Step 1: Requesting an Evaluation

An evaluation of your child's educational needs can be requested by parents or the school.  In any case, written parental consent is needed for the evaluation to occur. The purpose of an evaluation is to identify if your child has a disability and what services and support might be needed.

Step 2: Collecting Information about the Child

In addition to school records and test results the evaluation should include the following:

	the observations and opinions of professionals who have worked with your child;
	your child's medical history, when it is relevant to his or her performance in school;
	your ideas about your child's experiences, abilities, needs, and behavior in school and outside of school, and his or her feelings about school.

The following should also be considered when evaluating:

	how well your child speaks and understands language;
	how your child thinks and behaves;
	how well your child adapts to change;
	what your child has achieved in school;
	what your child's potential or aptitude (intelligence) is;
	how well your child functions in areas such as movement, thinking, learning, seeing, and hearing;
	what job-related and other post-school interests and abilities your child has.

The people involved with your child's evaluation include:

	at least one of your child's regular education teachers and/or special education teachers/ service providers;
	a school administrator who knows about policies for special education, children with disabilities, the general curriculum;
	you, as parents or guardians;
	someone who can interpret the evaluation results and talk about what instruction may be necessary for your child;
	individuals (invited by you or the school) with knowledge or special expertise about your child;
	your child, if appropriate;
	representatives from other agencies that may be responsible for paying for or providing transition services (if your child is 16 years or younger, if appropriate);
	other qualified professionals, as appropriate (such as a speech therapist)

Step 3: Determining Eligibility for Special Education and Related Services

As a parent, you have the right to receive a copy of the evaluation report on your child. You also have the right to receive a copy of the paperwork about your child's eligibility for special education and related services.

To qualify for services your child must fall within IDEA's definition of a child with a disability which includes the 13 catagories listed below.  The disability also must affect the child's performance in school.

IDEA's Categories of Disability

	Autism
	Deaf-blindness
	Deafness
	Hearing impairment
	Mental retardation
	Multiple disabilities
	Orthopedic impairment
	Other health impairment (i.e., having limited strength, vitality, or alertness that affects a child's educational performance)
	Serious emotional disturbance
	Specific learning disability
	Speech or language impairment
	Traumatic brain injury
	Visual impairment, including blindness

If your child is eligible for special education and related services, then you and the school will meet to develop an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for your child.

If your child is not eligible for special education and related services, the school must tell you so in writing. You must also receive information about what to do if you disagree with this decision. If this information is not in the materials the school gives you, ask for it. You have the right to disagree with the eligibility decision and be heard. Also ask how the school will help your child if he or she will not be getting special education services.

Step 4: Creating an Individualized Education Plan (IEP)

The IEP will describe your child's educational program, including the special services your child will receive. The IEP Team will meet once a year, or more if necessary, to review and revise the IEP. The Team will discuss strengths, weaknesses, and progress of the student and plan for the following year accordingly.

In addition to annual reviews, the Child Study Team must complete a reevaluation of the student once every three years. The IEP Team determines the scope of the reevaluation by reviewing existing data. Further assessments are not conducted if the IEP Team finds that continuing eligibility could be determined from existing data. However, if a reevaluation is warranted, the IEP Team will determine the assessments needed and obtain parental consent. Once testing is complete, the IEP Team meets to discuss findings and plan programming.

The above information was adapted from the article Your Child's Evalution (also available En español) provided by the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY)