Criteria for Documentation

As every person is unique, documentation of a disability will vary depending on each individual’s unique circumstances. Examples of documentation could include medical records, learning assessments, IQ testing, mental health evaluations, and school records. Documentation for any disability should:

• Be provided by a licensed professional, qualified in the appropriate specialty area related to the disability. The name, title, and professional credentials of the evaluator must be provided in the documentation. If a letter, the report must be on official letterhead, dated, and signed by the professional.
• Include the diagnosed disability, date of diagnosis, a description of how the disability impacts the student and an explanation of the current functional limitations of the condition.
• Be current. A suggested guideline is to use documentation from the past three years. Documentation of disabilities that are permanent, or vary little, may not need to be as recent, but chronic and/or changing disabilities may require information even more recent than three years to give a more accurate picture of the disability.

Special Note About IEPs

Individualized Education Plan (IEP) by itself may not contain enough information for documentation. Depending on the type of disability, the IEP along with the most recent evaluation may meet your documentation needs. Many disabilities may require documentation from a medical or psychiatric doctor.

Documentation accepted by Southwest Tech Disability Services may not be accepted by other organizations (e.g. testing agencies, licensure exams, and certification programs). Please check with the specific organizations to determine their documentation requirements.

Print the Documentation Requirements

We are providing a PDF of this information for students to take with them to their providers. Please print the Disability Documentation Requirements .