Pre-Referral Checklist for Culturally Diverse Students
Step 1: Initiate the pre referral process using the checklist as a resource/support to the team.
 Identify and connect with a professional from that student’s background that can help provide
assessments
 Interview the person who made the referral and find out more information
Step 2: Conduct a comprehensive review of student’s academic record and connect that with family practices
 Frequency of school attendance
 Number of schools attended
 Learning difficulties at home
Step 3: Review family history including cultural and economic background (crucial step in process)
 Collect all information about socioeconomic background, family members’ education
level/occupation
 Collect information about family cultural background including beliefs, practices
 Collect medical history from parents/guardian
 Assess the difference between the school and home behavioral expectations, using family
survey/interviews.
 Conduct assessments for socio-cultural factors: see handout below
 Asses for family /students level of acculturation: see handout below
Talk openly with team about how the influence of socio-cultural factors may influence final outcomes
 Conduct ecological/environmental assessments of students in home and community settings.
Step 4: Review services, interventions and strategies previously used in the most recent classroom environment.
Conduct ecological /environmental assessments of classroom as needed.
 Identify students learning style
 Identify the dominate culture assumptions: Make sure student is aware/clear of those expectations in
the classroom school environment. Culture shift
 Identify types of classroom adaptations including accommodations /modifications used: if they are
culturally inclusive and effective
Step 5: Decide on possible classroom intervention and strategies that are more culturally inclusive and appropriate
based on information collected from school, home and community and team discussion.
Step 6: Document the effectiveness of pre referral intervention/strategies over a period of time determined by the team
 Use a form(s) to document the process and progress
Step 7: Decide whether or not a referral for special education is warranted or refer to other programs/services (title 1,
ELL) or continue with sane intervention strategies if student.
*Remember if a student’s learning or behavior problem can be primarily attributed to: Sociocultural difference (acculturation), economic disadvantages, lack of instruction /inconsistence
schooling, inappropriate instruction or ecological/ environmental issues, the student should not be
considered for special education services.
Written by the ISD 622 Educational Equity office in collaboration with ISD 622 Psychologist Professional Learning Community
Socio-Cultural Beliefs/Acculturation and Mental Health Services
One of the major reasons the pre referral process is successful in reducing unnecessary
or unwarranted referrals to special education is the emphasis on socio-cultural factors.
Socio-cultural factors include a student’s culture (language, behavior, socialization,
etc…), experiences, language acquisition/development, learning style, and
acculturation. The effects of acculturation (the process of adapting to a new cultural
environment) may result in behaviors which are very similar to those exhibited by
disabled learners. Problems which appear to be indicators of a disability can actually
be related to acculturation. These include locus of control, confusion, anxiety, poor selfconcept, withdrawal, stress-related behaviors, unresponsiveness, fatigue, code
switching, distractibility, resistance to change, and disorientation. Therefore, it is very
important that teachers and assessment professionals working with Culturally Diverse
and Linguistically Different students thoroughly assess socio-cultural factors, including
the student’s level of acculturation (Collier, 1998).
Acculturation
Acculturation is the process by which members of a cultural group integrate their
values with those of the dominant cultural group as they adapt to a new environment.
Understanding the implications of acculturation can be vital to accurately determining
whether a student has a disability or is not familiar with school culture (expectations,
guidelines or processes).
Written by the ISD 622 Educational Equity office in collaboration with ISD 622 Psychologist Professional Learning Community