How should progress be monitored for students receiving special education services?

Monitoring the progress of students receiving special education services is most effective when it involves gathering a variety of performance data regularly. This approach ensures a comprehensive understanding of each student's strengths and challenges. By using multiple sources of data—such as formal assessments, informal assessments, observations, work samples, and standardized tests—educators can build a clearer picture of a student's progress.

Regularly collecting diverse performance data allows for timely adjustments to instructional strategies and interventions, making it easier to meet each student's individual needs. Additionally, this variety supports the development of personalized learning goals and facilitates meaningful communication with families and other stakeholders about a student’s development.

In contrast, relying solely on standardized assessments can miss nuances in a student’s abilities and can result in a narrow view of progress, while teacher observations alone might not provide the quantitative data necessary for tracking growth over time. Using only informal assessments monthly may not capture changes in performance effectively or frequently enough to inform instructional decisions. Therefore, a balanced and varied approach to monitoring aligns best with best practices in special education.