by Diane Barnes, COMS, Region XIII ESC, Austin, Texas

Must address:

• learning competencies which identify the need for the related service
• documentation that the service will enable the student to benefit from the service
• a recommendation for the specific service/s to be offered

Information obtained from Marty Murrell, TEA VI Representative:

It is suggested that the reports be "quite explicit rather than implicit on these three pieces of information so that parents and ARD committee (and DEC monitors) can readily identify them. However; remember that these three areas are not the only things that should be in the report. Please DO NOT narrow your focus to short responses to these three headings".

Other information which should be included in ALL reports (obtained from DEC Guide):

• The child is evaluated in all areas related to the suspected disability (eg. health, vision, hearing, motor)
• Adaptive behavior is considered
• The report includes the source of data for all areas evaluated
  • The evaluation made by a multidisciplinary team or group of people with knowledge of the suspected disability
  • The report documents implications for assistive technology devices and / or services (eg. the "cane" is an assistive technology device)
  • The evaluation is conducted in the child's native language or other mode of communication, unless it is clearly feasible not to do so.
• A decision not to provide or to discontinue a related service should be based on an evaluation.
• The evaluation report can be a separate report from a qualified related service provider or can be documented in the body of the comprehensive individual.

A word from Diane:

1. if I provide a "screening" in the form of no more than a discussion with the VI teacher and that was all that was used to determine that an evaluation was not needed - at that particular time - I document this in one of two ways:
   • if this screening was done during the time the VI teacher was conducting her FVE/LMA, then I either write a blurb (usually no more than a brief paragraph) stating why an evaluation is not needed, and the VI teacher inserts this into her report, or
   • if the FVE/LMA had already been written, then I write a separate report
2. if I provide an "evaluation" then I always write a separate report
   • The evaluation report for the related service must indicate skills and/or behaviors related to the service that the student can and/or cannot perform