The Desired Results Developmental Profile (DRDP) access Assessment System is designed to assist California’s preschool special education programs and providers in supporting children’s learning and development and to ensure that children are making progress. Implementing the DRDP access Assessment System assures that the California Department of Education (CDE), Special Education Division (SED), and Special Education Local Plan Areas (SELPAs) comply with requirements of PL 108-446, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA 2004) and the U.S. Department of Education’s (ED) Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). Two components of this law led to the use of the DRDP access Assessment for preschool special education:
- Participation in statewide assessments: Since 2006, CDE's Child Development Division (CDD) has implemented statewide assessment of children in state-funded preschool programs using the DRDP. IDEA 2004 requires the inclusion of children with disabilities in any statewide assessments (IDEA 2004 Section 612(a)(16)(A)). Therefore, preschool-age children with disabilities need to be included in the statewide assessment requirement.
- Report progress in achieving child outcomes: Each state must have in place a six year plan that evaluates its efforts to implement the requirements and purposes of Part B of IDEA and describe how it will improve such implementation (IDEA 2004, 20 U.S.C. 1416(b)(1)). This plan is called the Part B State Performance Plan (SPP). The state reports annually in the Annual Performance Report (APR), on 20 indicators. (IDEA 2004, 20 U.S.C. 1416(b)(2)(C)(ii)). In California, the CDE will report on the preschool indicators by SELPA. In the APR, one of the required Indicators is the percent of preschool children with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) who demonstrate improved:
- Positive social-emotional skills (including social relationships)
- Acquisition and use of knowledge and skills
- Use of appropriate behaviors to meet their needs
The general implementation of the DRDP access Assessment System requires all three-, four-, and five-year old preschool aged children with IEPs in California be assessed using the DRDP access instrument twice a year (fall and spring).
- IEP teams must document the DRDP access on the IEP as the statewide assessment, and document the adaptations the child uses that are included in the DRDP access
- Preschool special educators are responsible for completing the two assessments and reporting the data (special educators should check with local administrators for the specific dates when DRDP access data are due to the SELPA)
- DRDP data are reported to CDE through California Special Education Management Information System (CASEMIS)
- Reports of individual child progress will be provided to programs
For the most up-to-date information, visit the Desired Results access Assessment Project Web site (Outside Source), the official source for materials, timelines, information, guidance, and professional development related to the DRDP access Assessment System.
