Understanding the Manifestation Determination Review; a Comprehensive Guide for School Psychologists

Students who receive support in their educational pursuits under an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) are entitled to receive necessary support and modifications in their educational environment. These modifications are designed to enhance the individual’s access to their education and ensure their disabilities do not affect their academic success. To this end, IDEA provides specific protections for students with behavioral struggles. Specifically, IDEA requires that if a student engages in a behavior that violates the school code of conduct or engages in a behavior that would result in the student being removed from their current placement the school district must initiate a Manifestation Determination Review (MDR) (Knudsen& Bethune, 2018 & National Association of School Psychologists, 2022). The MDR provision was created to ensure that students with disabilities have equal access to educational opportunities and are not treated unfairly due to their disability (Trapp, Gershwin, & Robinson, 2022). As a member of the IEP team with specialized knowledge of disabilities and their impact on education, school psychologists must understand their pivotal role as well as other team member roles in the MDR process. The purpose of this paper is to provide school psychologists with an overview of the MDR legal obligations and their specific place in the MDR meeting.

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