| If your child is struggling with learning or behavior, and | | | | If your child is deemed to necessitate an evaluation, |
| these issues are impeding their ability to function | | | | then a three-pronged evaluation will begin. Your child's |
| optimally in school, you may have to consider the | | | | IQ will be assessed, as will be their learning profile. A |
| possibility of a learning disability. The good news is that | | | | background interview will be conducted during which |
| there are a ton of services available to your child, and | | | | you'll provide all pertinent information on your child. You'll |
| they're free to access. These are called special | | | | receive copies of these reports within a 90-day period. |
| education and related services. | | | | You'll reconvene to discuss the results of the |
| First of all, you needn't be upset. As a school | | | | assessments within three months. At that meeting it |
| psychologist, I see approximately 20% of the student | | | | will be decided whether or not your child qualifies for |
| population for one reason or another. Services range | | | | services, and placement will be discussed when the |
| from In-Class Support to Out-of-District Placement, and | | | | Individualized Education Program is devised. You'll have |
| the range in between is significant. There are | | | | plenty of opportunities to interject and offer your |
| Resource Center placements that place your child in a | | | | opinion - after all, it's your child! If you disagree with the |
| smaller class environment for an extra period each | | | | findings, there are procedures you can take. You can |
| day; there are replacement classes that offer a full | | | | refuse services altogether. Remember, though, that if |
| class period of instruction in the Resource Center | | | | your child is found to be learning disabled your Team |
| instead of the mainstream environment; there are | | | | may initiate a Due Process hearing to implement |
| self-contained classes for students with more | | | | services if you refuse. There are legal protections for |
| significant learning difficulties. | | | | you, and for your Team. |
| If you suspect your child has a learning disability, your | | | | Whatever the outcome, at the very least you'll have a |
| first course of action is to request an evaluation. You'll | | | | detailed learning profile of your child. You'll be able to |
| write a letter to your district's IEP Team and they'll | | | | get them the help they need. And they'll be better off |
| have a short time period (usually 20 days) to get hold | | | | after the process is complete. |
| an Identification meeting with you. At that meeting, you'll | | | | Nadine O'Reilly is a school psychologist and |
| discuss your child's difficulties with the Team, which | | | | Coordinator of Special Services. She creates 100's of |
| consists of (at a minimum) a School Psychologist, | | | | special education programs for students with special |
| Social Worker, Regular Education teacher, Special | | | | needs each year. She is the author of the IEP |
| Education teacher, and district representative, which | | | | Resource Guide, and the Section 504 Resource Guide, |
| may or may not be one of the aforementioned | | | | as well as numerous children's books for toddlers with |
| members. At this meeting it will be decided whether or | | | | life-threatening allergies. |
| not to evaluate your child. | | | | |