Ohio Assessments for Educators (OAE) Special Education Practice Exam

A preferred team’s procedure before a formal referral often involves:

1. Assessing the educational environment

2. Reviewing previous assessments

3. Documenting the effects of intervention strategies

4. Conducting one-on-one interviews with parents

The correct answer is: Documenting the effects of intervention strategies

The correct answer is centered on the importance of documenting the effects of intervention strategies as a critical step before making a formal referral for special education assessment. This process allows the team to evaluate how effective the current interventions have been in addressing the student’s needs. By collecting data on the student’s response to these strategies, the team can determine whether the interventions were appropriate and if further support is necessary. Documentation serves multiple purposes: it provides evidence of the student’s progress or lack thereof, informs future decisions regarding the type of support the student may need, and ensures that a collaborative and data-driven approach is being utilized prior to referral. This proactive measure highlights the commitment to ensuring that all possible support mechanisms have been applied before seeking a more formal evaluation through special education services. In contrast, assessing the educational environment, reviewing previous assessments, and conducting interviews with parents are important aspects of a comprehensive evaluation process, but they do not specifically focus on measuring the direct impact of interventions that have already been put in place, which is crucial for justifying a formal referral.