5 Reasons Parents Choose Private Evaluations Over School-Based Testing.
Child Find is a federal requirement, part of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), that mandates states to identify, locate, and evaluate children with disabilities, birth to age 21, who may need special education services.
The primary goal of Child Find is to ensure that all children with disabilities, regardless of the severity of their disability, are identified and provided with the necessary support and services. This includes children who are home-schooled, attending private schools, migrant/houseless, have learning differences, developmental delays, or other conditions.
If a child is suspected of having a disability, they must be evaluated to determine eligibility for Special Education services or Section 504.
Schools, however, only evaluate if necessary as determined by the school team, which does not mandatorily include parents, however, it is best practice. Often evaluations do not take place, if the student is not struggling significantly in the school setting, which can leave parents feeling unsupported if their child is able to “hold it together for the most part” at school, or their difficulties are not seen to impact their education. Evaluations schools do complete, only include testing that is directly related to the area of concern as it relates to educational impact. That means, if your child is just getting by, but not reaching their full potential, or shows significant concerns at home or in the community, but does “okay” at school, they may not be found eligible.
Here are the Top 5 Reasons Parents Choose Private Evaluations Over (or in combination with) School-Based Testing
Number 1: Comprehensive Testing
Private evaluations are more in-depth and thorough than school-based assessments, using a wider range of tools and offering investigation of all areas parents wish to gain more information around. Private evaluations can better document how a child is impacted both inside and outside of school to help inform decisions.
Number 2: Unbiased Results
School evaluation are conducted by district employees, while private evaluations are independent and impartial, ensuring families get an objective and comprehensive picture.
Number 3: Quicker Timelines
School evaluations can take up to 60 school days to complete and due to caseloads and short-staffing meetings can take weeks to schedule.
Number 4: Detailed Recommendations
Private evaluations provide more tailored and child-specific (unique) intervention strategies.
Number 5: Useful for More Than Just School
Private evaluation reports can support tutoring plans, direct service recommendations, and can be shared with medical or mental health professionals to assist with diagnostic clarifications, services and supports. Should you choose to share your child’s evaluation report with school professionals, the information must be considered by law, and can assist in eligibility determinations for Special Education or Section 504, clearly illustrate areas of need, and detail recommended school-based intervention, instruction, and services.
