Interim Assessment Program (IAP)

 

A 45-Day Educational Assessment for Adolescents

The Interim Assessment Program (IAP) is designed for middle and high school students demonstrating significant emotional and behavioral difficulties within the school setting.

Students referred for placement present with complex clinical and educational histories that have caused them to violate the school discipline code, exhibit difficulty participating in the day-to-day operations of the classroom, and/or be resistant to attending school. Some have been temporarily excluded; others may be in transition between placements. In all cases, the education team is seeking an understanding of what supports the student current needs to be able to access the least restrictive academic environment possible.

The IAP is designed to assess and stabilize behavior within the context of a comprehensive therapeutic educational setting and provide information to assist the public school in developing an appropriate educational program for the student. Students placed at Wayside IAP benefit from the expertise of a multi-discipline team of professionals trained to assess academic, emotional and behavioral functioning. Referrals are initiated by the public schools. Contact your child’s school or Wayside Academy for more information.

Goals of the IAP

  • To stabilize behavior and provide a clinical profile of student functioning;
  • To provide a Functional Behavioral Assessment and recommendations for intervention and management strategies;
  • To assess academic skills and provide a profile of levels of mastery and learning style that will contribute to school functioning;
  • To provide recommendations for transition services to support the student, family, and the school;
  • To support the student in reaching a better understanding of their problems, increasing control over his or her impulses, and improving his or her academic functioning;
  • To support the student in reaching a better understanding of their challenges and needs, decrease impulsivity while increasing the use of co- and self-regulation strategies, and improving their academic functioning.

Program Design

The IAP is a component of the Wayside Academy, an approved private special education day school. Wayside Academy provides a structured, therapeutic academic setting tailored to address the referral questions and presenting individual needs. Instruction is available in all core and special curriculum areas and can be guided by curriculum of all academic content areas of the referring school district.

Academic instruction occurs in small groups and individualized sessions. Creative art and a rigorous physical education program are an integral part of the program. Each week, students participate in clinical groups designed to enhance social skills, their emotional world, and coping skills. Parents and guardians are asked to work in partnership with the IAP team to help ensure that the assessment present an accurate and comprehensive view of the student’s strengths, hopes, and needs and the supports they will require from their education team to address them.

Recommendations and Transition

At the conclusion of the IAP, the Team, composed of professionals from Wayside Youth & Family Support Network/Wayside Academy, the referring public school, and the family meet to review the assessment reports and develop a plan for transition to an appropriate educational setting. Participation of advocates, agency representatives or other professionals is determined by each case.

Additional Assessment

Upon request, additional assessments, including complete psychiatric and psychopharmacological evaluations, can be completed.

Helpful Documents:

IAP Admissions Checklist

IAP Referral Form

IAP Billing Sheet

Groups for Caregivers & Youth

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