Questions about Evaluations
The evaluation process begins with a referral.
The referral can come from the family and/or the school. Other providers such as a doctor or therapist may also recommend the student be evaluated.
The first step in the evaluation process will be to identify the areas of concern, including health, vision, hearing, cognitive, behavioral, communication, social-emotional, functional, and physical.
A request for testing must be in writing, and the family will be required to sign a form giving permission to test. The written request should say why an evaluation is being requested and the areas to be evaluated. If unsure, a simple letter asking for a student to be evaluated can work. Give the referral letter to the student’s teacher, principal, or appropriate office staff. If you give the referral letter to the office staff, you may want to follow up with an email to the student’s teacher to confirm that they received it.
Before the school can conduct an evaluation, parents must give informed written consent.
An evaluation is done by a team of student-friendly experts in each area being assessed. The team will know how to evaluate the student and how to best explain each area.
The evaluation will be completed within 60 calendar days after the consent for the evaluation is signed.
The evaluation will be individualized and must use a variety of assessment tools. It can include a records review of work samples, state testing and school history. Other evaluations are completed through interviews, observations, questionnaires, and surveys.
More information on Evaluating School-Aged Children.
Most evaluations are done in the school environment. The school may send paperwork for parents to fill out or call to ask questions.
Typically, students are used to various tests in a school environment. It is good to let them know they will be taking a test, but it is not a test they need to prepare for. Sometimes tests may be administered by people that the students do not already know. Check with the school about who will be giving the tests so that you can provide information to your child if this is the case. Also consider the age of your child and what they will want to know.
The evaluators will compile their information and write a report discussing what they evaluated, why the evaluation was requested, and the result of the evaluation. Evaluation reports often provide recommendations and suggestions to help the student. The evaluation report does not discuss eligibility for special education.
After the evaluation is completed, the school will set up an Initial Evaluation Meeting. During that time, the evaluators will share the results and describe how the results impact the student in the educational environment.
The evaluation report should be provided before the IEP meeting. Check with your team about the timing of when they will provide the report.
The IEP team will share the results of the evaluation. They will discuss the student’s areas of strength and weaknesses. The team will share suggestions and recommendations. The family can ask any questions they may have. The team will also ask the parent to describe the student, any concerns, and any medical information. The team will decide if the student is eligible for an IEP under one of the 14 disability categories. If the student is determined to be eligible, an Initial IEP meeting will be held. Before special education services can be provided for the first time, a parent must give their consent.
If there are concerns about the reports, ask more questions. Ask if the student has been assessed in all the areas where there were concerns. Provide any other professional evaluations from the student’s doctor and/or therapists. If you still do not agree with the school’s evaluation, you can ask for an Independent Education Evaluation (see below). This request must also be put in writing.
This is an evaluation provided by a professional who is not employed by the school. The school will pay for this assessment in certain circumstances, only if the school has already done its own evaluation of your child, and the parents disagree with the results of the evaluation. Parents only have the right to one evaluation paid for by the district each time the district evaluates a child and the parents disagree with the results.
If a request for an IEE is properly made, the school must comply with the written request for an IEE unless they file for due process.
