Many of the questions we receive are addressed in existing documents on the DR Access website. These three documents are most likely to answer your questions:
DRDP Manuals and Components
Contains essential information on how to use the DRDP.
DRDP Assessment Steps & Timeline
Contains the DRDP Timeline Module and the DRDP Dates Postcards for fall and spring.
DRDP Reports User Manual (DRAccessReports.org)
Detailed instructions for how to create a DRDP Reports account and how to reset your password.
If you do not find the answers to your questions in the above documents or in the list below, contact the Desired Results Access Project.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Categories
The DRDP Assessment (5)
Rating the Measures (9)
Children Assessed (6)
Entry Dates for Fall and Spring Assessments (1)
Personnel Who Complete the DRDP (4)
Collaboration to Complete the DRDP (4)
Data Submission (4)
Training in DR Access Learn (2)
Staying Informed (3)
Technology Help and Resources (4)
The DRDP Assessment
The DRDP (2025) is currently in use and it has two views. They are:
Yes, the DRDP is aligned with the Preschool/Transitional Kindergarten Learning Foundations and the Infant/Toddler Learning and Development Foundations. The alignment is being revised for the DRDP (2025) and will be posted as soon as it is available.
Use the Infant and Toddler (IT) View while the child is receiving early intervention services. The Preschool – Transitional Kindergarten – Kindergarten (PTK) View is used after the child transitions into preschool.
Yes. Families should be informed of the DRDP assessment and its benefits to teachers and programs as well as to families. Describe the assessment to families as observations of children's skills during typical routines and activities throughout the day to inform instructional planning. However, if a family is still uncomfortable, you may waive the assessment. The SELPA should track these decisions so they know that these are not missing records. Refer to "An Overview of the DRDP for Families" for a description of the assessment for families as well as a list of the benefits.
If the LEA is serving an infant or toddler with an IFSP, you must use the disability category from the IFSP. If the child is served under a vendor contract with the regional center, the DRDP is not used.
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Rating the Measures
The earlier levels of the DRDP through Building Earlier (which includes early preschool) describe the development of infants and toddlers sufficiently to plan their learning activities. The later levels are generally not observed in children of this age.
On full continuum measures or Early Development measures, mark the Responding Earlier level if you do not observe any later levels. Even if you have not observed the earliest level, mark it if you do not see any of the later levels. Please refer to the guidance under Additional Rating Options on page Intro-9 in the Assessment Manual. On Later Development measures, you may mark, "Child is not yet at the earliest developmental level on this measure."
Mark the latest level. If this is a full continuum measure in the Infant/Toddler View, mark the latest level that can be rated for infants and toddlers and also mark "Emerging to the next developmental level." Please refer to rating guidance on Emerging on page Intro-9 in the assessment manual.
Check with your administrator about obtaining these services. Additionally, many measures of the DRDP can be rated by observing the child.
If the child is Deaf or Hard of Hearing and not learning a spoken language, mark “No” on question 8 of the Information Page and do not complete the ELD measures.
Consider the first few levels carefully. Children with feeding tubes may react to the feeding experience as described in Responding Earlier, and possibly at the next few levels. Some children may also be learning to eat orally and may progress further on this measure. Rate the latest level of mastery.
Rate the measures to reflect the child's current level of mastery.
All eligible children with IFSPs and IEPs must be assessed with the DRDP, regardless of setting. If sufficient information can't be obtained through direct observation, contact family members and other team members. If the child is not receiving services for an extended period of time, then the Unable to Rate option may be used. Refer to rating guidance in the Assessment Manual pp. Intro-9 through Intro-10.
You can use naturalistic observations that were gathered to complete other assessment instruments, but you cannot use actual scores from any other assessment instrument to inform DRDP ratings.
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Children Assessed
Yes, all children with IFSPs or IEPs are assessed with the full DRDP regardless of type or level of service or educational setting.
Yes, if a child is reported to the California Department of Education, the child should be assessed with the DRDP Infant and Toddler View.
No, the DRDP is not used by infant programs vendored by the regional center.
Yes, if a five-year-old child has an IEP and has begun receiving special education services.
If a child with an IEP turns 6 at any point during the school year (July 1 to June 30), the DRDP is not required in either the fall or spring assessment periods.
Services are to start as soon as possible after the IEP is signed, but if for some reason a child has not started receiving services by November 1 or April 1, then a DRDP is not required until the following assessment period.
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Entry Dates for Fall and Spring Assessments
No, wait until spring to submit a DRDP for the child.
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Personnel Who Complete the DRDP
State-funded Head Start programs are required to use the DRDP.
All children with IFSPs or IEPs are assessed regardless of type or level of service and regardless of educational setting.
