A special education evaluation answers three questions: does a disability exist, does it affect educational performance, and what does the student need. Understand what the school tested, what it missed, and how to request the evaluation your child actually needs.
Eligibility, services and placement all flow from the evaluation. If the testing is thin, the plan will be thin. Most of the disagreements we resolve begin with an evaluation that asked the wrong questions or was never completed at all.
A special education evaluation is not a single test. It is a body of evidence: standardized measures, classroom observation, work samples, teacher and parent input, and a review of the student’s history. It should answer three questions — does a disability exist, does it affect educational performance, and what does the student need.
We help families at both ends of the process: requesting an evaluation when the school has resisted, and making sense of an evaluation report that was handed over without explanation.
You can request an evaluation in writing at any time. The school must respond with prior written notice. If it refuses, it must explain why and tell you how to challenge the decision.
We write the request in language that triggers the district’s obligation to respond.
We translate the scores and explain what the evaluation does and does not establish.
When you disagree with the district’s findings, we help request an IEE at public expense.
We attend the meeting where eligibility is decided and challenge conclusions the data does not support.
Evaluations that separate language acquisition from disability.
Making sure triennial testing is thorough rather than a formality.
| Evaluation | What it answers |
|---|---|
| Psychological / psychoeducational | Cognitive ability, processing, academic achievement and whether a learning disability pattern exists. |
| Speech and language | Receptive and expressive language, articulation, fluency and pragmatic skills. |
| Occupational therapy | Fine motor, sensory processing, self-regulation and daily living skills. |
| Functional behavior assessment | What a behavior communicates, what triggers it and what would replace it. |
| Assistive technology | Whether a device or software would remove a barrier to learning. |
| Independent educational evaluation | A second opinion, obtained at public expense when parents disagree with district testing. |
If your child’s evaluation is missing one of these areas and you see a need in daily life, that gap is worth raising in writing.
We draft and send a written request that starts the district’s timeline.
We analyze the results and identify what is missing or contradicted.
We attend the eligibility meeting and, if needed, pursue an independent evaluation.
Send a written request to the school principal and the district special education office. Describe your concerns and ask for a full evaluation in all areas of suspected disability. Keep a dated copy.
Arizona requires completion within 60 calendar days of parental consent, with limited exceptions. California requires the assessment plan within 15 days of the request and completion within 60 days of receiving consent.
An evaluation conducted by a qualified professional who is not employed by the district. If you disagree with the district’s evaluation, you can request one at public expense. The district must either fund it or file for due process.
It can refuse, but it must provide prior written notice explaining why and describing your procedural rights. A refusal is a decision you can challenge.
Free consultation. We will help you decide what to request and how to ask for it.
