Special Education - How to Use an Independent Educational Evaluation to Benefit Your Child

Do you have a child with a learning disability or withand educationalservices. Ask the evaluator if they are
autism that isnot making academic progress, evenwilling to recommend specificamount of minutes of
though they are getting specialeducation services?service and specific methodology for educationaland
Would you like to know what educational andrelatedrelated services. If they are not, consider going to a
services your child needs in order to learn how to read,differentevaluator.
or doother academics? This article will discuss what anOnce you have answered these questions, make an
Independentappointment and takeyour child. Bring up any concerns
Educational Evaluation (IEE) is, and how you can usethat you have, and make sure thatyou understand
one to benefityour child with a disability.what tests will be conducted on your child. When
The definition of an Independent Education Evaluationthereport is finished, have the evaluator mail a copy to
(IEE) is:you. If you haveconcerns about what is written, you
An independent educational evaluation is an evaluationmay contact the evaluator and tellthem your concerns.
conducted by aqualified person, who does not workMake sure recommendations are specific forminutes,
for the school district. Parentsof children with a disability#of times per week, goals, methodology, etc.
often get IEE's so that they understandwhatCall the school district and set up an IEP meeting to
educational needs their child has and what servicesdiscuss theresults of the IEE. If they request a copy up
they require.front, you can give itto them. If possible, set up with the
Most independent evaluations are parent initiated andevaluator, a time that she or hecan participate in the
paid for by theparent.IEP meeting by telephone. By having theevaluator
Once you have decided to get an IEE, there areparticipate, special education personnel will have a
several things toconsider about the evaluator:a. Makehardertime not including the evaluators
sure that they are qualified to perform therecommendations.
educationalevaluation. For Example: a registeredAt the IEP meeting, if the school personnel will not put
Occupational Therapist couldconduct an Occupationaltherecommendations in your child's IEP, they must give
Therapy evaluation. If sensory processingdisorderyou prior writtennotice (PWN), as to why they are not
(used to be called sensory integration disorder) is anwilling to accept, the evaluatorsrecommendations. This
issue,make sure that you find a registerednotice must include the reason that they are
Occupational Therapist who isnotaccepting the recommendations, and what
SIPT certified. If your child has autism, make sure theevaluations they are using torefuse. If at the IEP
evaluatorspecializes in educational evaluations formeeting the school personnel do include
children with all types ofautism.b. Whether this persontherecommendations, ask for reimbursement of the
is now, or ever has been an employee ofyour schoolindependent educationalevaluation.
district. Talk to the person, and make sure that theyAn independent educational evaluation can be
donot have a relationship with your school district. Beinvaluable to your child.
careful, even ifthey used to work for another schoolBy understanding what your child's educational and
district, make sure they aretruly independent, and willingrelated needs are,you may be a more effective
to make recommendations for what yourchild needs.c.advocate, for needed educational andrelated services.
Make sure that the evaluator is willing to write aIf your child does not receive an appropriateeducation
detailedreport, to include recommendations for relatedtheir future may be in jeopardy!