If Your Child Needs Help in the Public Schools…

By Dawn Ilardi | October 25, 2024

There is a formal process for getting your child the help they need.  The details will vary by state, but the general steps are similar.  Also keep in mind that some schools have more resources than others, so delays can be quite long (e.g., 3-6 months or more).  Begin to advocate as soon as possible!

Collect as much information as possible regarding concerns from the school.  

  • Communicate with each teacher by email, phone, or in person depending on the extent of concerns.  Get specific examples.  Are there work samples the teacher can share if relevant? Keep track of standardized test scores.
  • Do concerns vary based on subject (e.g. math vs. reading), and what about unstructured settings like lunch, PE, and art?  What about time of day?  These details will help if you are exploring attention problems, social, emotional or behavioral concerns.
  • What about social connections? How do they get along with kids in the class?  What about adults at school? Are there any concerns about peer teasing or bullying?
  • What has been done so far to address the concerns?  Sometimes teachers will informally support a child (e.g. move child to front of class) and getting these examples will be helpful.
  • You need to know when the concerns started and when they got worse. 
  • Take notes and look for patterns. 
  • What do the teachers recommend next?

Is your child already getting help but it’s not enough?

  • Your child might already be getting help with Response to Intervention (RTI), the Early Intervention Program in reading or math (EIP), or with accommodations on a Section 504 Plan.  It might be time to advocate for a different type of support if it’s not working.
  • The documentation for these interventions and services seem to vary significantly across schools.  Meet with your team to understand what is being done, and if a change to the intervention or accommodations can be done without delay.
  • The school team may recommend an Individualized Education Program (IEP) within special education.  How will this change your child’s school and learning experience?  What will be the process and how long will it take?
  • In some cases, the school believes they are doing all they can.  Or they are unsure what else to do. In other cases, they may tell you that they don’t have the resources to give your child what they need. This is when it’s time to start working with professionals in your community.

Does your child need a psychoeducational evaluation?

  • If your child has never been evaluated by the school and there is concern about learning delays, it’s time to get this done. This evaluation will help inform you and the school about your child’s strengths and difficulties. 
  • Be sure to formally request this evaluation and sign consent.  The school is required to complete the evaluation within 60 days of signed consent by a parent.
  • Keep in mind, the school’s evaluation is not meant to be comprehensive. It is meant to help the school understand what services or accommodations are appropriate. 
  • This evaluation will be completed by a school psychologist. Some schools have more resources to do a longer evaluation, but others will only have time to do a brief screening of your child’s intellectual functioning and academic abilities.
  • The school should review these findings from the evaluation with you, sometimes as part of a larger school meeting.  It’s unclear as to when parents get a full report from this evaluation.  Be sure to ask a lot of questions of the school psychologist if possible. 
  • The school cannot give your child diagnosis based on results from this evaluation.  In some cases, this can create confusion and challenges.  Ask questions about this to learn more.
  • If the results from the evaluation are inconclusive, your child may be denied services or formal accommodations. This is especially common in children with subtle symptoms who are bright and can compensate, and in children with a complex medical history that affects brain development.
  • Sometimes the school may ask you to get a more comprehensive evaluation from a psychologist in the community (they call this an Independent Educational Evaluation). Sometimes they will recommend that you to start intervention, such as for attention or behavior problems.
  • If your child has already been evaluated by the school but this is outdated, follow the same process to get a re-evaluation completed.

Parent to Parent of Georgia is a very helpful resource for residents (find your local equivalent if out of state). Check out the following:

But if you are looking for an outside, comprehensive evaluation for your child, we are happy to help!  Contact us at [email protected] to learn more. 

Related posts:

Does My Child Need Help? What is a Neurodevelopmental Disorder? Psychoeducational vs. Neuropsychological Evaluation How do attention problems and executive functioning challenges affect your child?
Posted in ADHD, Attention, Autism, Behavior, Dyslexia, Evaluation, Executive Functioning, Learning, Math, Medical, Neurodevelopment, Preschool, Reading, School Age, Teens