Evaluations and eligibility
Testing comes first, and you are allowed to ask for it
Special education starts with an evaluation. If your child’s trouble with reading, attention, speech, behavior or health looks like more than a rough patch, you can ask the school to evaluate in writing, and the school has to answer in writing too.
We help you write that request, read the results with you, and decide what to do if you disagree with them. That can mean asking the school to pay for an independent evaluation.
A dated, written request you keep a copy of
Scores and percentiles explained in plain words
A second opinion when the results don’t fit your child
A seat beside you at the eligibility meeting
What to expect
From the request to the eligibility meeting
- 01
Step 1: You ask, in writing
A dated letter or email to the principal and the special education office. Say what worries you and that you want your child evaluated.
- 02
Step 2: The school answers
It agrees and asks for your consent to test, or it refuses in writing and says why. A refusal letter is something we can challenge.
- 03
Step 3: The testing happens
School staff assess your child, sometimes over several sittings. You can add what you know: a doctor’s note, a teacher’s email, your own list of examples.
- 04
Step 4: You read the report and meet
The team meets to decide whether your child qualifies. Ask for the report days before the meeting, not at the table.
Questions
Short answers about testing
Can the school say no to testing?
It can decline, but it has to tell you why in writing. That letter often tells us more than the refusal does.
What if I disagree with the results?
You can ask the school to pay for an independent evaluation by someone outside it. We help you ask, and help you choose who.
Does my child have to be failing?
No. A child can earn passing grades and still need services. The team looks at a disability and the need for support, not only at marks.
Holding a report or a refusal letter?
Send it to the clinic. A lawyer reads it before anyone calls you back.