Friday, February 4, 2011

Parent Permission for Evaluation for Special Education

It is always required to honor a parent’s written request for a special education evaluation.  If a parent makes a verbal request for a special education evaluation, under WI DPI’s complaint violation rulings, it is a district’s obligation to educate and inform parents how to make an official request for an evaluation (i.e., written, child’s name, reason disability suspected).  The district’s once-a-year legal announcement does not meet the district’s child find obligation in the case of a parent who has made a verbal request.  However, in the case of a verbal request for an evaluation, many requests do indeed include that needed education about how to make an official request.

Especially in the case of an evaluation in the area of Specific Learning Disability (SLD) , it may also include education about what is immediately available through a multi-leveled system of support (and RtI), which may be available through a regular education process.  Parents who have made a request for a special education evaluation, when given an opportunity for immediate, intensive intervention in a regular education setting, may chose to postpone the beginning of a special education evaluation so the results of the intensive intervention can be obtained.  In such a case, parents may chose to begin a special education evaluation in the area of SLD or may chose to postpone their decision until more information is known. It’s their choice (from DPI WI School Psychology News)

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