Psychoeducational report recommendations teams can use
By the IEP Atlas editorial teamLast updated
Short answer
Write each psychoeducational report recommendation from a specific finding, phrase it as something a teacher or provider can do, and label which part of the IEP it belongs in. Give the setting, frequency and what data will show it is working. Keep the list short and ranked, so the team acts on the 5 to 8 that matter most.
The recommendations section is the part of the report the IEP team actually uses. Teachers skim the scores. Parents look for the summary. Then everyone turns to the last page and asks, "So what do we do?" A long list of generic tips makes that page useless. A short list tied to the data makes the IEP easy to write.
Federal rules say the evaluation must give the team relevant information that directly helps determine the student's educational needs.[1] Recommendations are where that happens. This page walks through a method, then a full worked example. For how a parent or teacher reads the whole report, see how to read a psychoeducational report. The pillar on the IEP evaluation process covers where the report fits.
What you need before you start
- Your score summary, with standard scores and percentile ranks for every measure
- Classroom data: curriculum-based measures, work samples, grades
- Observation notes from at least one setting where the concern shows up
- Teacher and parent input forms
- The referral questions, written exactly as the team asked them
Step 1: List the findings that answer the referral questions
Pull 4 to 6 findings that explain the student's difficulty. A finding combines a score with what you saw in class. "Processing speed standard score 76 (5th percentile); completed 40% of a timed math sheet in observation" is a finding. "Processing speed is low" is not.
Leave out scores in the average range unless they rule something out. A recommendation that answers no finding is a sign to cut it.
Step 2: Write one recommendation per finding
Each recommendation should name an action, the setting and the frequency. A useful test: could a teacher who has not read the report start doing it on Monday?
- Weak: "The student would benefit from multisensory reading instruction."
- Better: "Provide explicit, systematic phonics instruction in a small group of 3 or fewer, 30 minutes a day, focused on vowel teams and multisyllable words, where accuracy on the decoding inventory was 45%."
Leave the choice of a specific commercial program to the team. Describe the features the instruction needs.
Step 3: Label the IEP section
Sort every recommendation into the part of the IEP where it belongs. This is the step that saves the most meeting time.
| Label | What it becomes in the IEP | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Present levels | A strength or need statement with data | Working memory index 79 |
| Goal | A measurable annual goal | Reading fluency target in WCPM |
| Specially designed instruction | Service minutes and method features | Small-group phonics 30 minutes daily |
| Accommodation | Classroom and testing supports | Extended time 1.5x on timed tests |
| Related service | Counseling, OT, speech | Referral for a speech-language evaluation |
| Further assessment | A consent request | Functional behavior assessment |
| Home or parent | Optional suggestions shared with family | Paired reading 10 minutes a night |
Pair this with turning evaluation results into present levels, which shows the next step in the team's work.
Step 4: Add the data that will show it works
For any recommendation that becomes a goal or service, name the measure. "Monitor oral reading fluency every 2 weeks with grade-level passages" gives the case manager a method. The measurement guide and the oral reading fluency page show common choices.
Step 5: Rank and cut
Put the recommendations in priority order. Most students need 5 to 8, not 25. If two recommendations would fall under the same service, merge them. Put home suggestions last and label them as optional.
Step 6: Write for the parent too
Read every recommendation out loud. If you would need to explain a term at the meeting, explain it in the report. "Explicit instruction (the teacher shows and models each step before the student tries it)" takes 9 more words and prevents a confused look.
Worked example from start to finish
Fictional student: Sam, grade 4, referred for reading and attention concerns. Selected results:
| Measure | Score | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Full scale cognitive composite | 94 | 34th |
| Verbal comprehension | 103 | 58th |
| Working memory | 79 | 8th |
| Processing speed | 81 | 10th |
| Basic reading skills | 74 | 4th |
| Reading comprehension | 88 | 21st |
| Math calculation | 96 | 39th |
| Oral reading fluency (classroom CBM, 3 probes) | Median 62 WCPM on grade 4 passages | |
| Teacher attention rating scale | High inattention ratings |
The standard score scale has a mean of 100. Scores of 85 to 115 fall in the average range.
Findings:
- Decoding is the main barrier. Basic reading 74 versus verbal comprehension 103. On the decoding inventory, Sam read 45% of vowel-team words and 30% of two-syllable words correctly.
