My child is struggling 
Now that my child has 
Judith Halden: I would start off asking your pediatrician for a referral for private evaluators. There are various professionals who do this type of testing. They could be psychologists, neuropsychologists, or educational diagnosticians.
Sometimes hospitals have child development centers which offer testing. Check with private schools in your area that specialize in learning disabilities. They almost always have people that they refer testing to.
The state’s Parent Center might also have information on private evaluators. Parents can locate their centers at www.parentcenternetwork.org. A good rule of thumb is to look for a referral that comes up more than once. Generally, that’s a good indicator that you’re talking about somebody of quality, but you as a parent always have to do the research.
Candace Cortiella: So what can a private evaluation provide that a school evaluation might not?
Judith Halden: A private evaluation can bring things to the table that maybe missed or not well enough covered in school testing. They often use a greater variety of measures - but more is not always better. As an example, a child who is bright, very successful in math but struggling in reading doesn’t need a comprehensive evaluation that does a deep dive into cognitive testing, personality measures, and in-depth math assessments.
Private evaluation testers often do a very detailed evaluation, which also means [it’s] expensive and it’s not often necessary with certain children. If parents do decide to release an outside evaluation to the school, it does become part of the school paperwork, no different than an evaluation that was done by (or contracted by) school personnel.
One important thing to consider is that certain of the measures used on these tests are time- limited in that they can’t be performed too often within a certain period of months or even a year because it invalidates the results.
Candace Cortiella: So can parents get the school to pay for a private evaluation?
Judith Halden: They can under certain circumstances. In general, the school will need to do its evaluation first and provide the results. Then under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), parents are entitled to an independent educational evaluation if they disagree with the results of the school evaluation. However, this type of evaluation has lots of strings attached and, in fact, isn’t the same thing as a private evaluation paid for by parents.
Parents should understand the specifics about independent educational evaluation before embarking on a private evaluation with the expectation that the school might pay for it.
Candace Cortiella: What are some additional tips for parents thinking about getting a private evaluation?
Judith Halden: Be sure to choose an evaluator who will address all of the issues that the school wants to see and will write a report that will work for the school process. You can check this out with the school before going to do this.
Make sure that the evaluator will spend time explaining the test results in ways that you can understand. You’re going to need this information to be an effective advocate at school meetings, with private tutors, and as you provide support at home.
Private evaluation can often be helpful after the child has been identified and services have begun because you can refer back to them if you’re not satisfied with the progress your child is making. The private evaluator can always go back and do testing in a particular area.
Candace Cortiella: Great. Thank you for sharing this important information with us. Clearly parents should take time to learn about evaluations and understand these options very thoroughly.
This transcription was made possible by a grant from the American Legion Child Welfare Foundation.
