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[Paisley Hedgehog]

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[Stacy in NJ]

This may depend on your state. Your local school district is required by law to respond within 30 days after you write a letter to them requesting an evaluation for learning disabilites. So, first thing, write a letter addressed to your local Superintendent of Schools requesting the evaluation. This will begin the process for testing via the ps. Understand that your ps can drag this process out for a significant amount of time. They're required to respond to your request, not necessarily to test. You may have to attend several initial meeting before they'll agree to testing. You also don't have control over the types of test they'll use. They'll use what they're required to use, not necessarily what is the best for your child. Some people find ps testing really useful, others not so much so. It can be a real mixed bag depending on your district and state. You can also opt for private testing. Most insurance companies won't cover academic testing outside of a physical diagnosis/condition. Dyslexia isn't a medical diagnosis. You can try to get it covered under other similar type conditions (i.e. physical speech or language issues), but it is unlikely that it'll be covered. You can contact a private educational tester in your area, discuss how they test and their fees.

 

Another option is Lindamood-Bell testing. They test specifically for LD/dyslexia. While they use the standard educational test's like Grey's and Weschler, they test with an eye to the types of services they offer within their own clinics. The benefit to using LMB is the reasonable cost. They charge in the neighborhood of $500 for testing that would run nearer to $1500 if done via an educational psych. The downside to their testing is, of course, they'll try to induce you to use their services which are really expensive. You can opt to have them test and not use their services.

 

HTH, Stacy

[momtotkbb]

Do you have a local Children's Hospital? If so you can ask your pediatrician's office for a referral to a Dev Ped for a full psycho-educational evaluation. The Children's Hosp will then send you a packet of paper-work to complete where you will answer various questions about birth, dev, school work, etc. They will then determine what the most appropriate testing instruments are ---generally an IQ test, various achievement tests and whether or not testing for ADD/ADHD, SID, or other areas are needed. Another option, less expensive, is to go through a local universities psychology/education dept and they will provide testing, generally on a sliding scale. The testing will be for a learning disability and will be administed by graduate students that are supervised by a liscensed psychologist.

 

Still other options, HSLDA maintains a list of professionals in various states/areas who are avail to provide educational testing for hsing families. They generally charge a substantially reduced fee.

 

We had our oldest eval through our Children's Hosp and paid $1500 the first time around about 15 years ago. When he had his re-eval in high school it was around $3500 ---but included ADD/ADHD eval. Our others we have gone through an individual that is hsing friendly and provides testing for hs families at a great reduction ---we only pay about $350-$375. The down side is if he suspects ADD/ADHD, SID, etc. he has to make a referral to the Children's Hosp bec he isn't set up to work with those dx.

 

As for the public schools ---while they have a legal obligation to fulfill Child Find services ---the federal law has allowed states to greatly reduce or discontinue the requirement that services be provided to students not enrolled in the pub school system. It varies by state.

[cathmom]

We went to a private tester. It was $600. We already knew that dd12 had dyslexia - we just wanted it documented and some direction on how best to help her.

[Paisley Hedgehog]

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[Renee in NC]

Thank you so much for this information!

 

The SPED director for our school district told me that she could administer an IQ test and/or an achievement test, but that they do not have testing for dyslexia, disgraphia, etc. According to her, students have already been diagnosed before they get to special ed. :confused: How is that possible? I am not sure if she is mistaken, lying, or just trying to avoid dealing with me.

 

I had not thought of trying the local university education department. I'll start making calls there today.

 

That's all our school system will do - IQ and achievement testing. I haven't done it yet because they will tell me he has learning disabilities. Yeah, I know that already!:lol:

[mamaofredheads]

You might want to watch the seminar on the www.dys-add.com website. You can also call Susan Barton and talk with her at no charge. She was wonderful in helping me! She also has a list of qualified independent testers.

[cillakat]

The benefit to using LMB is the reasonable cost. They charge in the neighborhood of $500 for testing that would run nearer to $1500 if done via an educational psych. The downside to their testing is, of course, they'll try to induce you to use their services which are really expensive. You can opt to have them test and not use their services.

 

Here in Atl, $1800 will get you acheivement testing, IQ testing and a few other 'small' tests depending on what the first two tests show....in the case of suspected dyslexia, the additional tests would probably be the CTOPP, the GORT and maybe a couple of others. Iirc, the LMB testing is not as comprehensive.....so no doubt, it does cost less (though their tutoring services are un-g-dly expensive:001_huh:)

 

Just tossing it out for the sake of 'more info'.....like lots of things, I'm sure there is variation from area to area.

 

K

[cillakat]

The SPED director for our school district told me that she could administer an IQ test and/or an achievement test

 

Great! Tell her you want both:) an IQ like the WISC-IV and an achievement like the Woodcock-Johnson or the WAIT (or both;p)

 

then also let her know you want the GORT (Gray Oral Reading Test) OR the TOWRE (Test of Word Reading Efficiency) **and** the CTOPP (Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing).

 

:)

K

[cillakat]

they do not have testing for dyslexia, disgraphia, etc.

 

 

someone can do a GORT, TOWRE and CTOPP. Someone in the district can. What they'd diagnose from it might be a big fat nothing - here in Atlanta they won't call anything dyslexia and won't use any scientifically sound reading interventions - but if you can jump through the right hoops, they do have the tests on hand.

 

Anyhoo, the big cost is associated with the IQ and the achievement testing. The CTOPP and TOWRE or GORT will be only a fraction of that....so if you have to find an educational psych or reading specialist on your own, at least you'll be facing minimal cost for that portion.

 

:)

K