Whether you disagree with your district's psychoeducational evaluation or need a private evaluation to get more support for your child, here's how we move forward - step by step.
Independent Educational Evaluations
The Process for IEEs
Your child was evaluated by the school district - but once you received the results, you determined it didn't quite fit your child. You disagree. You are well within your rights, and you don't have to navigate what comes next alone.
A Protected Right
As a parent, guardian, or educational rights holder, your right to request an IEE is protected under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), 34 CFR ยง 300.502.
No Burden of Proof
You do not need to prove the school's evaluation is wrong. You simply need to disagree with it - that alone is enough to request an IEE.
A Two-Year Window
You have two years from the date of your district's psychoeducational evaluation to ask for an IEE - but the sooner you act, the sooner your child gets the right support.
Review the District's Evaluation Together
We start with a consultation on your child's special education evaluation from the district, so you can make an informed decision about requesting an IEE.
Request the IEE at Public Expense
You notify the district in writing that you disagree with its evaluation and are requesting an Independent Educational Evaluation.
The District Must Respond
By law, the district must either fund the IEE at public expense or file a due process complaint to defend the validity of its own evaluation.
I Complete the IEE
A comprehensive, independent psychoeducational evaluation of your child - with findings and recommendations the IEP team must consider.
Not sure whether an IEE is the right move? That's exactly what a consultation is for.
Are you getting the runaround from your child's school about an evaluation? If any of these sound familiar, a private evaluation may be the path forward.
The School Denied Your Request to Assess
You asked for an evaluation and were told no - but you see the struggles in real time, and the school isn't validating them.
You Know Something Is Going On
You feel strongly that something is impacting your child's learning, even if the school hasn't named it yet.
Struggles Showing Up at Home
Behavioral or social-emotional difficulties come out in the home setting, and you truly feel they're affecting your child at school too.
You Need Evidence the School Will Hear
Standardized assessment and a possible diagnosis give district personnel concrete support for a special education evaluation.
Oftentimes, a private evaluation makes all the difference in getting your school to agree to a battery of assessment for support in the school environment. Standardized assessment provides concrete evidence of your child's struggles - and, where appropriate, a diagnosis that supports their areas of need.
With a private evaluation report in hand, you can go back to district personnel with documentation that further supports the need for a special education evaluation - turning "we don't see a problem" into a conversation the school has to take seriously.
You know your child best. Let's talk about your options.