The school may recommend, or you may request, for your child to be evaluated to see if they are eligible for any special education services. If you are requesting an initial evaluation for your child, you should do so in writing. The school will then send you a consent form listing the evaluations your child will have within 5 days of receiving your written request. Once the school receives your consent to begin the evaluation process, they must provide or arrange for the evaluations within 30 school days and arrange for a Team meeting within 45 days.
There are several assessments that are required for the school to complete. These include assessments in all areas related to the suspected disability and an educational assessment, which includes a history of your child’s progress in the general curriculum, attention skills, participation, communication, memory, social relationships and educational and developmental potential.
As the parent requesting the initial evaluation, you can request other assessments that are relevant to your child’s situation. These can include health assessments, psychological assessments or a home assessment. However, home assessments often require the assessor to visit your home and spend time observing your family. These are generally not necessary to conduct in the context of an initial evaluation and you should carefully consider whether a different type of evaluation can provide similar information.
Any summaries of assessments or evaluations should be sent to you at least 2 days before the Team meeting. The Team meeting is to review the evaluation data and determine if your child is eligible for special education services. If your child is found eligible, the Team needs to develop an IEP an propose a placement. If your child is not found eligible, the school must send you a notice of ineligibility.