Speech-language evaluation report template

By the IEP Atlas editorial teamLast updated November 1, 2026

Short answer

A school speech-language evaluation report covers the reason for referral, background, hearing status, the tests and informal measures used, results by area, the effect on school performance, and a summary for the eligibility team. Use the fill-in template below, then check each section against the notes on what reviewers and parents look for.

A speech-language evaluation report has two readers. The eligibility team needs enough evidence to decide whether the student has a disability and needs special education. The family needs to understand what was found in plain words. A report that serves both is organized by question, explains every score, and ties results to the classroom.

This page gives a fill-in template, a completed example for one fictional student, and notes on what reviewers and parents look for in each section. For the full evaluation process and timelines, see the IEP evaluation process. For the goals that follow an evaluation, see the speech therapy IEP goals pillar.

What the law expects from an evaluation

Federal rules require a variety of assessment tools and strategies, gathering functional and developmental information, including information from the parent. No single measure can be the sole basis for deciding eligibility. Tests must be given in the student's native language or other mode of communication, unless that is clearly not feasible.^[1] The group that decides eligibility must draw on many sources, such as tests, parent input, teacher recommendations and observations.^[2]

Timelines also matter. An initial evaluation must be completed within 60 days of consent, or within the timeline your state sets.^[3] The IEP due date calculator helps you work back from the deadline to schedule testing and writing time.

Fill-in speech-language evaluation report template

Copy the sections below and fill every bracket. Delete sections that do not apply, such as voice or fluency, and say why in one line.

1. Identifying information Student: ______ (name). Date of birth: ______ (date). Age at testing: ______ (years;months). Grade: ______ (grade). School: ______ (school). Evaluation dates: ______ (dates). Evaluator: ______ (name, credentials). Type: ______ (initial evaluation or reevaluation).

2. Reason for referral ______ (Student) was referred by ______ (person) on ______ (date) because of concerns about ______ (specific concerns in the referrer's words, such as "hard to understand in class" or "trouble following directions"). The questions this evaluation answers are: ______ (list 2 or 3 questions).

3. Background information

Health and development: ______ (birth history, milestones, medical history, as reported by parent on date).
Hearing and vision: ______ (screening date and result; audiology report if any).
Language background: ______ (languages used at home and school; who speaks which language; years of English exposure).
Educational history: ______ (grade retention, interventions tried, RTI or MTSS data, attendance).
Parent concerns: ______ (in the parent's words).
Teacher concerns: ______ (from interview or rating form, dated).

4. Assessment procedures and validity Tests and measures used: ______ (list each with its full name). Testing was conducted in ______ (language) in ______ (setting) over ______ sessions. Validity: ______ (note attention, cooperation, accommodations, and whether the norm sample fits the student). ______ (For multilingual students: how both languages were considered.)

5. Results by area For each area assessed: articulation and phonology, receptive language, expressive language, social communication, fluency, voice, and oral mechanism. Report:

Standardized results: ______ (test, subtest, standard score, percentile rank, descriptive range).
Informal results: ______ (language sample, speech sample, observation, criterion-referenced probes).
What it means: ______ (one or two plain sentences on what the student can and cannot yet do).

6. Classroom observation Observed on ______ (date) during ______ (subject or activity) for ______ (minutes). ______ (What the student did, with counts where possible.)

7. Educational impact ______ (How the communication results affect reading, writing, class participation, peer interaction and being understood, with work samples or teacher data.)

8. Summary ______ (Three to five sentences: the main findings across measures, strengths, needs, and how they relate to the referral questions.)

9. Considerations for the eligibility team ______ (Whether the findings are consistent with a speech or language impairment, and any factors the team must rule out, such as limited English exposure or lack of appropriate instruction. The team, not the report, makes the eligibility decision.)

10. Recommendations for the team to consider ______ (Areas for goals if eligible; classroom strategies; referrals such as audiology. Avoid stating service minutes, which the IEP team decides.)

Completed example: a second grade student

Identifying information: Sofia, age 7;8, grade 2. Initial evaluation, testing on October 6, 8 and 13, 2026.

Reason for referral: Sofia's teacher referred her on September 15 because "she is hard to understand when she shares" and "her stories are short and jumbled." Questions: (1) Does Sofia have a speech sound disorder? (2) Does she have a language disorder affecting her retell and writing? (3) How do these affect school?

Background: Milestones were on time except first words at about 18 months, per parent report. Hearing screening passed on September 20. English is the only home language. She received small-group Tier 2 articulation support for 8 weeks in first grade with limited change.

