Does my child need an assessment when moving into kindergarten?

One of the things you’ll discuss at your transition IEP meeting is which assessments your child may need prior to entering kindergarten. These can include psychological assessments and assessments for speech, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and more. The parent advocates we spoke with recommend asking for all available assessments — unless there’s one you’re sure is unnecessary for your child.

Parents should also spend time outlining what worked for their child in preschool — both from their perspective and the district’s. It would be a missed opportunity if the knowledge gained from two years of problem-solving in preschool gets lost when they make the jump to kindergarten.

For more information about transitioning to a new school, check out our article Making the Leap: The Transition to Kindergarten.