Where do I get evaluations (accommodations/proof)

[sbgrace]

My son (dx autism, ADHD, anxiety) is in 9th grade. I want to have evaluations to show he has need for accomodations.

Where do I go to get formal assessment to document/create a paper trail? 

 

[PeterPan]

What's your timing and what do you want it for? For going into the ps? I would update your private evals if you can afford to and take that documentation in for the IEP process. If this is for the college board, DE, that kind of thing, then it just needs to be within the last 3 years. Where you are now, you'll probably do it and then maybe end up doing it right again before college.

My dd's university wanted both psych *and* MD paper trail, but recent was preferable to them. Psych had to be in the last 3 years, but we updated anyway because the school was, well don't get me started. And MD paper trail had to be fresh, filling out their form.

So it's pretty much the hoops for the org you're trying to make happen. It's worth it. Make sure you've practiced having him ask to use them, because if he won't use them it still won't matter.

[Pawz4me]

We had DS19 evaluated by a private psychologist when he was 17 We were fortunate in that our insurance covered the full cost (minus typical office visit co-pays). Our understanding is that some/a lot (all?) colleges like to see testing normed for adults, which generally means after they turn 16. The psychiatrist he sees for anxiety recommended the psychologist. It depends somewhat on what accommodations you're after, too. DS was doing fine in high school, but we wanted to have things in place for college "just in case." The psychiatrist said she could give him a medical diagnosis (in his case ASD-1 and GAD), but that for educational accommodations he'd need a psychologist to do the psycho-educational evaluation. As it turns out the only accommodation he used was to get a private dorm room last year, and the psychiatrist's letter/diagnosis of anxiety is what got him that.

[PeterPan]

Yes, we have a semi-private room (which anywhere else would have been private, grr) and that's what the MD part was for. So it just depends what you're needing to make happen. The university provides her EF services. She had weekly meetings with them her freshman year and this year she just goes in as needed. It's really helpful for her for problem-solving. She'll get into pickles and I'm like man I don't know go talk with your person...

I mention the weekly thing because I didn't know till I read people here saying that it was a thing they could offer. Not every school does, but it was a tipping point in this school's favor, that they were set up to offer it and offer it very discretely and cohesively. They had put major money in recently into updating their services, with a new expanded wing, blah blah. So it just depends on what you need, but it definitely varies with the school. 

Edited October 27, 2018 by PeterPan

[Storygirl]

I agree with others that you might look for a private educational psychologist. Perhaps your pediatrician could recommend someone good in your area.

A secondary choice is to request evaluations from the public school. They are required to evaluate if learning issues are suspected, but some are more helpful with that process than others.  A phone call to the student/pupil services department might give you an idea whether they are the helpful kind of school or not. But then if you decide to move forward, you would need to submit a written request.

The school report is likely to be less helpful than a full independent psych exam, but it may be sufficient for what you need, and it would be free. To make the decision, you could talk to both the school and a private psych and ask them what tests they could run for you; it may be clear that one would be better than the other.

[PeterPan]

If there's any chance you're asking about ASD, I'd want private. If there's even a *question* that that could be on the table, go private. Well it's true some districts have ADOS teams and are actually doing a good job. But remember, even then you're not asking their question. The school is asking what disability is affecting his ability to access his education, and you're asking what is present (medically, at all). We used the ps for my dd's evals in high school right before college, and for creating that paper trail for the ADHD, etc. it was adequate. But if you want super thorough and to catch things that maybe are there and need to be discussed but aren't affecting his ability to access his education, that's a different question.