Module 4: Tips to Prepare Families for the MDT Process 

Before families provide consent for an evaluation, school professionals can help to prepare families for what to expect. It is important to consider that parents may or may not have been the party to refer their child for evaluation of a possible disability or special education consideration. In addition, families may have different views than school professionals about what a disability means or what special education involves. When meeting with the family, the school professional can:

• Describe the MDT process (e.g., procedural aspects of meetings, content to be covered, consent for services, right to an independent evaluation) in a language and format the family understands.
• Share handouts about the special education process or resources from other sources like the National Association of School Psychologists, and the National PTA.
• Provide additional school and state level resources about the process.
• Learn about the family’s perspectives and concerns.
• Let parents know that they may experience emotions that they have not anticipated, and may need time to process information and make informed decisions.