manifestation determination
"Manifestation Determination" is a process to determine if a student’s behavior problem was or
was not a manifestation of the student’s disability. A Manifestation Determination is completed as part of an IEP team meeting. The IEP team must convene no later than 10 school days when:
During the IEP Team Meeting for Manifestation Determination, the team needs to determine if the behavior was or was not a manifestation of the student's disability. The team needs to follow a series of steps listed below:
1. Prior to the IEP meeting, information such as evaluation and diagnostic results, observations, current IEP, placement information and other relevant information supplied by the parents must be gathered for review by the IEP team.
As part of the discussion, the team must determine if:
If further information is needed, the IEP team must follow the due process steps in obtaining written parent consent for an evaluation.
The IEP team must discuss the characteristics of the student’s disability (e.g., withdrawn, aggressive, impulsive, academic or cognitive deficits, information processing, organizational deficits, peer relationships, etc.). This information should come from current data, observation and parent reports as well as from the IEP, evaluations (ESR), teacher reports, discipline records, etc.
2. The IEP team discusses the following four questions. If the team is unsure about any of these questions, the behavior is automatically assumed to be a part of the student’s disability. If there is disagreement among the team members, the administrator makes the final determination.
The files below were used in my Behavior Management course to study the content further.
was not a manifestation of the student’s disability. A Manifestation Determination is completed as part of an IEP team meeting. The IEP team must convene no later than 10 school days when:
- A parent requests such a meeting following a disciplinary incident.
- A student is suspended for 5 or more consecutive days.
- A student is suspended for more than 10 cumulative days in a school (and for every suspension thereafter).
- A change in placement for more than 10 consecutive days is being sought for disciplinary reasons.
- Exclusion or expulsion is being considered.
During the IEP Team Meeting for Manifestation Determination, the team needs to determine if the behavior was or was not a manifestation of the student's disability. The team needs to follow a series of steps listed below:
1. Prior to the IEP meeting, information such as evaluation and diagnostic results, observations, current IEP, placement information and other relevant information supplied by the parents must be gathered for review by the IEP team.
As part of the discussion, the team must determine if:
- The information gathered is sufficient information to make the manifest determination.
- Further information is needed in order to make the manifestation determination.
- There is a need for changes in the student’s current special education program.
If further information is needed, the IEP team must follow the due process steps in obtaining written parent consent for an evaluation.
The IEP team must discuss the characteristics of the student’s disability (e.g., withdrawn, aggressive, impulsive, academic or cognitive deficits, information processing, organizational deficits, peer relationships, etc.). This information should come from current data, observation and parent reports as well as from the IEP, evaluations (ESR), teacher reports, discipline records, etc.
2. The IEP team discusses the following four questions. If the team is unsure about any of these questions, the behavior is automatically assumed to be a part of the student’s disability. If there is disagreement among the team members, the administrator makes the final determination.
The files below were used in my Behavior Management course to study the content further.
| manifestation_determination_guide.pdf |
| manifestation_determination_case_page_1.pdf |
