A school district are required to provide notice to parents when it proposes to initiate an evaluation or re-evaluation of a special education student, pursuant to the "prior written notice" requirements of the I.D.E.A. Specific to evaluations, the notice must "describe any evaluation procedures" is proposes to conduct. 20 U.SC. section 1414(b)(1). Because of this requirement, and because of timelines and other issues that are impacted by when a parent gives consent to assess, districts must develop ways to provide the required information and obtained written consent to its proposal to assess. This is commonly referred to as a "special education assessment plan."
California law specifies:
If an assessment for the development or revision of the individualized education program is to be conducted, the parent or guardian shall be given, in writing, a proposed assessment plan...
California Education Code section 56321(a)
As assessment plan must
- Be Understandable - that is, it should be in "language easily understood by the general public" and should be provided in the native language or other mode of communication of the parent / guardian
- Explain the purpose of the assessments proposed
- Explain the areas to be assessed
- Describe / explain the types of assessments that the district proposes to conduct
- Provide information regarding procedural safeguards
See 34 C.F.R. section 300.503; 20 U.S.C. section 1414(b)(1); California Education Code section 56321(b)(1)-(4).
