In an assessment team including teachers, parents/guardians, and an educational diagnostician, what action best characterizes the role of parents?

• A. Participating in the administration of all assessment procedures planned for their child
• B. Supporting the decisions of the educators who have worked most closely and intensively with their child
• C. Informing specialists of the interventions that would best support their child's development
• D. Serving throughout the assessment process as partners, advocates for, and experts on their children

Answer: (D)

Parents are best viewed as partners, advocates, and experts on their child throughout the assessment process. Their ongoing involvement brings essential knowledge of the child’s daily functioning, learning history, strengths, and challenges that complement what teachers and diagnosticians observe. This collaborative stance helps shape what is assessed, how results are interpreted, and what kinds of supports will be most effective in real-life settings. By staying engaged, parents can voice family goals, monitor progress, and ensure that recommendations are feasible and culturally appropriate, making the assessment findings truly useful for guiding interventions. It isn’t about parents administering all procedures or uncritically endorsing every professional decision; it’s about shared decision-making where parents contribute expertise about their child and collaborate with educators to support the child’s development.