What is the purpose of a multidisciplinary eligibility evaluation?

• A. To determine whether a student has a disability that warrants special education, using multiple data sources and professionals.
• B. To schedule therapy sessions.
• C. To determine only the student's handwriting style.
• D. To decide school lunch eligibility.

Answer: (D)

A multidisciplinary eligibility evaluation gathers information from multiple sources and professionals to decide whether a student has a disability that requires special education services. This team (often including a general education teacher, a special education teacher, a school psychologist, a speech-language pathologist, and other specialists) collects data from diverse inputs: formal tests across cognitive, academic, language, motor, and social-emotional areas; classroom observations; review of medical and prior school records; and input from parents and the student when appropriate. The aim is to determine eligibility under the disability categories defined by law so the student can receive appropriate supports and services.

Scheduling therapy sessions is about arranging services after eligibility is determined, which is not the same as deciding eligibility. Focusing on a single skill, like handwriting, provides an incomplete view of a student’s needs. Deciding school lunch eligibility is unrelated to whether a student qualifies for special education.