Trying to get an eval

[kristi26]

I sent an email to the district psychologist for the local PS here about my ODS who is in 7th grade this year. I told him my concerns (the handwriting, the difficulty with spelling, the difficulty with testing) and attached writing samples for him. It took him a couple of days, but he wrote back saying they thought an eval was a good idea and they were sending me a consent form.

 

They didn't send it until I emailed them TODAY (after waiting a week for it to show up) and asked for it. They emailed it back to me so I could sign and print it out and send it back. So I open the form and it says they are evaluating for "academic achievement." :confused: What??

 

I wrote back and told them, again, that my concern is not how much he knows but his inability to get it out of his brain through his own hands! I used different words of course and asked for them to add that they're evaluating for a learning disability. Am I missing something? Why are they trying to eval him for academic achievement??

[dbmamaz]

when my son was evaluated (several times by several ppl) at least 2 and maybe 3 of the evaluators included an academic achievement test. i think part of the point is that they dont usually offer services unless a learning disability is causing the child to fall behind, academically. So if your child is tested as performing at what they find acceptable for grade level,they might use that as a way to deny services - like they dont give services to make your handwriting beautiful, only to make it good enough that the teacher can read your work.

 

But . .if she has difficulty with testing, this should show that . . .but . . what if they blame it on homeschooling?

 

I had most of the testing done independently (not through the school) because i really learned that the school, for the most part, did not have my son's best interest in mind - they only follow the letter of the law.

 

you might want to try to get in there in person and ask him to clarify what he plans to do and ask what other options you have.

[kristi26]

Well, then we probably aren't going to get any sort of services. :( I believe he does perform at grade level. He's a smart kid. He just struggles with handwriting and testing.