The primary special education service provider should complete the assessment. If the child attends private preschool, the SELPA should designate a district representative to work with the program to assure that the assessment is completed.
Family observations are valid and reliable and are an important part of completing the DRDP, particularly for practitioners who may not have frequent opportunities to observe the child participating in a variety of routines and activities. The resources on the "Leading Focused Conversations with Families" page will assist in planning these conversations.
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Collaboration to Complete the DRDP
The preschool teacher and the special education primary service provider should complete the assessment together. Meet with your state preschool or Head Start partners to outline an assessment plan. Coordinate calendars to meet and finalize the assessment together. Both the preschool teacher and the primary service provider are required to submit the DRDP Rating Records to their respective data systems. Refer to DRDP Assessment Manual Appendices C and F.
Observations can be gathered via conversations with other teachers and service providers, and with families. Speech and Language Pathologists should talk with their administrators about adding time twice a year dedicated to the assessment.
Work as a team and 1) Go back to the descriptors of the developmental levels to ensure a common understanding; 2) Review the observations and other documentation gathered together; 3) Make sure that accommodations were in place during observations; and 4) come to consensus on a rating.
Completing the DRDP is the responsibility of the primary special education service provider. However, it is recommended practice to have conversations with the family to gather information. Arrange to make home visits to collect observations, talk with the family and other service providers, and/or use family videos (with written consent) to complete the instrument. Refer to the resources on Leading Focused Conversations with Families.
Talk with the family, focusing on daily routines and activities and be specific about what you're asking them to describe. Family input is valid and reliable with shared understanding. Families may also share information in various ways, such as home videos. Using the documentation gathered, including family input, the teacher is responsible for rating the measures. Refer to the resources on Leading Focused Conversations with Families.
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Data Submission
The special educator or primary service provider completing the assessment submits DRDP data for children with IFSPs and IEPs to the SELPA, according to its instructions. The SELPA submits DRDP data to the DR Access Project through DR Access Data (DRAccessData.org).
General education teachers are required to assess and submit their data 60 days from the start of school. Special education and related service providers can collect the data in the same time period, make a copy for their records and submit the DRDP results on the timeline required by the SELPA. If the due dates do not overlap, the special educator can obtain a copy of the Rating Record submitted by the general education teacher, update it, and provide the teacher with a copy.
Assessments should be conducted for an individual child approximately six months apart to better measure progress.
Check with your administrator as to how long records are stored. Place a copy of the DRDP Rating Record in the child's cumulative file.
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Training in DR Access Learn
No. Each provider must register themselves by creating an account on DR Access Learn (DRAccessLearn.org).
The Desired Results Access Project will send a list of participants to each SELPA Director monthly, who will then contact administrators regarding staff completion of the training.
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Staying Informed
Yes, join our mailing list and be a part of the Desired Results Access Community and receive the monthly Connect Newsletter!
Whether you're a teacher, administrator, family member, or special educator, we provide you with important information about:
- using the Desired Results Developmental Profile (DRDP) for children with IFSPs and IEPs in early intervention, preschool, and Transitional Kindergarten
- planning instruction based on DRDP results
- participating in CalBloom (CalBloom.org) to plan, implement, and evaluate instruction for preschool children with IEPs in inclusive settings
By signing up, you will receive notifications of new resources, events, and professional development opportunities, including those posted on this website.
It's possible you missed confirming your subscription... after filling out the subscribe form, you will need to confirm your subscription by clicking the link in a confirmation email sent to you. You may need to fill out the form again and check your junk folder if not received.
If you find any of our emails in your junk folder, be sure to mark them as "not junk" and add us to your contacts. Detailed instructions on how to whitelist us.
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Technology Help and Resources
This section provides instructions for accessing the materials on the Desired Results Access Project's website. Should you have additional questions, please contact our support team: info@draccess.org or 1-800-673-9220.
DRAccess.org – information and resources to support special educators, administrators, and families of children with IFSPs and IEPs in implementing the California Department of Education's Desired Results Developmental Profile (DRDP).
DRAccessReports.org – a resource for special educators, administrators, and families to create reports from DRDP results.
DRAccessOutcomes.org – the data for Indicator 7: Child Outcomes that is sent to the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) for the State Performance Plan (SPP).
DRAccessLearn.org – the Learning Center provides training to support special educators, in implementing the DRDP.
DRAccessData.org – this site is a secure online data collection system for DRDP assessment data for SELPAs submitting their data to CDE.
We are committed to building compliant websites and disseminating accessible information and resources. If you need assistance in accessing any of our materials, contact us at info@draccess.org or 1-800-673-9220.
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