Did you know that it is mandated by law for your child to receive special education services if he/she is falling behind academically? The Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA, 2004) affords children ages 3- 21 years and families of children with disabilities opportunities for special education services. Parents/guardians can request an evaluation for an Individual Education Plan (IEP) or a 504 plan to identify the most appropriate supports in the least restrictive environment for their needs.
If parents are in disagreement with findings from an IEP/504 Plan evaluation, they are entitled to request an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE). The school should respond within 15 days via a due process hearing. If the school is unable to demonstrate that their evaluation meets the needs of the child, then an evaluation is deferred to an independent provider, who is not employed by the school or school district, to ensure an unbiased process. If you are in disagreement with your child’s IEP/504 Plan evaluation, please notify your child’s evaluation team. You may be provided with a list of providers in the community. It is important to note that the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) published a Policy letter giving parents the right to choose the independent evaluator.
Psychoeducational evaluations focus on academic differences relative to the individual’s age, education, and cognitive functioning. These types of evaluations help to identify if your child has a specific learning disability in reading, writing, or mathematics or if weaknesses are related to specific cognitive or psychological factors.