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Start with the Summary

MDE recommends starting with the summary first to allow parents to get a quick snapshot of what is in the report and then allow them to ‘dig deeper’ into areas they want to explore further.

By following this model, it allows the IEP Team to quickly summarize the information and move right into determining if a student meets/continues to meet criteria and what their needs are related to their disability.

We often spend so much time REPORTING we run out of time for PLANNING.

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Re-Evaluations vs. Initial Evaluations?

Some buildings have requested 2 templates- using the ‘updated’ version for re-evaluations and continuing to use the ‘older’ version for initials so that parents are able to hear all of the information more slowly.

This is fine, or the team can choose to show the report in sections prior to handing it all out for initial evaluations as well.

These are recommendations to increase efficiency and help parents better understand the complicated world of special education.

Each team should be flexible and use a template and presentation style that is appropriate for each individual student and family need.

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Testing Accommodations

We are required to document any special needs a student may have. We do a good job of thinking about a student’s sensory status, but we also need to think about a student’s race or ethnicity, socioeconomic status and are required to document if they are in foster care as that could impact their performance as well. We also have to make sure that if English is not the families first language, we need to document and accommodate that as well.

The new template offers suggestions to help us remember to address this- both in the report and when we are choosing our assessment tools!

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Other Changes: Health and Physical Status

Health and Physical Status become the realm of the School Nurse

This is where Vision and Hearing information will go now instead of the Sensory Section.

Ask the School Nurse for any information regarding medication or health as well.

School Nurse Request for Records Review

Sensory Status becomes Sensory Integration Status and is completed by the Occupational Therapist

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Make it Your Own!

We can create and upload templates specifically for your school or for each individual disability like is on Sped Forms.

If you want a specialized Evaluation Template, feel free to reach out to your School Psychologist or Special Education Coordinator and we can create and insert one for your building!

Recommended Evaluation Template:

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Presenting at the ER Meeting

For all re-evaluations:

One person should summarize the information in 20 minutes or less, focusing on new testing and anything that has changed.

The team then moves to ensuring that the student has a continuing need in the area assessed or if the label needs to be changed.

The majority of the time should be spent determining what needs that student has (for the next three years) and any adaptations or Assistive Technology that may benefit the student.

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Presenting at Initial ER Meetings

Don’t give too much information. Parents are often overwhelmed.

NO ONE presenter can talk for more than five minutes, unless that one person is summarizing the report.

We still need to make sure we spend most of our time determining eligibility and needs at this meeting!

Don’t try and hold the Initial IEP Planning meeting with the ER meeting. It is too much and we never develop a good plan…. We are just slapping something together because we are tired of meeting.

NEVER just send out an IEP without having a planning meeting and discussion goals and services!!! We don’t get to just propose something with no discussion!