Handout Four: Road Map
Use the following points of reference to help guide you along the road to effective IEPs.
Screening: All children enrolled in Head Start receive health screening as well as screening for developmental, sensory, and behavioral concerns. Though screenings are not used to determine that a child has a disability, the results may indicate the need for further evaluation.
Developmental Assessment: Developmental assessment is the collection of information on each child's functioning in a number of areas: gross and fine motor skills, perceptual discrimination, cognition, attention skills, self-help, social and receptive skills, and expressive language. Developmental assessment is an ongoing process, one which helps staff plan program activities and determine children's progress. It may also indicate that a child needs further evaluation.
Evaluation: The disabilities services manager arranges for further, formal evaluation if a child has been identified as possibly having a disability. The evaluation must be made by a multidisciplinary team, including at least one teacher or specialist with knowledge in the area of the suspected disability. A child cannot be evaluated without the parent's written approval.
Multidisciplinary Team Meeting: The multidisciplinary team convenes to discuss evaluation results. If it is determined that the child has a disability, the team then develops an IEP. The IEP identifies goals and objectives for the coming year. It also specifies what additional supports and services will be provided to meet these goals and objectives. Parents are the key decision makers in the process; the lEP cannot be implemented without their approval. Once signed, the IEP cannot be changed unless the team meets again and parents (or legal guardian) show their agreement with a signature.
Implementing Goals and Objectives: Once an IEP has been signed, the real work of providing needed services to a child with disabilities begins. Teachers work with parents and related service providers to translate the goals and objectives of the IEP into everyday practice.
Annual Review:The team reconvenes to determine if a child continues to need an IEP, and if so, how they can revise it to best meet the needs of the child and his family.
Assessing, Documenting, and Sharing Progress: Assessing progress is an ongoing process. Continual observation and documentation of child progress, and refinement of practice, are key elements in any quality educational program. By taking "snapshots" of a child's progress and problems, Head Start staff can more meaningfully involve the child's parents and related service providers to meet the goals and objectives.