* The following text is excerpted from "Special Education in a Nutshell", a publication of the Education Law Center.

If you think your child needs special education, ask your school district to give your child an evaluation. The purpose of the evaluation is to find out whether your child has a disability and requires special supports to learn, and, if so, what kind of programs and supports are needed. Make the request in writing and send it to your child’s principal; keep a copy for yourself. If you want to make sure that the initial evaluation is done as quickly as possible, tell your District that you want to sign the “permission to evaluate form.” The District must complete the evaluation, and give you a written report, within 60 school days of the date you sign the consent form. You can also ask for a re-evaluation if your child is getting special education services, but does not seem to be making progress. The re-evaluation must be completed, and the report given to you, within 60 school days of the District’s receipt of your written request.

Click here for sample letters to send to the school.

TEAM EVALUATION AND REPORT

A Team (which must include you, usually a certified school psychologist, the child’s regular teacher, and, when possible, someone familiar with your child’s cultural background) must use a variety of assessment tools or strategies to evaluate your child. All evaluations must be free to the family. The Evaluation Report must make recommendations on whether the child is eligible for services and identify the child’s programming needs. Parents must receive copies of the Evaluation Report at least 10 school days before the IEP Team Meeting. Re-evaluations must be done every 3 years (2 years for children with retardation), although parents can ask for a re-evaluation at any time. The Report of the re-evaluation should review the current IEP and determine which activities and strategies worked – and which didn’t.

INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PROGRAM (IEP)

Within 30 calendar days of the completion of the Evaluation Report, a meeting must be held to write the IEP. The IEP Team must include the parents; the child, if appropriate; a current special education teacher (and a regular education teacher if the child is or may be participating in a regular education program); a representative of the school district who is qualified to provide or supervise the provision of special instruction, is knowledgeable about the general curriculum and knows what resources are available; and someone who can interpret the instructional implications of the evaluation. The IEP describes the special program and amount of related services your child needs based on the Evaluation Report. The IEP must include measurable annual goals, short-term objectives, the type of special help your child will receive in the classroom, how your child’s progress will be measured, the extent to which your child can participate in the general school curriculum, and whether the child can participate in state or district-wide assessments, with supports if needed, or an explanation of the alternate method of assessing the child.



If you have any questions or concerns about requesting an evaluation for your client, please contact Julie Alexander (683-0418, Julia.Alexander@phila.gov).