Educational Assessment - An assessment of the student's educational progress and status in relation to the general education curriculum and the district curriculum as well consistent Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks and the assessment conducted by a certified educator(s) and the special education regulation 603 CMR 28.04(2):
28.04(2):
(2) Initial Evaluation. Upon consent of the parent, the school district shall provide or arrange for the evaluation of the student by a multidisciplinary team within thirty (30) school days. The assessments used shall be adapted to the age of the student and all testing shall meet the evaluation requirements set out in state and federal law. The school district shall ensure that appropriately credentialed and trained specialists administer all assessments.
(a) Required assessments.
1. An assessment in all areas related to the suspected disability.
2. An educational assessment by a representative of the school district, including a history of the student's educational progress in the general curriculum. Such assessment shall include information provided by a teacher(s) with current knowledge regarding the student's specific abilities in relation to learning standards of the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks and the district curriculum, as well as an assessment of the student's attention skills, participation behaviors, communication skills, memory, and social relations with groups, peers, and adults. The school district shall also thoroughly evaluate and provide a narrative description of the student's educational and developmental potential.
(i) When a child is being assessed to determine eligibility for services at age three (3), an observation of the child's interactions in the child's natural environment or early intervention program is strongly encouraged.
(ii) For children who are receiving early intervention services, school districts are encouraged to use current and appropriate assessments from early intervention teams, whenever possible, to avoid duplicate testing.
(b) Optional assessments. The Administrator of Special Education may recommend or the parent may request one or more of the following:
1. A comprehensive health assessment by a physician that identifies medical problems or constraints that may affect the student's education. The school nurse may add additional relevant health information from the student's school health records.
2. A psychological assessment by a certified school psychologist, licensed psychologist, or licensed educational psychologist, including an individual psychological examination.
3. A home assessment that may be conducted by a nurse, psychologist, social worker, guidance or adjustment counselor, or teacher and includes information on pertinent family history and home situation and may include a home visit, with the agreement of the parent.
(c) Reports of assessment results. Each person conducting an assessment shall summarize in writing the procedures employed, the results, and the diagnostic impression, and shall define in detail and in educationally relevant and common terms, the student's needs, offering explicit means of meeting them. The assessor may recommend appropriate types of placements, but shall not recommend specific classrooms or schools. Summaries of assessments shall be completed prior to discussion by the Team and, upon request, shall be made available to the parent at least two days in advance of the Team discussion at the meeting occurring pursuant to 603 CMR 28.05(1).
Psychological Assessment: An assessment by an authorized psychologist or school psychologist including an individual psychological examination and culminating in specific recommendations. Sensory, motor, language, perceptual, attentional, cognitive, affective, attitudinal, self-image, interpersonal, behavioral, interest, and vocational factors are evaluated in regard to the child's maturity, integrity and dynamic interaction within the educational context. The assessment is based on the child's developmental and social history, diagnostic observation of the child in a familiar surroundings (such as a classroom) and psychological testing as indicated. Psychological testing may include, but is not limited to, a vocational interest evaluation, educational achievement testing, intelligence testing, personality evaluation, assessment of brain damage, and neuropsychological examination.
Home Assessment - An assessment by an authorized social worker, nurse, guidance counselor teacher or psychologist. For pertinent family history and hoe situation factors including, with parental consent, a home visit. This assessment includes a description of pertinent family history and individual developmental history and estimates of adaptive behavior at home, in neighborhood, and in local peer groups. Estimates of adaptive behavior are to the greatest possible degree on information obtained by direct observation of the child. or direct interview of the child in the neighborhood setting.
Teacher Assessment/Observation - An assessment by the classroom teacher to inlcude current information on the student's performance in the general curriculum.
Medical Assessment - A comprehensive health
assessment by an authorized physician that identifies medical problems that may
affect the child's education, such as physical constraints, chronic illness,
neurological and sensory deficits, and developmental dysfunction. 1. Medical
history to include health of family, prenatal and birth history, developmental
history, and history of significant medical conditions including
hospitalization, injuries and accidents. 2. Complete physical
examination including blood pressure and nutritional assessment. 3.
Neurological and developmental assessment to include gross motor functioning,
fine motor functioning, language, visual and auditory functioning. 4. Test
of visual acuity and hearing by audiometry. 5. Ordering and
interpretation of diagnostic test to include, if indicated, hematocrit or
hemoglobin, sickle cell test (if appropriate), blood lead test, urinalysis (with
culture for females), tuberculosis skin test, and other tests as
indicated. 6. dental assessment and referral for a complete dental
examination of one has not been done within six months. 7. Written
Assessment report.
Speech and Language (S&L):
Occupational Therapy (OT):
Physical Therapy (PT):
Audiologist: