The assessment plan explained: areas of suspected disability
By the IEP Atlas editorial teamLast updated
Short answer
An assessment plan is the written list of areas a school proposes to evaluate, the kinds of tests or procedures it will use and the staff who will do them. Parents see it with the consent form before any testing starts. Federal rules require notice describing the evaluation procedures and testing in all areas of suspected disability. State names for it vary.
An assessment plan is the school's proposal for a special education evaluation, written down before testing begins. It answers three questions: what will be looked at, how, and by whom. The parent reads it and signs consent before anything on it happens.
Legal basis
The phrase "assessment plan" does not appear in the federal regulations. The pieces of it do:
- Before an evaluation, the school must give the parent written notice that describes the evaluation procedures it proposes to use.[1] That notice must follow the prior written notice rules, which include a description of each evaluation procedure, assessment, record or report the school relied on.[2]
- The school must get informed written consent before the first evaluation.[3]
- The child must be assessed in all areas related to the suspected disability. That can include health, vision, hearing, social and emotional status, general intelligence, academic performance, communication and motor abilities.[1]
States turn these rules into a form. California, for example, calls it the assessment plan. Others use evaluation plan, proposed evaluation, notice of evaluation or consent for evaluation. Some states set a deadline for sending it after a referral. Ask your district what its form is called.
What an assessment plan includes
| Part | What it says | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Reason for referral | The concern in a sentence or two | Every area on the plan should connect to it |
| Areas to be assessed | Academic, cognitive, language, motor, social and emotional, adaptive, health, vision and hearing | An area left off may not be tested |
| Type of procedure | Standardized tests, observation, interviews, rating scales, record review | Shows the team will use more than one tool |
| Evaluator by area | School psychologist, special education teacher, SLP, OT, nurse | Tells the parent who to ask about each area |
| Language of testing | The child's native language or mode of communication | Tests must give accurate results for this child[1] |
| Parent consent line | Signature and date | Starts the evaluation timeline |
What "areas of suspected disability" means
An area of suspected disability is any part of the child's development where the team, or the parent, has a reason to think a disability may be affecting learning. It is wider than the main concern. A child referred for reading may also need language tested if the teacher notices trouble following directions. A child referred for behavior may need academic testing, because frustration with work can look like defiance.
The plan should be broad enough to find all of the child's needs, not only the need that started the referral.[1] It does not have to include every possible test. It has to cover each area where there is a real reason to look.
Assessment plan example
The plan below is fictional. It is for Ana, a fourth grader referred in October for reading and attention concerns.
| Area | Procedures | Evaluator |
|---|---|---|
| Academic achievement: reading, writing, math | Standardized achievement test, curriculum-based reading probes, work samples | Special education teacher |
| Cognitive and processing | Standardized cognitive test, phonological processing measure | School psychologist |
| Language | Standardized language test, language sample | Speech-language pathologist |
| Social, emotional and behavioral | Teacher and parent rating scales, student interview, classroom observation | School psychologist |
| Attention and executive function | Rating scales from two teachers and the parent, observation during independent work | School psychologist |
| Health, vision and hearing | Screening review, health history | School nurse |
Ana's parent noticed that the plan did not include fine motor skills, even though Ana avoids handwriting at home. She asked for an occupational therapy screening, and the school added it before she signed. That is the right time to ask. Adding an area after the report comes back means a second round of testing.
Assessment plan vs evaluation report
People mix up the plan and the report because both list the same areas. One comes before testing and the other comes after.
| Assessment plan | Evaluation report | |
|---|---|---|
| When | Before testing, with the consent form | After testing, before the eligibility meeting |
| Purpose | Proposes what will be tested | Reports what was found |
| Contains | Areas, procedures, evaluators | Scores, observations, interpretation, recommendations |
| Parent action | Read, ask to add areas, sign consent | Read, ask questions, join the eligibility decision |
| Legal hook | Notice and consent rules | Parent receives a copy of the report[4] |
The report itself is covered in how to read a psychoeducational report.
Who writes it and where it goes
The school psychologist, an evaluation coordinator or the case manager usually drafts the plan after reviewing the existing data. Teachers often add to it through a teacher input form. The plan goes to the parent with prior written notice, a consent form and the procedural safeguards. Once signed, it stays in the child's special education file.
When the school receives the signed plan and consent, the clock starts. The IEP due date calculator gives the deadline from that date. Parents can read consent for evaluation for what signing means, and the 13 categories of special education for the disability areas the plan is testing for.
Related terms
- Evaluation: the testing and review the plan describes
- Informed consent: the parent's written permission
- Prior written notice: the notice that comes with the plan
- Reevaluation: a later evaluation, which also needs a plan when new testing is proposed
- Eligibility: the decision the evaluation feeds into
The full process is in the IEP evaluation process.
Frequently asked questions
Is an assessment plan the same as an evaluation plan?
Yes, in most places. States and districts use different names, including evaluation plan, proposed evaluation and notice of evaluation. They all describe what the school proposes to test before testing starts.
Can a parent change the assessment plan?
A parent can ask the school to add areas before signing. If the school refuses, it should explain why in writing. A parent can also consent to some parts and ask questions about others.
Does the assessment plan name the exact tests?
Many plans name test types, such as a standardized achievement test or a language sample, rather than specific test titles. Ask the evaluator which tests they plan to use if you want to know.
Use it in IEP Atlas
- Evaluation in the IEP glossary
- Reevaluation in the IEP glossary
- Informed consent in the IEP glossary
- IEP due date calculator
Related guides
- The IEP evaluation process: from referral to eligibility
- Consent for evaluation: what you are signing
- What are the 13 categories of special education?
- Teacher input form for a special education evaluation
- What tests are in a psychoeducational evaluation?
- Classroom observation for an evaluation: what to record
Sources
- 34 CFR §300.304: Evaluation procedures, U.S. Department of Education (IDEA website)
- 34 CFR §300.503: Prior notice by the public agency; content of notice, U.S. Department of Education (IDEA website)
- 34 CFR §300.300: Parental consent, U.S. Department of Education (IDEA website)
- 34 CFR §300.306: Determination of eligibility, U.S. Department of Education (IDEA website)
- Evaluating School-Aged Children for Disability, CPIR
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.