Assessment procedures: a norm-referenced articulation test, a norm-referenced language test, a 50-utterance language sample, a story retell, a 100-word connected speech sample, an oral mechanism exam, a teacher rating form and a 30-minute classroom observation. Sofia was cooperative across sessions. Results are considered valid.

Results:

Area	Measure	Result	What it means
Speech sounds	Norm-referenced articulation test	Standard score 72, 3rd percentile	Below the average range for her age
Speech sounds	Connected speech sample	71% of words understood by an unfamiliar listener	Peers often miss what she says
Receptive language	Norm-referenced language test	Standard score 94, 34th percentile	Within the average range
Expressive language	Norm-referenced language test	Standard score 81, 10th percentile	Below average
Expressive language	Language sample	Past tense -ed in 6 of 15 required places	Grammar errors common for younger children
Narrative	Story retell rubric	2 of 5 story parts	Leaves out the problem and the ending
Oral mechanism	Structure and function exam	Within normal limits	No physical cause found

Standard scores in this example have a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 15. The standard score and percentile rank glossary entries explain both for families.

Classroom observation: during a 30-minute morning meeting on October 9, Sofia volunteered 2 times. On the second turn, a peer said "What?" and she stopped talking.

Educational impact: her teacher reports Sofia's written retells average 2 sentences, compared with 5 to 6 for most classmates, and she avoids sharing in class. Speech sound errors reduce how well peers understand her.

Summary: Sofia shows a speech sound disorder affecting several sound classes and an expressive language weakness in grammar and narrative. Receptive language is a strength. Both needs affect class participation and written retell.

Considerations for the team: findings are consistent with a speech or language impairment. Hearing is within normal limits, English is her only language, and she had 8 weeks of targeted support with limited change.

Recommendations to consider: goals for speech sound patterns in connected speech, past tense in retell, and story structure; a classroom repair strategy so she can rephrase when not understood.

What reviewers and parents look for in each section

Section	What reviewers check	What parents look for
Reason for referral	Clear questions the report answers	Whether their concerns were heard
Background	Hearing status, language history, prior interventions	Accurate history in their own words
Procedures and validity	Varied measures, native language, validity statement	Plain explanation of what was done
Results	Scores with percentiles and a "what it means" line	What the numbers mean for their child
Observation	Dated, timed, with counts	A real school example
Educational impact	Evidence tied to classroom work	How it affects learning and friends
Summary	Findings that answer the referral questions	A short, plain answer
Team considerations	Exclusion factors addressed; no decision made by the report	That nothing was decided before the meeting

Send the report to families a few days before the meeting when your district allows it. A parent who has read the report has better questions. The how to read a psychoeducational report guide helps families with score terms that also appear in speech reports.

Common mistakes in speech evaluation reports

Weak: A table of scores with no explanation. Better: Each score with a percentile and one plain sentence on what it means.
Weak: Reporting only standardized tests. Better: Adding a language sample, a speech sample and a classroom observation; ASHA's guidance on spoken language disorders describes assessment that combines both kinds of measures.^[4]
Weak: Testing a multilingual student only in English. Better: Considering both languages and the student's experience with each, with an interpreter as needed.^[5]
Weak: "Sofia qualifies for speech services, 60 minutes per week." Better: Findings and considerations for the team, which makes both decisions.
Weak: Copying last year's background into a reevaluation. Better: Updating hearing, interventions and teacher input; a reevaluation can draw on a review of existing data.^[6]

Using the report in the IEP

The results and educational impact sections become the starting point for present levels. See speech therapy present levels examples for how to write them up. Draft goals from the recommendations, then check them with the goal checker. The evaluation and reevaluation glossary entries define the terms for families.

Frequently asked questions

What should be included in a speech-language evaluation report?

Reason for referral, background including hearing and language history, the tests and informal measures used, results by area with plain explanations, a classroom observation, educational impact, a summary, and considerations for the eligibility team.

Should a speech evaluation report recommend service minutes?

Usually not. The IEP team decides eligibility, goals and services together. The report should describe findings and areas for goals, and leave minutes and setting to the team meeting.

Is a standardized test enough for a speech evaluation?

No. Federal rules require a variety of tools, and no single measure can decide eligibility. Add a language or speech sample, a classroom observation, and teacher and parent input.

Use it in IEP Atlas

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 §300.301: Initial evaluations, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
Spoken Language Disorders, ASHA
Multilingual Service Delivery in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, ASHA
34 CFR §300.305: Additional requirements for evaluations and reevaluations, U.S. Department of Education (IDEA website)

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.