Heather: I was wondering if schools can repeat the same evaluation within a year of each other. I was told no but I cannot find any literature to state it. One was done in September, and the next in June (there was also no change in the score).
Evaluations: REPEATING EVALUATIONS
I have a 17 year old son with 5P- syndrome. He is limited verbal and communicates with an iPad(prologue app). He is an excellent speller and reader. We have wanted his reading ability/comprehension tested for years but the district does not know how to test him. In my opinion, he has a word recognition of 8-9th grade and reading comprehension of at least 4th grade. The district has nothing on his IEP for reading and seems to be at lost how to teach him. They all agree he is extremely bright. He is basically being babysat. His IEP this year is the exact same from last year. He is the brightest child with this disorder that I have seen. It’s almost like he is a savant.
They have produced no documention for any IEP goals. It’s just crazy and I’m going in circles!
Heather, if you want to have an academic area retested – for example, reading or math – most educational achievement tests have two forms (A and B) that are essentially the same. A child can be assessed on one form at the beginning of the year and retested with the second form of the test after one semester.
Heather –
I want to differentiate evaluations from assessments. In IDEA-speak, an evaluation is the term used for the overall investigation into a specific area. And assessments are the pieces that help make up the evaluation (along with observations, report cards, student work, etc.).The difference is not hugely important. Just note that an evaluation can include one or more (or none) different assessments.
For example, let’s say the school wants to evaluate your child’s reading ability. To do so, they may conduct a stand-alone reading assessment and subtests from an IQ test. They will likely also factor in the results of statewide and district-wide tests, RTI results, school reading assignments, and teacher anecdotes. All these pieces together make the evaluation.
As Elizabeth notes, some assessments are considered invalid if repeated within a certain time frame (often 1 year, sometimes 2). These rules are set by the assessment publisher. IQ test are a prime example, but many other types of assessments have this stipulation.
If the school is worried about completing an individual assessment before the publisher’s time frame has passed, the easy solution is to find a different assessment that evaluates the same area.
Regarding evaluations, IDEA does stipulate that they should not be conducted more than once per year in any given area – UNLESS the parent and school agree otherwise (see § 300.303).
Reevaluations should occur at least every three years (in each area of the student’s disability). But they should also occur any time there is a significant change in the student’s functioning in the area in question, or if it is unclear how to assist the student in a given area (to name just two of the reasons when they should happen early).
Sometimes these circumstances arise before a year has concluded, and IDEA recognizes this. If the school disagrees that the reevaluation is needed, they must provide you with prior written notice.
I’m not sure what the evaluation was for, but most IQ tests, at least, have a mandated two-year interval between administrations for validity.