This checklist is intended to help you review your current disability documentation or to guide you if you are getting an updated assessment.
1. Qualifications of the Evaluator
- Does the person(s) conducting the testing and writing the report hold professional qualifications in an appropriate field? (e.g., psychology, psychiatry, educational assessment).
- Are the academic credentials of the person(s) conducting the testing and writing the report stated? (e.g., M.Ed., Ph.D., Psy.D., M.D.).
- Does the person(s) conducting the testing and writing the report cite the licensure or certification they hold, and provide license/certification numbers, where appropriate? (e.g., licensed clinical psychologist, educational specialist).
2. Format of the Diagnostic Report
- Is the report prepared on the professional letterhead of the clinician or institution issuing it?
- Is the report signed by the evaluator(s)?
- Does the report include the dates of testing and the date the report was issued?
- Does the report include contact information for the person or office issuing the report?
3. Comprehensiveness of Documentation
- Does the report include a thorough developmental, educational and (where relevant) medical history?
- Does the report include a major cognitive battery (e.g., WISC, WAIS) with a full listing of all subtest standard scores and percentiles?
- Does the report include a comprehensive academic achievement battery (e.g., Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement, WIAT) with a full listing of subtest standard scores and percentiles?
4. Diagnostic Conclusions and Reasoning
- Does the report include a Conclusion or Summary section in which the findings from history and testing are integrated and interpreted?
- Are the diagnostic conclusions clearly stated and linked to specific features of the student's history and testing results?
5. Recommendations for Accommodations or Interventions
- Does the report explain the specific impact(s) of the condition(s) on the student's academic performance?
- Does the report suggest specific accommodations and explanations of how these adjustments would compensate for the specific effects of the disability in a post secondary academic setting?