Activities to Address Issues Related to SLPs
Implementation of the
California Desired Results Assessment System
August 27, 2007
Patty Salcedo and Larry Edelman,
Desired Results access Project
A Special Project of the Napa County Office of Education.
Funded by the California Department of Education, Special Education Division
About Desired Results access
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The Desired Results system is an accountability initiative of the
California Department of Education (CDE).
The Desired Results Assessment System, a major component
of the initiative, was developed to evaluate the effectiveness of
CDE’s child development and early childhood special
education services and programs. The system is intended to
ensure that children enrolled in state-funded preschool
programs are benefiting from those programs.
Desired Results access assists CDE’s Special Education
Division in implementing the Desired Results Assessment
System to measure the progress of California's preschool-age
children with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). All
special education programs funded by CDE are participating in
this assessment system.
For more information, visit The Desired Results access Project
web site: www.draccess.org
Activities to Support SLPs
1. Formal/Informal Conversations and Focus
Groups
2. Ongoing Literature Review
3. Advocate for Family Involvement in the
Assessment Process
4. Task Force
5. Family Report Form
Four Main Issues Reported by SLPs
Issue One: Finding the Time
 It can be difficult finding the time to complete the assessments
as it takes time to observe children and collect data from
others and complete the instrument.
 Compounding issues include limited amounts of time spent
with children on a weekly basis and high case loads.
Issue Two: Service Settings
 It can be difficult to make naturalistic observation of children in
everyday routines and activities because the time that SLPs
spend with children is frequently spent out of context of
children’s typical daily routines and activities.
Four Main Issues Reported by SLPs
Issue Three: Expertise
 Some SLPs have reported that they do not have sufficient
broad based developmental knowledge to complete the nonspeech/language/communication indicators of the DRDP.
Issue Four: Collaboration Strategies
 It can be difficult to gather information from others.
 Some SLPs have reported that they have infrequent contact
with families and other providers and do not have mechanisms
in place for communicating on a regular basis with them.
Ongoing Literature Review
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ASHA position statements, guidelines, and
literature regarding work flow
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SEA Speech and Language Guidelines
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Technical Reports
Making the Case for Family Involvement
in the Assessment Process
“The Role of Family Observations in the DRDP
Assessment System” can be found at:
http://www.draccess.org/families/RoleOfFamily
Obsv.html
Task Force
Generate strategies for addressing each of the
four issues:
- Personal Strategies (that an individual could put
in place) AND Programmatic/Systemic Strategies
- Short-Term AND Long-Term Strategies
Issues
Personal
Strategies
Short-Term
Issue One: Finding the Time
The DRDP takes time to complete. SLPs have reported that
it can be difficult finding the time to complete the
assessments as It takes time to observe children and collect
data from others and complete the instrument. Compounding
issues include limited amounts of time spent with children on
a weekly basis and high case loads.
Issue Two: Service Settings
The DRDP is based on naturalistic observation of children in
everyday routines and activities. SLPs have reported that it
can be difficult to make such observations because the time
they spent with children is frequently spent out of context of
children’s typical daily routines and activities.
Issue Three: Expertise
The DRDP focuses on many aspects of children’s
development. Some SLPs have reported that they do not
have sufficient broad based developmental knowledge to
complete the non-speech/language/communication
indicators of the DRDP.
Issue Four: Collaboration Strategies
In addition to making direct observations, assessors base
ratings on information gathered from others. SLPs have
reported that they have infrequent contact with families and
other providers and do not currently have specific
mechanisms in place for communicating on a regular basis
with families and other providers.
Other?
Long-Term
Programmatic or Systemic
Strategies
Short-Term
Long-Term
Family Report Form
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The Desired Results access Project created and
piloted a Family Report Form for the PS DRDP-R for
children who receive speech services only.
Each item consisted of two behavioral descriptors:
- One statement typical of a 3-year-old,
- One statement typical of a 5-year-old
(Parents chose the descriptor that best described their child.)
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The data from families suggest the format was quick
to complete and easy to use. SLPs found the format
moderately helpful.
Next step is to continue to develop a tool that:
- Is useful for SLPs (queries families in more focused areas),
and
- Remains understandable and easy to use for families.
Plans for the Coming Year
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Continue to identify, develop, and
disseminate practical strategies for SLPs
and programs to more effectively and
efficiently implement the Desired Results
Assessment System.
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For more information, visit The Desired
Results access Project web site:
www.draccess.org