECSE/EI Eligibility Requirements

--Birth to 3 years with a diagnosed physical or mental condition that has a high probability of resulting in developmental delay.

(A child who is high-risk for delay)

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ECSE/EI Eligibility Requirements--At a State’s discretion, infants or

toddlers who are at-risk for developmental delay.(A child who is at-risk for delay)

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ECSE/EI Eligibility RequirementsPart B of P.L. 108-446

--Children 3 years to 21 years who have been evaluated as having one of 13 different disabilities and, because of the disability, need special education and related services.

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ECSE/EI Eligibility Requirements--The 13 IDEA categories include:-Autism-Deaf-blindness-Deafness-Emotional disturbance-Hearing impairment-Intellectual Disability (Mental Retardation)-Multiple disabilities-Orthopedic impairment-Other health impairments-Specific learning disability-Speech or language impairment-Traumatic brain injury-Visual impairment including blindness

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Term DefinitionsEvaluation vs. Assessment:

◦The term evaluation refers to the procedures used to determine eligibility.

◦The Term assessment refers to the procedures used to identify the needs in each developmental area or in each curriculum domain, e.g., the procedures leading to the development and periodic review of the Individualized Family Services Plan (IFSP).

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Term DefinitionsIdentification:A three-step process that is designed to

discover children in need of service:1. Locating children.2. Screening or the process of quickly testing to

identify those who appear to be eligible so that a full diagnosis can be performed.

3. Diagnosis, a term that refers to evaluation and assessment together, that yields both categorization of problem and targets for remediation.

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Part C of P.L. 108-446Under Part C Assessment means the

ongoing procedures used by appropriately trained personnel throughout the period of the child’s eligibility to identify:1. The child’s unique needs.2. The family’s Concerns, Priorities, and

Resources related to the child’s development.

3. The nature and extent of early intervention services needed by the child and the child’s family.

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Part C of P.L. 108-446In Part C, both evaluation and

assessment must be focused upon:1. Cognitive development2. Physical development, including

vision and hearing3. Communication development

(language and speech)4. Social or emotional development5. Adaptive development

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Part C of P.L. 108-446Family Assessment (CPR) must

be:1. Voluntary2. Conducted by personnel trained to

utilize appropriate methods and procedures

3. Based on information provided by the family through a personal interview

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Part C of P.L. 108-446All Part C evaluation and

assessment materials and procedures must be:1. Administered in the native

language of parents if at all possible;2. Selected and administered so as

not to be racially or culturally discriminatory

3. Based upon multiple criteria for determination of eligibility

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Part B of P.L. 108-446Before any action is taken with respect

to the initial placement a full and individual evaluation (and assessment of the child’s educational needs) must be conducted.

Tests and other materials must be:1. Administered in the child’s native

language;2. Validated for the specific purposes for

which they are used;3. Administered by trained personnel;4. Specific to suspected areas of need

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Part B of P.L. 108-446The evaluation must be made by

qualified professionals and the parent of the child to determine if the child is eligible. A child may not be determined to be eligible if the disability results from lack of instruction in math or reading or limited English proficiency.

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Purpose of Evaluation & AssessmentTo determine eligibilityTo enhance communication by

creating intervening variablesFor administrative planning

1. Personnel $$2. Space /Location $$3. Materials4. Transportation $$5. Program options6. Curricula/Strategies

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Purpose of Evaluation & AssessmentTo directly benefit the child

1. Determination of content: What to teach?2. Determination of sequence: Where to

start and where to go next?3. Determination of strategies: How to

teach?To evaluate program effectiveness

1. Summative evaluation: testing for change after a lengthy period of instruction

2. Formative evaluation: testing for change during instruction

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DEC Recommended PracticesRecommended Practices are based on both

scientific evidence and experiential knowledge

The purpose of the DEC Recommended Practices is to highlight those practices specifically known to promote the outcomes of young children who have or are at risk for developmental delays/disabilities and to support their families in accordance with the DEC/NAEYC position statement on early childhood inclusion (DEC Recommended Practices, 2014).

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DEC Recommended Practices

DEC recommended eleven assessment practices to guide practitioners

(DEC Recommended Practices)

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