Early Childhood - Connecticut State Department of Education

Assessment Chapter 4
• What strategies could you use to assist, promote
independence or directly teach?
• Is the behavior the same or different across
settings or with different people?
ADDRESSING
DEVELOPMENTAL CONCERNS
When an early childhood teacher is concerned about a
child’s development, it is often after many hours of observing
and interacting with the child in the classroom.
The first step is to express these concerns to the child’s
parents. Parents and teachers should share information
continuously, ideally on a daily basis; however, a parent
conference is the most appropriate setting for sharing
concerns. The typical conversation at drop-off or at the
end of the day does not offer the parent an opportunity
to discuss concerns confidentially.
Once a planned time is arranged, as with all
parent conferences, teachers should be prepared to
share specific, objective observations and thoughts
on the child’s behaviors and abilities. In addition, the
parent should be informed of accommodations in the
classroom environment that have been put into place
in an effort to support the child, and of the teacher’s
expectations and strategies. Most importantly, teachers
should allow time to learn from the family: Does this
description sound like their child? Are they witnessing
or addressing any of the same issues at home? What
modifications have they tried and found successful?
Following this meeting, the family might choose to:
• observe more closely at home and ask the
classroom teacher to continue with the ideas
currently in place;
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• seek out the advice of their child’s
pediatrician or a specialist; or
• contact their local school district to make a
referral for a special education evaluation.
If parents choose this third path, they should be
aware that the school district has the responsibility to
determine eligibility for special education and related
services. Once the child has been referred to the school
district by parents or professionals, a formal procedure
begins. This involves a multidisciplinary evaluation by
a team of professionals who gather information using
formal and informal diagnostic tools. With the parents’
permission, members of the evaluation team may
contact the teacher regarding the child’s behaviors and
abilities. Evaluators may come to the early childhood
classroom to observe the child or conduct a portion of
the assessment in the classroom setting, and may even
request the assistance of the teachers and staff. The
evaluation also will include parent information and
observations to complete the picture.
Once the evaluation is complete a Planning
and Placement Team (PPT), which includes parents
and professionals, will convene to share results and
determine whether or not the child is eligible for
special education and related services. If so, the team
will write an Individualized Education Program (IEP)
that will outline the services to be provided. Often the
school district may suggest other community resources
that may benefit the family and child. It is important
to continue to facilitate open, two-way communications
and parental involvement for both families and the
specialists involved.