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ImageI have submitted a written request to the school for my child to be evaluated for special education services.  What will happen next?

Requesting an evaluation for special education services is the first step in getting answers to why your child is struggling in school. It is an important part of making a plan to get him the services needed to thrive in school. Before the school can conduct an evaluation to determine whether your child is eligible to receive special education and related services under the Individuals with Disabilities Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA 2004), the school must provide parents with prior written notice of the intention to evaluate and must obtain written parental consent.  If someone from the school, such as a teacher or a school counselor, requests an evaluation, then it is up to the school to provide prior written notice to parents of the proposed action and obtain written consent from them. Once written consent has been obtained, then a child may be evaluated at no cost to parents.

Evaluations are an essential component of the information considered by the Committee on Special Education (CSE) to determine whether your child is eligible for special education and related services.   Starting with an evaluation is much like going to the doctor to be treated for symptoms. Without diagnostic work, a doctor would have a difficult time knowing what to treat and how to treat effectively. We need to know the origin or exact nature of a child’s struggle in school to intervene appropriately.  Assessments conducted by school psychologists, classroom observations, and a history and current report of behavior from parents are considered along with other evaluations and information in order to gain a comprehensive understanding of a child’s areas of strengths and weaknesses in the learning process, functioning in the classroom, and academic performance.

What if parents disagree with an evaluation conducted by the school? If parents disagree, they can request an outside evaluation with an evaluator of their choice and at no cost.  Many times it is best to have an independent expert, such as a psychologist, conduct what is called a “battery of tests” to ensure a quality assessment by a professional who has only your child’s interest at heart. An outside professional is working only for your child—not school personnel. A “good” evaluation is one that is comprehensive, readable and useable. Parents need to look for test results that are synthesized to capture a holistic view of their child in the classroom, in the home, and in the social realm.

There are two types of educational assessments that will most likely appear in an educational evaluation: I.Q. and achievement tests. An I.Q. or cognitive test measures a child’s intellectual ability. An achievement test, on the other hand, measures a child’s attainment of basic reading, writing, and mathematics. Both of these measures are used to understand the level we would expect a child to perform in the classroom given her intellectual abilities.  When there is a discrepancy between these measures, it is often an indication that a child may not be able to take full advantage of the general educational instruction to take in information, process it, and demonstrate his learning.  Part of the “good” evaluation mentioned earlier is a synthesis or a pulling together of these two types of assessments.

Once all of the assessments have been completed and an evaluation is available, the CSE schedules a meeting to determine whether your child is eligible to receive special education and related services.  Parents receive a written invitation to this meeting.  Sometimes parents are intimidated by the thought and anticipation of a CSE meeting.  Take heart! Parents are an integral member of the CSE team.  Parents are the frontline advocate for their child. They possess a wealth of information about their child, which is helpful to the CSE when making decisions about a child’s educational program.

Requesting an evaluation to determine eligibility for special education services is the first step in getting answers to why your child is struggling in school. Requiring that this evaluation (1) accurately describes your child’s learning profile, (2) clearly articulates the specific nature of her difficulties and strengths, and (3) plainly outlines recommendations is your right as parents. Remember, parents are a child’s first and best advocate; they play an integral role in the process of obtaining appropriate special education services for children with special needs.

Next time we’ll address another parent’s question: I received a letter from the school inviting me to a CSE Meeting to discuss my child’s eligibility for special education services. What should I do to prepare? What will happen at this meeting?

Nina C. Aasen is a lawyer practicing in Ithaca, New York, focusing primarily on Special Education Law and related issues.

Betsy Grigoriu, PhD, is a consultant and advocate with Educational Consulting Services in Ithaca, NY.

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