Special Education Assessment

The Newport Mesa Unified School District’s (NMUSD) Special Education Early Childhood Assessment Center is committed to providing comprehensive, evidence-based assessments for children ages birth through 4 years. 

We provide comprehensive, multidisciplinary evaluations to address concerns about your child's growth, development, and learning. Our assessments help identify your child's unique strengths and needs and determine whether they are eligible for special education services and specialized supports to help them succeed. 

Following a referral or request for assessment, you will work collaboratively with a specialist to discuss your child's strengths and any concerns related to their development, learning, or participation. Together, you will identify the areas that may require further evaluation, and an assessment plan may be developed. Assessment begins upon parent consent.  Depending on your child's individual needs, the assessment team may include a school psychologist, speech-language pathologist, special education teacher, occupational therapist, district nurse, adaptive physical education teacher, and/or other specialists as needed. 

Assessments may include one or more of the following areas: 

• Cognition
• Speech and Language
• Motor Skills
• Social-Emotional Development
• Academic Skills
• Health and Development
• Sensory Processing

This assessment is designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of your child’s strengths and areas of need. It may include:

• Formal and informal assessments to evaluate your child's current skills and development.
• Interviews with you, your child's teacher, and/or other service providers to gather information about your child's functioning across settings.
• Observations of your child in natural environments, during assessment activities, and/or while participating in sessions with current service providers.
• A thorough review of available medical, developmental, and educational records to better understand your child's history and support informed decision-making

Following assessment, our team will prepare a comprehensive multidisciplinary report that provides a detailed understanding of your child's strengths, areas of need, and current functional, developmental, and academic skills. The report integrates parent input and assessment results to create a complete picture of your child's abilities and educational needs. After the report is prepared, an IEP meeting will be scheduled with you to review the findings of the report and collaboratively determine whether your child is eligible for special education services.  

Children can be found eligible for Special Education services under the following established categories:

• Speech Language Impairment
• Autism
• Intellectual Disability
• Other Health Impairment
• Orthopedic Impairment
• Hearing or Visual Impairment
• Specific Learning Disability
• Emotional Disturbance
• Established Medical Disability
• Traumatic Brain Injury
• Multiple Disabilities

Children who are found eligible for special education may require an Individualized Education Program (IEP). This IEP is collaboratively developed with you and describes your child's strengths and educational needs, as well as the special education services, supports, and educational placement they need.