A Step-by-Step Procedure for Initiating Help from the Public Schools
- You will need to act as your child’s advocate in order to ensure receiving appropriate help. You can start by contacting your local school district. Usually the initial contact is made with the school district’s Special Education office.
- To ensure a successful interaction and follow-up, both a phone call and a written communication should be made. You may request an evaluation of your child at any time. A sample letter requesting an evaluation is included in this packet. Remember to date the letter and keep a copy of it for yourself.
- Sign the necessary release form once you receive it. This form is required to allow the district to obtain whatever information is available from whomever you name.
- Also, sign the release form to allow the district to conduct its own testing. If your child is already being seen by a speech therapist privately, you can specify that you do not want any testing conducted until after an exchange of information has occurred with your present therapist.
- Ask questions and make sure you understand the process including timelines that the school will take to determine eligibility for service and the planned program for service. You can request written guidelines regarding the process.
- The school district personnel should contact you to arrange a time to see your child. They may ask you to bring the child to the school office, they may want to observe him in your home, or they may ask to observe the child in the nursery school setting. The following professionals may be involved: a speech therapist, occupational therapist, physical therapist, psychologist, resource specialist, school nurse, and/or classroom teacher.
- When all of the data is collected, a meeting will be arranged. This is an Evaluation and Planning meeting (E&P meeting).
- At this meeting, a decision will be made re: 1) is your child eligible to receive service, 2) if so, what are his needs, 3) when, how and by whom service will be provided. All of this information will be written into the child’s Individual Education Plan (IEP).
- Once the IEP is signed, the school will begin services.
NOTE: You will be part of the team that determines what services and placements your child receives in an IEP. If you approve, everything will move along smoothly. If you do not, you must argue against the recommendation on the basis of the child’s needs, not on the basis of personal preference (i.e. you cannot necessarily insist, for example, on a specific teacher for your child).
ADHD Resources Index
ADHD Resources Index