You suspect that your child has a disability that impacts his or her ability to receive a free appropriate public education (FAPE). In writing, sent to at least two people at your child’s school, you have requested the district assess in all suspected areas of disability. Now what?
Ask to receive all reports at least five days before the IEP team meeting. Why? We have been to IEP meetings where the reports are anywhere from 20 to 40 pages long (single-spaced). For most of us, it’s impossible to process and absorb this amount of documentation while the entire IEP team is sitting there.
There may also be surprises in these assessments. We have been to meetings where the paperwork labels or diagnoses a student in a way the parent was not expecting. Indeed, we have seen parents in tears from reading their child described (in writing) as having very low IQ scores or as being intellectually disabled. It is very difficult for an upset parent to stay calm and advocate for their child in an effective manner. Having the reports in advance gives parents the chance to review, analyze, and determine how they wish to respond.
Where do you go from there?
You can:
Accept the results, and move forward.
You can revisit them at another time if you do not have the bandwidth to fight right now.
Ask for an IEE (Independent Educational Evaluation) at public expense.
Many districts will agree, and then you can find a mutually agreed upon assessor. The district will pay for the assessment, and you will meet again to discuss the results. The agency or person testing your child will provide both of you with the report. Note that if the district denies your request for an IEE, you will either have to withdraw your request or proceed to due process. We strongly recommend hiring an attorney if/when you go to due process.
Have an educational evaluation done privately.
The advantage of this is that you have complete control of who assesses your child. You can also choose whether you want to share the results—either part of them or all of them. However, private evaluation is expensive and can range from $1500 to $4000. If you go this route, we recommend hiring someone who is willing to attend IEP meetings (many agencies will not). You will not know until after you receive the report whether you will need them to come discuss their recommendations. If you choose an agency willing to attend, you have options.
Talk to an advocate. Learn your rights.
As parents, we understand. As advocates, we can help.