Parent/Guardian Involvement

Often school professionals include parents in the evaluation process through written checklists and developmental histories. They may also conduct interviews. Interviews provide an opportunity to build relationships, gather information, expand on the information provided in the written format, and ask follow-up questions in a way that written checklists can never accomplish.

Direct interview sessions also give the parents an opportunity to ask their own questions and discuss their thoughts and concerns. Multiple members of the school assessment team may participate in the parent interview. This allows for a richer interaction strengthened by various backgrounds and perspectives. It also is time effective allowing the parents to share with multiple professionals in one session and allowing the team members to learn a wider range of information than they would gather independently.