How To Response To The Educational Testing Services Letter

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You are worried that your child (age two years 9 months - 20 years) is not keeping up with their peers. Perhaps your md has recommended that you wait into services at schoolhouse.

In guild for your child to receive any special support services from the school district, your child must be evaluated. It does not matter if you take an outside evaluation saying your child has difficulties. The schoolhouse district must do its own evaluation. To get an evaluation, someone must request the evaluation. A asking for an evaluation is chosen a "referral" in education lingo.

Anyone can brand a "referral for evaluation", including you or another person involved in the education or care of your child. However, information technology is upwards to the parent or guardian to consent to the evaluation. It is best if you lot make the request, or referral.

A request for evaluation must be in writing. Address the letter to the master of your kid'due south school and the special teaching director of the school commune. (For a re-create of a sample letter – run into the IDEA manual pg. 38). If y'all don't know who this person is, ask your kid's instructor.

If your child is not in school still, contact your school district or local education service eye to notice out where your home schoolhouse is. Then call the school to obtain the name of the Special Didactics contact and the Chief. Send the written referral addressed to these people.

In one case your request is received by the schoolhouse, the school has fifteen school days to:

Get your written consent for the evaluation to begin, or
If they choose to recommend a screening, consider response to intervention, or refuse to evaluate, they must provide yous with your Procedural Safeguards and explain your rights.

If the schoolhouse decides non to evaluate, the school must inform you in writing of the school'due south refusal. This is chosen prior written notice. Parents must also exist informed in writing when/if the school decides to practice a screening instead of an evaluation.

If the school decides not to evaluate your child and yous do not agree with that determination, you lot have due process rights. Filing a complaint with the Texas Education Agency (TEA) or requesting mediation are some of those rights. For information on your options, please encounter "Dispute Resolution"

What parents need to remember:

E'er keep copies of ALL written documents for your records.
Anyone can make a referral for evaluation.
You should be part of the Review of Existing Evaluation Data (REED) as part of an initial evaluation or any hereafter evaluation.
Y'all have the right to ask what examinations or tests will be used and how they will be used to develop the individualized education program (IEP).
The school must send yous a written notice when they recommend OR decline a Full Initial and Private Evaluation (FIE) or suggest a screening instead of a FIE.
The school must have your written consent before completing any evaluation.
You have due process rights in every step of the special education process.

ADDITIONAL Resources:

Texas Pedagogy Bureau - Timeline

Child Find - Student Data Review Guidance for Referrals to Special Education

SpedTex - Requesting Special Education Testing (video)

Legal Framework for the Child Centered Procedure:

Child Find Duty
Child Notice for Parentally Placed Individual School Children
Referral for Services

Disability Rights Texas – How to Asking an Initial Evaluation for Special Didactics Eligibility

Eye for Parent Information and Resources – Evaluating Children for Inability

Evaluation

Evaluation Procedures – From the TARGET Transmission by the Texas Statewide Leadership for Autism – While the data provided is specific in relation to students with autism, ANY parent can use the data to acquire about the variety of assessments available

Learning Disabilities Association of America – Right to an Evaluation for Special Education Services

How To GEt Services chart