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How I Survived the Paper Snowstorm of Special Education

By Sandie Benz

I finally made it. Me, a teacher in my own classroom. Early childhood special education was my field of choice. I was ready for anything that came my way. So, when my supervisor came to me and said it was time to start testing the children who would be transitioning, I was enthusiastic and ready for the new experience.

The Evaluation Process

My first step was to choose my testing tool. My supervisor said to use "whatever test I wanted." That wasn't much help. I could have used a little direction. I surveyed other teachers to learn what they used, narrowed the choices, and decided which tests to use.

Now I had to administer the test. I had chosen a checklist-style test with which I could use classroom observations to score. This proved to be more difficult than I had thought. Mine was a "day class" with many of the children coming only 3 days a week. Many of these children also received other therapies (Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, speech) throughout the day, which took them out of the classroom during much of their short time in school. I completed the checklist charts over a period of a few days. This helped me get the truest picture of the child and better accommodate everyoneís schedule.

Now all I had to do was summarize the scores and write the reports. I checked with my supervisor for the format the reports should follow. "First, use this form for your educational report. Then do this multi-comp report. Attach to the educational report at lease three goals for every domain the child is showing a deficit of 12 months or more," she said. Okay, two reports and some goals. For my educational report, I needed to include background information on the child; the cognitive, social/emotional, fine motor, gross motor, and self-help/adaptive skill abilities of the child; a summary; and recommendations for the childís next placement. This report was pages long.

Next was the multi-comp report, a summary report for all the information in the educational report. It also had to include summaries from the therapists who saw the child and the school psychologist. To make sure all this got included in this report, I had to track some people down. The report ended up being two typed pages. Finally, I had to write the goals. In order for a child to qualify for transition to their next placement, they needed to show a deficit of at least six different goals. Most of my students averaged around nine.

It was finally done! Written, typed, and proofread. Just when I began celebrating, my supervisor came to me and said, "Sandie, I need the other five reports on my desk by tomorrow. And get ready, the CPSE and IFSP meeting will be starting next week."

Here we go again.

Time-Saving Tips and More!

How did I survive the paper snowstorm? It was easier than it may seem. After I had selected my testing tool, I didnít have to worry about doing it again. The tool I chose proved to be a good choice. It was easy to administer over a period of days, and it allowed me to use my observations of the child while in the classroom. Another nice feature of this test was it lent itself to creating goals for the child. As the test was designed on a developmental checklist scale, it was easy to look ahead to see what the child had not yet mastered and then work it into a goal. Plus, each time I administered the test, it was easier to work with.

For writing the reports, I developed my own system. I created a format on my computer that fit the report form and created my own data base of frequently used terms and phrases. These were easy to cut and paste into my reports, which cut down on the time it took to write and prepare the reports. It also made it faster to type them and helped me form clearer and more concise thoughts. I used the same approach for writing student goals by formatting a goal sheet. In the goal data base, I kept suggested goals that coincided with the age levels on the testing tool. I had five different sets of goals, one for each domain.

For the multi-comp report, I learned quickly how difficult it can be to track down some therapists. Now, as soon as I receive permission to test a child, I start the multi-comp report. One by one, when I see the therapists, I hand them the report, give them a time limit on when I need the form, and information on how they can get it to me.

I keep track of who needs to add to the form by putting a sticky note on the top of the multi-comp form. I write each of the therapistís names that need to contribute. As they fill in their part, I place a check next to their name. The therapists have gotten used to my system and are getting much better at filling in their part in a timely manner. Once all the others have contributed to the report, I add my summaries. This method also gives me time to complete my testing and report first.

My first time through this process I felt lost, alone, unorganized, and unsure of what I was doing. The second time was much easier. After three or four times, I developed my system, which I continue to use and refine. SoCit gets easier. My advice is to expect it to be tough the first few times. Once you make it through just once, youíll know that you can do it every time. Remember, you have been trained for this. This is the moment you have been waiting for so relax, ask questions, and feel confident in yourself!

Sandie Benz is a former president of Student CEC.