The term “informed clinical opinion” appears in the regulatory
requirements for the implementation of Part C of the Individual with
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) as an integral part of an
eligibility determination (see Table 1). It must be included in
evaluation and assessment procedures, since it is a necessary
safeguard against eligibility determination based upon isolated
information or test scores alone. Since the term carries different
meanings for individuals and agencies, it is important to clarify
the meaning and use of “informed clinical opinion” in the context of
Part C. This document uses a question-and-answer format to address
three key issues:
- What does informed clinical opinion mean in the context of
Part C?
- How does informed clinical opinion affect the determination of
eligibility?
- Why is it necessary to document informed clinical opinion?
Informed
Clinical Opinion>> [PDF, 49KB]
