What Every Parent Needs To Know About Special Education Referrals.
Many parents find themselves filled with mixed emotions once their child has been referred for special education services. There is fear that their child may have a disability, relief that the child's difficulties may be due to a disability, hope that answers are going to be found to solve the problem, and often just a lot of anxiety. One thing that should not be present is confusion about the process, but it is very common.
Many parents do not fully understand what happens after the referral; they may get intimidated, or have different expectations. This is a guide for parents to understand the process of special education testing, the testing components, and some of the test data. It is important to note that schools systems will vary to some degree.
If you have any questions about the process in your school system, ask your school psychologist, teacher, or principal. Parents have every right to ask questions and usually school personnel are happy to help make this process less anxiety-provoking for you. It is important for parents to understand their rights during the special education process.If a student is suspected of having a disability, a referral is made to evaluate him or her for special education testing. Once the parents sign the Permission for Testing Forms, timelines begin and the schools have 65 business days to complete the assessments and hold the eligibility meeting.
During these 65 days, several testing components will be completed with you and your child. The evaluators will write reports and a copy will be given to parents at the eligibility meeting. However, schools are required to have a copy available for parents to pick up two days before the eligibility meeting. It is advised, that parents take advantage of this and read reports before the meeting to help get familiar with the information and to formulate questions. The reports hold a lot of information that can be overwhelming if you are not familiar with this type of testing.
Additionally, the meeting is likely to bring forth strong emotions as your child's difficulties are discussed openly. It can be overwhelming for parents, especially when not prepared. When parents do not read the reports prior to the eligibility meeting, they are the only people at the table who come to the meeting not knowing what to expect.Once a child is eligible for special education services, the schools have 30 days to develop an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for the student. This will consist of accommodations, goals, and describe the services offered. Parents are part of a committee to help create this document. Once it is signed, schools are legally required to follow it. It is reviewed once a year, unless parents or teachers feel that changes are necessary. Every three years, the student will be reevaluated. This is called a triennial evaluation. Sometimes another full evaluation will be conducted, other times a review of records and updated teacher information is used.
- If you agree with the eligibility findings, then your child will not receive special education. He or she was evaluated because of a problem that still needs to be addressed within regular education. Ask for a separate meeting with your teacher or a team to determine what accommodations or strategies can be used to help.
- If you disagree with findings you can ways to appeal the decision. However, if schools are following federal guidelines correctly, there will be a long fight and nothing will change in the end. Make sure you have a case before you proceed. You may want to talk to an advocate to be sure. A child MUST have 2 things before they can receive special education services: They must have a disability and there must be a documented educational impact that the student requires special education services to be successful. If you believe that your child requires special education services and has a disability, but was found ineligible for services, make an appointment to meet with the special education director. If an agreement cannot be reached, you may be able to have an Independent Evaluation at the expense of the school. The results of that testing will be brought back to an eligibility meeting. Be aware, however, that the process is very long and can continue all the way to court if an agreement cannot be reached.
Characteristics of the most common disabilities in which students receive special education services in school.
- Your child might have a Learning Disability if . . .
- He or she has average ability but is significantly behind in a subject area. (Typically a student with a learning disability is not behind in all academic areas).
- He or she is having difficulty processing information in visual or auditory manner (testing may be needed to determine this).
- Multiple interventions have been tried and have been unsuccessful.
- Your child might have an Emotional Disability if . . .
- Emotional problems are making it difficult for your child to learn
- They have difficulty with interpersonal relationships
- He or she has inappropriate behavior under normal circumstances
- Your child might be eligible under Other Health Impairment if . . .
- Your child has a documented medical condition that adversely impacts education (ADHD is the most common medical condition under this category)
These are only a few of the categories of special education services. Take a look at the categories of special education page for more information.
All text on this page written by Erin N. King, Ed.S.
