An evaluation of the perceived utility and the costs associated with federally mandated triennial reevaluations of special education students in Denver Public Schools

The Denver Public Schools (DPS) completes more than 3,000 special education reevaluations each year. The purposes for conducting this study were to detail the dollar cost of present procedures, discern professional perceptions of its utility, and compare the present method with an identified alternative. The researcher, a DPS employee, chose a cost-utility model as a research method. The study was designed to meet the needs of educational administrators, school-based professionals, as well as special educators, classroom teachers, parents, and students. A questionnaire was distributed through DPS mail to school psychologists, social workers, special educators, speech pathologists, and school nurses. Time requirements to complete the reevaluations and the utility of the methodologies were addressed. The information received detailed a total time requirement under the present system of 24.56 hours and an alternative method time requirement of 12.20 hours. The cost of an evaluation under the two systems was $896.75 and \$420.40, respectively. The overall utility value for the present system of triennial evaluations was reported as significantly higher (p $\u3c$.0001). For the present system of triennial evaluations, the resultant cost-utility ratio 122.52 was compared to 65.68 for the alternative. A cost difference (savings) of approximately 53 percent resulted. Beyond the cost savings and/or the beneficial service delivery changes that might result, other essential aspects that warrant consideration are discussed