The first few years of a child’s life are a particularly sensitive period in the process of development. Research shows early identification of a child’s challenges can significantly improve the factors that place children at-risk for developmental delay. Early intervention provides supports for the child as a whole and are essential in helping children learn and grow to their potential. To that end, our consultants offer a hands-on approach to the structures and systems necessary to successfully conduct a comprehensive, play-based multidisciplinary evaluation. Evaluation refers to the procedures used by the preschool team to comply with its child-find obligation as mandated under the IDEA. As part of the evaluation, the team will be trained to observe the child, ask the child to do things, talk to the parents and the child, and use other methods to gather information. These procedures will help the team accurately and efficiently identify the child’s functional abilities in five areas of development: cognitive, physical, communication, social-emotional, and adaptive. 

• Articulate a vision for preschool services 

• Describe a model and framework for evaluation 

• Identify systemic barriers and develop solutions to resolve issues related to referral and special education eligibility determination 

• Learn appropriate use and application of instrumentation 

• Establish a play-based transdisciplinary evaluation system

• Articulate special education eligibility criteria based on evaluation results 

• Develop goals and objectives based on evaluation results