Real Life Story

Four year-old Mara was excited about going to preschool. She loved to play with other children and listen to stories, but her teachers and parents noticed that she didn't speak as well as the other children. Mara usually pointed and grunted to let others know what she wanted. In a meeting with Mara's parents, her preschool teacher suggested that the preschool special education team evaluate Mara. Shortly after this, Mara's parents got a letter asking them to agree to the evaluation.

Mara's Evaluation

• Step 1: Gather Information
  Mara was evaluated by a team made up of her preschool teacher, the head teacher of the school, a school psychologist, and a speech/language therapist. The team gathered information about Mara's language abilities, interests, and learning ability.
• Step 2: Decide Eligibility
  At a meeting to discuss the results of the evaluation, it was decided that Mara did have a speech disability, but that her language would likely improve with special help.
• Step 3: Develop an IEP
  In developing her IEP, the team agreed that Mara would receive speech therapy three times a week in the preschool class she was already attending. Mara's parents actively participated in developing these recommendations.