This is ECI's domain. School-based diagnosticians do not evaluate infants and toddlers. ECI (DARS-funded) serves birth–3 and transitions the child to the district at age 3.
Your role: receive the transition packet, review ECI records, and prepare for the initial ECSE evaluation. The ECI records are existing data — treat them as such.
This is your most complex EC age band. Formal standardized testing is possible but limited. Play-based evaluation, parent and teacher input, and developmental scales carry significant weight.
DD is the most common eligibility here. AU, SLI, and ID are also possible. Team coordination is essential — SLP, OT, and PT are often involved simultaneously.
DD eligibility expires at age 9. If a student in this range holds DD eligibility, the clock is running. A re-evaluation must determine a more specific eligibility category before the 9th birthday.
Standard school-age assessment instruments become more appropriate in this range, though developmental context still matters. WPPSI-IV is appropriate through age 7:7.
When a child transitions from ECI to district ECSE services at age 3, existing data typically includes:
- ECI evaluation report — developmental domains assessed, scores, eligibility determination
- Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) — goals, services received, family priorities
- Medical records — diagnoses, therapies, medications on file with ECI
- Service provider notes — SLP, OT, PT progress notes from ECI intervention period
- Transition conference summary — team decisions about ECSE placement and services
Do not duplicate what ECI already documented unless the data is outdated (typically >1 year) or the child's profile has changed significantly. Review before you test — this data may answer domains that would otherwise require formal assessment.
- Ages 3–9 with delays in one or more developmental domains
- Delay of 2.0 SD or more in one area, or 1.5 SD in two or more areas (TAC §89.1040)
- Domains: cognitive, communication, motor (gross/fine), adaptive behavior, social-emotional
- Used when a more specific eligibility cannot yet be determined — DD is not a permanent category
- Convergence of existing data (ECI, medical, parent report) is often the primary evidence base for ages 3–4
- Developmental scales (DAYC-2, DP-4) appropriate across the full EC range
- Play-based evaluation is appropriate — especially for children who cannot engage in structured testing
- Adaptive behavior data (Vineland-3 or ABAS-3) is essential
- AU can be identified at any age — including ages 3–5
- Early signs: limited joint attention, delayed or absent pointing, restricted play patterns, sensory differences, limited social reciprocity
- A medical AU diagnosis does not automatically equal IDEA AU eligibility — educational impact must be documented
- MIGDAS-2 is designed for young and minimally verbal children — preferred over ADOS-2 in many EC cases
- AU and DD can co-occur or AU may be the more appropriate eligibility — discuss differential at planning stage
- If student is minimally verbal, nonverbal cognitive instruments are required
- Adaptive behavior data is essential — Vineland-3 preferred for AU profiles
- Parent and EC teacher observations carry significant evidential weight at this age
- SLI is one of the most common EC eligibilities alongside DD
- Communication delays are often the primary referral concern in ages 3–5
- Distinguish between speech (articulation, fluency, voice) and language (receptive, expressive, pragmatic) concerns — they require different intervention
- For EB students: rule out language difference before language disorder — see EB Eligibility Screener
- SLP leads the language and speech assessment — diagnostician supports with cognitive and developmental context
- PLS-5 (Preschool Language Scales) is the most common EC language instrument
- BBCS-4:R useful for receptive concept knowledge — ages 3:0–7:11
- If SLI co-occurs with cognitive concerns, expand the eval team to include cognitive assessment
- ID can be identified in early childhood, but requires careful documentation of both cognitive and adaptive deficits
- For very young children (3–4), DD may be the more defensible eligibility until the profile clarifies
- Cognitive testing validity is limited at ages 3–4 — weight developmental scales and adaptive behavior heavily
- Medical history and ECI data are especially important — prior documentation of global delays strengthens the convergent evidence base
- WPPSI-IV (ages 2:6–7:7) is the primary cognitive instrument in early childhood
- Adaptive behavior (Vineland-3 or ABAS-3) is required — not optional for ID
- KABC-II is a strong alternative for children where language load is a validity concern
- Two-prong standard must be met: cognitive deficits alone are not sufficient
| Instrument | Age range | Domain | EC notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| WPPSI-IV | 2:6–7:7 | Cognitive | Primary cognitive instrument for preschool. Age-banded composites — structure differs below vs. above age 4. Visual WMI available for younger children where verbal demands are a concern. |
| KABC-II | 3:0–18:11 | Cognitive | Strong EC option — MPI and NVI reduce language load. Preferred for EB children, minimally verbal students, or when Gc validity is in question. |
| Leiter-3 | 3:0–75:11 | Cognitive (nonverbal) | Fully nonverbal — no language required for administration or response. Appropriate for minimally verbal or non-verbal EC students. |
| DAYC-2 | Birth–5:11 | Developmental (5 domains) | Covers cognitive, communication, motor, adaptive, and social-emotional. Strong for DD documentation. Parent/caregiver interview format available. |
| DP-4 | Birth–21:11 | Developmental (5 domains) | Broad developmental profile including Spanish forms. Useful for DD documentation and for ECI transition-age students where existing DP-4 data may already exist. |
| PLS-5 | Birth–7:11 | Language (receptive & expressive) | Most common EC language instrument. SLP-administered. Auditory Comprehension and Expressive Communication subscales. Spanish version available. |
| BBCS-4:R | 3:0–7:11 | Receptive concepts | Receptive concept knowledge — no verbal response required. Useful for children with limited expressive language. Spanish criterion-referenced form available. |
| Vineland-3 | Birth–90+ | Adaptive behavior | Preferred adaptive behavior instrument for AU and DD. Parent/caregiver interview. Domain structure well-suited to EC profiles. |
| ABAS-3 | Birth–89 | Adaptive behavior | Rating scale format (parent, teacher, adult). Practical for EC — EC Teacher form available. GAC and domain scores for ID two-prong documentation. |
Play-based evaluation is most appropriate for children ages 3–5 who cannot engage meaningfully in structured standardized testing — due to age, developmental level, limited verbal skills, or behavioral profile. It is not a replacement for standardized assessment but a supplement that provides observational evidence in natural conditions.
Who leads it: Typically the EC special education teacher or SLP, with other team members observing and contributing domain-specific observations. The diagnostician documents the observational findings and integrates them into the FIE narrative alongside any standardized data.
What it yields: Information about cognitive problem-solving, communication intent, social interaction, motor function, and adaptive skills that structured testing cannot capture in very young children. Especially valuable for AU and DD documentation.
Document explicitly: Play-based observations must be described with specificity in the FIE — what was observed, in what context, and what domain it addresses. General statements ("student played appropriately") are not sufficient.
For very young children, parent and caregiver report is not a secondary data source — it is often the primary one. Parent Input Form, developmental history, and caregiver interview data carry significant evidential weight.
EC evals often involve multiple specialists. Ensure all evaluators are listed in the evaluation consent before testing begins. The 45-school-day clock starts at written consent — specialist availability must be confirmed immediately.
An EC student can also be EB. Language background considerations apply at every age. For bilingual EC students, see the EB Eligibility Screener — language dominance must be established before instrument selection.
Build a standing reminder for every DD student in your caseload tracker. The re-evaluation to determine specific eligibility must be complete before the 9th birthday — not scheduled, complete.