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| Placement evaluation resources
Here is my collection of checklists and other resources for evaluating placements (classrooms and schools). I visited a special school in March 2008 and felt that these checklists didn't totally meet my needs, so I developed my own checklists that are posted separately under this topic.
If one of these links is broken, try removing any blank spaces in the address and try again. If it still doesn't work, let me know.
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art44663.asp - by an autism mom, with lots of comments.
http://www.autism-pdd.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=13687&am p;am p;am p;am p;am p;am p;am p;am p;am p;am p;am p;am p;am p;am p;am p;KW=special+classes - from New Mexico Early Childhood Transition Initiative (originally found at the following address: http://www.ped.state.nm.us/seo/preschool/90.day.transition.g uidance.doc
http://www.paulakluth.com/articles/schoolinclusive.html - is the school really inclusive or full of hot air?
http://www.speechteach.co.uk/p_resource/parent/whichschool.h tm - good list of questions to ask to help you decide which school for my child?
http://www.spedschools.com/Placementinfo/parentcheck.htm - thorough form from Massachusetts, with extra focus on qualifications, case loads, etc.
http://www.vesid.nysed.gov/specialed/autism/apqi.htm#CHALL - Autism Program Quality Indicators, for schools to use in reviewing and improving their programs. I adapted this checklist for parent use in rating and comparing programs in key areas, see posts below.
http://autism.about.com/od/schoolandsummer/a/whichschool.htm - "How to make good choices about autism and school" by Lisa Jo Rudy.
http://autism.about.com/od/childrenandautism/a/preschoolhub. htm - "Preschool and autism: What's the best choice?" Tips on finding the right preschool.
http://www.pattan.k12.pa.us/files/Forms/English/AnnNOREP_072 205.pdf - "Notice of Recommended Educational Placement" (NOREP) - sample form with notes, shows what to expect when your school recommends a placement.
Any other resources? NorwayMom39686.0077662037Here's my checklist for identifying if your child has the skills needed for success in the placement. I'd love to hear your feedback on anything I might have overlooked.
WHAT SKILLS ARE NEEDED FOR SUCCESS IN THIS PLACEMENT?
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Placement
has built-in
support |
Placement can arrange support |
Placement requires mastery |
Is this okay for my child? |
Independence at school |
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On the bus |
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In the bathroom |
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In the cloak room |
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In the locker room |
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At lunch |
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On the playground |
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In the library |
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On field trips |
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During fire drills, etc. |
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During assembly |
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Other: |
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Transitioning skills |
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Upon arrival at school |
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Between activities |
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Between locations |
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At the end of the day |
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Other: |
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Organizational skills |
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Coat hook or locker |
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Backpack and pencil case |
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Homework assignments |
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Getting classroom materials |
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Clean up |
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Other: |
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Social skills |
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Sharing |
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Taking turns |
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Initiating |
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Getting along with others |
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Resolving conflicts |
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Working in a group |
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Other: |
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Work skills |
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Listening |
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Following directions |
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Asking for help |
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Shifting attention |
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Remaining on task |
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Working quietly |
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Self-motivating |
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Other: |
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Behavioral skills |
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Controlling impulses |
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Managing anger |
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Managing sensory overload |
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Staying safe |
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Complying with rules |
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Respecting property |
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Other: |
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Fine motor skills |
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Pencil |
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Scissors |
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Feeding |
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Mouse/keyboard |
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Zippers, buttons, shoelaces |
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Other: |
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Fundamental
Academic Skills |
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Reading |
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Writing |
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Math |
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Language |
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Other: |
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its official - you are the best  I agree KajoliT. Thanks NorwayMom.
Norwaymom,
You really have to write that book. Every parent with an ASD child needs your resources. You are awesome . Thanks I needed this checklist.
Concernedpa. Here's another part of my checklist.
The left column is meant for your overall impression. Is the placement unsatisfactory in that area (-) satisfactory in that area (/) or excellent (+) ?
The right column of this checklist is based on the New York checklist for assessing the quality of their autism programs. In my opinion, it's not necessary to have an answer on ALL the points, but it's nice to know what to look for.
In my original checklist, there's a third column with room for notes and a question that is most important for you, based on your needs and experiences. There wasn't room for a third column under this post, so I included my most important questions (intended as examples only) in italics in the right column.
