Initial Post: As you recall from the previous readings, no single procedure is used as the sole criterion for determining eligibility for special education.  In addition to a variety of technically sound instruments that are both valid and reliable, a team approach should always be used to make decisions.  This team should include both qualified professionals and the student’s parents.  As a member of a team, whether it is as part of the Child Study Team or in some other role, the special educator has an important role to play.

One of your roles is to serve as a liaison between families and the school setting.  In this capacity you will sometimes need to write a formal letter to a student’s parents with explanations about the assessment and evaluation process.  In this discussion you will practice this skill by writing a formal letter to Manuel’s parents.  In addition to reading the Announcements, prepare for this discussion by reading the Required Resources, the Week Three Instructor Guidance, and the scenario provided below.

Scenario: Based on the conversations with Manuel’s parents and the other teachers, you and Mr. Franklin decide to implement several Tier One interventions in your classroom.  These include conducting a universal screening of reading and writing achievement for all students in the class, changing your instructional strategies to include high interest reading and writing assignments, and the use of a portfolio.  You and Mr. Franklin want to build on the earlier meeting you had with Manuel’s parents to help them to feel part of the assessment and evaluation process.  You decide to write a etter to inform them about the purpose of RTI and how you plan to use RTI to help in your assessment of Manuel’s learning profile.

Post a response that is formatted as a letter to Manuel’s parents to include the following:

• An explanation of the Response to Intervention (RTI) approach and its purpose as a pre-assessment and evaluative tool.
• A statement with examples describing how RTI has been shown to reduce the likelihood of cultural bias in the assessment and evaluation process.
• A description of the multidisciplinary nature of the assessment and evaluation process with an emphasis on the roles and responsibilities that Manuel’s parents, you, and Mr. Franklin each have in the process.
• A summary of the Tier One Interventions you and Mr. Franklin have implemented so far and your plans for your next steps.