As our collective understanding of developmental disabilities increases, there is one widely-accepted fact: Early and intensive intervention can have a profound impact on the quality of life for both children at risk and their families. The key is early detection, recognizing the first signs of a developmental delay or disorder.
Are you wondering if your child’s skills are reaching typical benchmarks? If so, the Ash-West SEPAC has gathered some information to help you decide if your child needs to be evaluated for special education services.
Speech problems, slow vocabulary growth, or lack of interest in storytelling
Trouble with numbers, alphabet, days of week, or poor memory for routines
Difficulty sitting still, is restless or lack of persistence at tasks
Self-help skills (e.g.. tying shoe laces) are challenging, clumsy, or reluctance to draw or trace
Doesn't read from left from right, possible visual spatial confusion, trouble interacting, or weak social skills
Decoding difficulty in reading, trouble following directions, or poor spelling
Slow recall of facts, organizational problems, or slow acquisition of new skills
Impulsive, lack of planning, careless errors, or easily distracted
Unstable pencil grip or trouble with letter formation
Difficulty learning time and/or grasping new math concepts
Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), parents or guardians have the right to ask the school to evaluate their child to see if he or she has a disability and needs special education services. Massachusetts law calls this “referral for initial evaluation.”
It is recommended that the request be made in writing.
You can write an email or a letter that you attach in an email.
If you decide to mail a letter, calling to verify receipt is recommended.
Hand-delivering a letter to a principal or special education department is another option, and you can ask for a copy with a date receipt for your records.
This is a very important letter. If you take this step on behalf of your child, give the contents lots of thought and set aside sufficient time to write it. A few tips to help guide you through the process:
Keep the tone of the letter pleasant and businesslike.
Present the facts.
Proofread for grammar and spelling.
There are several online resources with sample letters and other helpful information, including:
New Jersey Center for Parent Information and Resources
Massachusetts Advocates for Children (download sample letter)
According to Massachusetts law, a school district has 5 school days of receipt of the referral for initial evaluation to send written notice to you in the form of a Consent to Test. Once the school district receives a signed Consent to Test, state law requires it to provide the evaluation within 30 school days and hold a team meeting to discuss the results of the evalution within 45 school days.
Timelines are very important in the special education process, including referrals for evaluations. Download the timeline for school evaluation requests, testing, eligibility meeting with an IEP Team, and determination of eligibility. Or, watch our Special Education Timelines Tutorial video.
We are living in the Information Age, so it should be no surprise that demand for innovative assistive technology to help children with disabilities access learning in the classroom and navigate the school environment is increasing.
The state Department of Education recognizes this and provides a variety of information about assistive technology on its website. Although the content is geared toward educators, parents and caregivers may find the information useful as well.
A common stumbling block for parents and caregivers is how to request an assistive technology evaluation.
There are a few sources of sample letters to request an assistive technology evaluation that you may find helpful:
Or, you may opt to use the Ash-West SEPAC sample letter.
A child may exhibit behaviors at school that get in the way of their learning and cause parents or teachers to become concerned. What's more, troubling behavior may result in disciplinary action by school administrators.
Teachers and school administrators can contact parents or caregivers for consent to begin a Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) to see how the child's disability or undiagnosed disability affects their behavior. Likewise, parents and caregivers can request an FBA for their child. A child does not need to have an IEP or 504 Plan for a parent or caregiver to request and consent to an FBA.
Special education experts recommend requests be made in writing, and there are some sample letters that may help you develop your letter:
Once an FBA has been administered by a behavior specialist, a report should be prepared and shared, and a meeting should be held to determine if the child needs a Behavior Intervention Plan.
What is a functional behavioral assessment (FBA)?
If your child is found ineligible for an IEP or you are dissatisfied with the findings in the school district’s evaluation, you can ask for an Independent Educational Evaluation (or IEE) at the district’s expense.
You can ask for an IEE within 16 months of the school district’s testing of your child.