The moment you sign the Initial Assessment Plan (AP), the school district's 60-day deadline begins. This clock is meant to ensure a timely evaluation, but as a school psychologist, I know this truth: The 60-day clock is a deadline... not a waiting period.

If the initial Assessment Plan is incomplete, those 60 days are often wasted. Why? Because the assessments listed on that document dictate the entire evaluation process. If a critical area of concern is missing, you're setting yourself up for unnecessary delays and rushed testing down the line.

This post will show you how to review and amend the Assessment Plan before signing, giving your child the comprehensive first-shot evaluation they deserve.

I've been in countless meetings where, during the parent input discussion after the plan was signed, we learned about significant, unassessed concerns.

For example, a parent might mention significant social communication difficulties (an area that requires a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) assessment) which wasn't included on the initial AP.

Adding a specialist after the fact often requires the team to formally extend the 60-day timeline. This means more waiting for you and your child, and it can disrupt the flow of the evaluation. Your child's evaluation should never become a rushed job or a delayed extension.

The power to prevent this delay is entirely in your hands, the parent.

The Assessment Plan must request assessments in every domain that may be related to your child's suspected disability. Before you sign, review the AP against these three crucial areas:

Are the correct academic assessments included (e.g., specific tests for reading fluency, comprehension, or math calculation)? Does the plan cover all areas where your child struggles? Are the cognitive assessments linked to the academic weaknesses?

This is the most common miss. Does the plan include assessments for areas like:

Assessment areas are based on suspected disabilities. For example, if you're concerned about autism the following areas are typically checked on an assessment plan for a robust and through evaluation: sensory processing, speech, cognitive, academics, fine motor, social-emotional-behaviors, and adaptive.

While not on the formal assessment list, there is a spot on the assessment plan that outlines what else would be collected and integrated for a comprehensive evaluation. This includes observations in the school environment and in-depth interview from you (the parents) and all current teachers.

Important Note: if the plan is missing an assessment for a suspected need (e.g., if your child is showing attention difficulties, but no social-emotional-behaviors assessment is checked off to be assessed), do not sign it.

The Assessment Plan is a proposal, not a mandate. You have the right to request changes to this document.

Ready to stop guessing and start ensuring your child’s evaluation is comprehensive from day one?

Getting the Assessment Plan right the first time is essential. If you are facing an upcoming AP meeting, don't leave this critical first step to chance.

Take the next step now:

Monica Trost is the founder of Prepared Parent Advocate. She is a non-attorney advocate, licensed educational psychologist, and mother of children with disabilities. She works with families virtually across California.

LEP #4660