Anyhow, here's part 1, for observing the evaluation the classroom:
CHOICE OF PLACEMENT
Rating
(-) (/) (+) |
Signs of program quality |
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Personnel
_ good student:teacher ratio ______ : _______
_ qualified, knowledgeable, skilled and experienced
_ ongoing training and support for teachers and para’s
Is the teacher willing to learn? |
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Staff interaction/communication with parents
_ good interpersonal skills
_ easy to get hold of by phone/e-mail
_ conferences and meetings at regular intervals
_ good daily/weekly communication, eg comm. sheets
Will communication break down if I don’t pick up and drop off every day? |
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Staff interaction/communication with child
_ positive focus, using reinforcers and promoting success
_ reacts well when child struggles with a task
_ reacts well when child behaves inappropriately
_ reacts well in a conflict situation
_ interacts, doesn’t just give orders
Does the teacher seem to appreciate my child for who he is today, rather than treat him like a remodeling project? |
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Main Classroom and Special Classrooms
_ clean, safe, spacious and pleasant
_ structured and organized
_ sensory-friendly
_ equipped for fine/gross motor, sensory & lang. stimulation
Will my child have a place nearby for breaks and private lessons? |
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Daily Routine and Curriculum
_ covers academics and communication/social/life skills
_ variety of structured and unstructured activities
_ variety of independent, small- and large-group activities
_ predictable routines, use of visual schedules and supports
Will my child have a predictable routine with challenging and goal-oriented work (not frittering away his time)? |
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Instructional Methods, Activities and Materials
_ customized and adapted to the individual
_ appealing, interesting, and actively engaging
_ at the appropriate level of difficulty
_ emphasizes interaction and communication
_ promotes independence and generalization of skills
Are visuals used, or is instruction mostly talking? |
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Inclusion / Least Restrictive Environment
_ informal & planned interaction with peers, including NT
_ supports, accommodations & social training for the child
_ peer training
_ training and support for the mainstream teacher(s)
Will my child be actively encouraged to interact with NT peers and given adequate support? |
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Supervision and Safety
_ safe physical environment
_ adequate supervision (recess, lunch, field trips, transitions)
_ autism training for all staff
Will my child have an assistant (especially important in non-routine situations)? |
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Related therapies
_ Speech Therapy _ ABA
_ Occupational Therapy _ Adapted PE
_ Physical Therapy _ Social skills groups
_ Other:
Does the school work closely with any professionals? |
(-) Unsatisfactory
(/) Satisfactory
(+) Excellent And here's the final part of my checklist. It works the same way as the above checklist. However, the above checklist focuses on a single classroom, while this checklist focuses on aspects that are common to the whole school.
Again, my own "most important question" is included in italics as an example. Change it to your own, based on what you prioritize given your experiences as a parent and the needs of your child.
CHOICE OF SCHOOL
Rating
(-) (/) (+) |
Signs of program quality |
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Transportation
_ Travel time from home: ___________
_ safe and reliable transportation arrangements
Can a bus/taxi transfer be avoided? |
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Parent Involvement and Support
_ tolerant, respects diversity
_ good communication, true partnership with parents
_ good routines for sharing information
_ parent training and support groups
_ interested in family’s needs, helps access services
Will we be consulted early in the IEP process? |
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Evaluation and Testing
_ administered by professionals using proper tools
_ scheduled regularly
_ focuses on both strengths and deficits
Are tools available for reading and math assessments? |
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IEP Development and Implementation
_ specific and measurable goals
_ based on both academic and developmental needs
_ use of a variety of interventions eg parent training,
classroom accommodations, assistive technology,
and peer interaction
_ team approach, with good routines for sharing info
Is the teacher qualified to write the IEP? |
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Review and Monitoring of Progress and Outcomes
_ use of trial periods
_ collaborative, ongoing, and systematic
_ scheduled and as-needed
_ leading to changes in goals and methods
Can we meet frequently to discuss progress and methods? |
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Challenging Behaviors
_ proactive – staff training, crisis planning, clear rules
_ professional – thorough FBA/BIP
_ positive – supports, rewards, and skill-building
None now, but what about at puberty? |
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Transition Planning
_ team approach involving long-term planning
_ coordinating visits and preparing the new staff
_ preparing the child (eg, skills for middle school)
How will the school help us find a senior high placement? |
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Program Evaluation and Development
_ systematic evaluation of results and satisfaction
_ regular planning and implementation of improvements
What are the school’s recent survey results? |
(-) Unsatisfactory
(/) Satisfactory
(+) Excellent
This isn't exactly for placement evaluation, but it's a set of checklists to help with the transition to a new educational setting:
http://www.asperger.org.uk/Download/TransitionsPack.doc [QUOTE=NorwayMom]
This isn't exactly for placement evaluation, but it's a set of checklists to help with the transition to a new educational setting:
http://www.asperger.org.uk/Download/TransitionsPack.doc
[/QUOTE]
Norwaymom~~~
This link would not work for me. Thanks for all the info you share!!! ksurocks -
It looks like they've removed the transitions pack from their website. I've tried to google up something similar. This link has lots of links related to transitions at various ages. There might be something useful there.
http://bctf.ca/issues/resources.aspx?id=10844
Here's an article about choosing a high school placement for children with learning disabilities.
http://www.examiner.com/x-4959-Special-Education-Examiner~y2 009m12d17-Choosing-a-high-school-for-your-child-with-learnin g-differences
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