- Working memory (79) limits multi-step directions. In observation, Sam completed the first of 3 oral directions and then asked a peer.
- Slow processing (81) and slow reading mean timed tasks underestimate what Sam knows. Math calculation is average when untimed.
- Attention ratings are high at school, not at home.
Recommendations, ranked and labeled:
- (SDI) Explicit, systematic phonics instruction in a group of 3 or fewer, 30 minutes a day, starting with vowel teams and moving to two-syllable words.
- (Goal) Annual reading fluency goal from a baseline median of 62 WCPM on grade 4 passages, measured every 2 weeks.
- (Goal) Decoding goal measured on a 20-word vowel-team list, baseline 9 of 20.
- (Accommodation) Give multi-step directions in writing as well as orally, and check after the first step.
- (Accommodation) Extended time of 1.5x on timed tests and assignments, and read-aloud for math word problems.
- (Further assessment) Ask the parent to share any medical information on attention. Consider whether an other health impairment evaluation is needed if attention concerns continue after reading support begins.
- (Home, optional) 10 minutes of paired reading at home, 4 nights a week, with books Sam picks.
Seven recommendations, each with a label, each traceable to a number. The case manager can draft the services page straight from items 1, 4 and 5, and the goals from items 2 and 3.
Common mistakes
| Weak | Better |
|---|---|
| "Preferential seating." | "Seat near the point of instruction during whole-class directions, where the observation showed missed steps." |
| "Use a multisensory approach." | "Explicit phonics with letter tiles and word building, 30 minutes daily, group of 3." |
| "Break tasks into smaller steps." | "Give written 3-step checklists for independent work; check after step 1." |
| "Monitor progress." | "Probe oral reading fluency every 2 weeks with grade 4 passages; graph against the goal line." |
| "Consider counseling." | "Refer for a counseling needs assessment; teacher ratings show high anxiety items in class only." |
| 25 recommendations | 7 ranked recommendations, each labeled |
How to use the IEP due date calculator for this task
Recommendations come with deadlines. If the student is found eligible, the meeting to develop the IEP must be held within 30 days,[3] and the next reevaluation is due within 3 years. The IEP due date calculator gives both dates from the eligibility date. Add a line to the report, such as "Reassess decoding and fluency at the next reevaluation, due by October 2029," so the next evaluator knows what to look at first.
The eligibility decision itself belongs to the team of qualified professionals and the parent, not to the report alone.[2] Write recommendations as what the data supports, and let the team decide. For more on the role of school psychologists in this work, NASP describes the scope of practice.[4] For a reevaluation where no new testing was done, see triennial reevaluation: new testing vs record review.
Frequently asked questions
How many recommendations should a psychoeducational report include?
Usually 5 to 8, ranked by priority. Each one should answer a finding from the evaluation. Long lists of generic tips make it harder for the IEP team to act.
Should a psychoeducational report recommend a specific reading program?
It is usually better to describe the features of the instruction the student needs, such as explicit, systematic phonics in a small group, and leave the choice of program to the IEP team and the school.
Do the report's recommendations have to be in the IEP?
No. The IEP team must consider the evaluation results, but it decides what goes into the IEP. Clear, labeled recommendations make it easier for the team to use them.
Use it in IEP Atlas
- Standard score in the IEP glossary
- Evaluation in the IEP glossary
- Reevaluation in the IEP glossary
- IEP due date calculator
- Oral reading fluency measurement
Related guides
- The IEP evaluation process: from referral to eligibility
- How to read a psychoeducational evaluation report
- From evaluation scores to present levels that drive goals
- Triennial reevaluation: new testing vs record review
- What tests are in a psychoeducational evaluation?
- Educational evaluation report template, section by section
Sources
- 34 CFR §300.304: Evaluation procedures, U.S. Department of Education (IDEA website)
- 34 CFR §300.306: Determination of eligibility, U.S. Department of Education (IDEA website)
- 34 CFR §300.323: When IEPs must be in effect, U.S. Department of Education (IDEA website)
- What Is a School Psychologist?, National Association of School Psychologists
Written and checked by the IEP Atlas editorial team under our editorial policy. This guide describes general practice and federal rules. It is not legal advice; your state may add requirements, and the IEP team makes the decisions for each student.