What is the purpose of a Manifest Determination Review?

The purpose of a Manifest Determination Review is to find out if a student's misbehavior is related to their disability. This process is crucial in ensuring that students with disabilities are not unfairly penalized for behaviors that may be manifestations of their disabilities. During this review, educators and relevant stakeholders analyze whether the behavior in question was directly linked to the student’s disability.

Understanding this connection is essential, as it informs appropriate educational and behavioral interventions. If the behavior is determined to be a manifestation of the student’s disability, then the focus shifts to modifying the student's Individualized Education Program (IEP) or providing necessary supports rather than imposing traditional disciplinary measures that may not be suitable.

In contrast, the other options do not align with the specific focus of a Manifest Determination Review. For example, while determining misbehavior related to school policy or evaluating teacher effectiveness are important considerations in an educational context, they do not pertain to the specific purpose of evaluating the relationship between a student's disability and their behavior. Assessing a student’s academic progress is also unrelated to the direct inquiry of whether a disability is affecting behavior.