I asked for an aide for my son. The school said he would have to have an “aide assessment.” What is that? I’ve never heard of such a thing.
We’ve never heard of an “aide assessment” before assigning an aide to a child.
Depending on your child’s unique needs, your child’s IEP team that includes the parent is supposed to determine:
- the present levels of academic achievement and functional performance
- what special education services, related services, and supplementary services
- any accommodations and/or modifications
The team then determines placement.
The IDEA includes a mainstreaming or “least restrictive environment” policy that requires school districts to educate children with disabilities in regular classrooms with their non-disabled peers, and in the school they would attend if not disabled, to the maximum extent appropriate.
The general education classroom is assumed to be the appropriate placement unless the team can cite reasons why the child cannot be mainstreamed with related services and supplementary services — like an aide.
Go to the website of your State Department of Education, search the site for “aide assessment.”
In a quick Google search, links were to “Instructional Aide Assessment Test” like this one: http://www.tcoe.org/HR/InstAideExam.shtm
If you don’t find anything, call the State Department of Education. http://www.yellowpagesforkids.com/help/seas.htm
Ask them if the state requires districts to do an “aide assessment.”
Think about requesting the district policy about requiring an aide assessment.
You will often find that this policy is “unwritten” … or non-existent.
