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Help - 3 year evaluation soonHi,First time here, so briefly. I have an 11 year old in 6th grade. He attends school in a Support Center program and is pretty bright by everyone's estimation. Has behavior, focus and processing issues along with language delays. Last school year was pretty rough for us as his dad and I divorced, hence he had an atypical year. His IEP team was in agreement last year that retention would be a good idea and I relaxed. Lo and behold if his 'team' didn't grow to 8 people this year and now everyone is against the idea. Therefore, I have asked for a comprehensive evaluation so that we can prove what Morgan is capable of. He is supposed to have another 3 year evaluation anyway this year. 3 years ago I found a list serve for parents that only discussed education assessments and I learned a lot. Unfortunately, that bookmark has long disappeared on my computer. So I desperately need recommendations for assessments by type or name that work for our kids. Morgan is delayed verbally, but his receptive language skills are higher then his expressive. He loses focus, is schedule dependent, has to have frequent sensory breaks throughout the day. He can sound out pretty much any word and has a great memory. Unfortunately he is often unmotivated and also likes to 'trick' his aides/teacher by giving wrong answers intentionally. I thought I had saved the names of assessments suggested before, but I can't locate them. Any help at all would be appreciated. Janylaw The IEP Team MUST evaluate your child "in all areas of suspected disability." That would include IQ testing, academic testing (reading, math, writing), speech evaluation, OT/PT if you believe these areas needs to be addressed, behavior (and FBA and BIP) and a functional assessment (Vineland or ABBAS). You don't have to suggest the particular tests. In fact, the school OWNS certain tests for these assessments and those are the tests that will be used. The schools have the right to conduct this evaluation however they would like as long as they investigate "all areas of suspected disability." YOU have the right to object to the results and ask, in writing, for them to pay for an Independent Educational Evaluation with the professionals of your choice (search IEE here and at www.wrightslaw.com ). ONE test I would suggest that they do during THEIR assessment is a NONVERBAL IQ test if your child has language issues. They don't HAVE to do that (and most school districts don't own such a test, so they'd have to pay an outside evaluator) but let them know that you don't believe that a verbal IQ test will be accurate and that if they don't use a nonverbal test, you will most definitely ask for an IEE to do that. BTW -- A parent has the right to ask for standardaized testing YEARLY. The triennial evaluation is the MINIMUM the school district must do.I am requesting a Vineland be done for my son. The school doesn't own that - but they are seeing if they can get one. They do the ABAS, and I HATE that test. The age range is from 5-21 - so most of the questions are inappropriate for my 7 year old son who is in 1st grade. I know they base it on age - but if the vast majority of the questions are not applicable - it doesn't seem to be getting an in-depth measure of how my son is functioning. I've done it 5 times on him now and each time I dislike the test more and more. The Vineland is supposed to be a much better, more accurate, more in-depth measure of adaptive functioning. They will do an IQ - but what REALLY matters is how your child is functioning in his environment. And that test will tease out specific things that he needs to work on. They are doing a Woodcock-Johnson academic test on my ds, in addition to his IQ test. I want a non-verbal IQ done, but we are waiting and seeing how the WISC comes back. I'm not happy about that being done, but am also curious as to how he does. We are doing an ASDS (Asperger's scale) which is really just a formality. The autism specialist says that he has already qualified for an educational autism diagnosis - but they need to have an updated one. I looked at it last night and have no doubt he will score in a range that qualifies him again. They are also doing a VMI (visual motor integration test) for OT. She is doing a few others - including a sensory profile. Our school believes in sensory integration issues and addresses those. I know others don't (our former school for instance!). We are also having his gross motor skills assessed to see if he qualifies for continued Adaptive Phy Ed. I'm concerned that he won't - but will try to make sure it stays on accommodations so that it is easier to add back in to the IEP at a later date. I did a thread on the extent of my ds' eval. I will try to look for it and post it. Every school district is different - but it does give you a good idea to know what areas should be looked at. Like tzoya said - specific tests will vary. But, I think it's good to know which tests are better than others. Just my opinion! For instance, in our old school district - they tried to give my son the GARS (Gilliam). It was not appropriate for his level of functioning and I asked for the GADS (also a Gilliam scale - but for Asperger's). Even though my ds does not have a diagnosis of Asperger's - it was more appropriate. Good luck on this! Thanks ladies. These info is very helpful. Concernedpa. [QUOTE=tzoya]BTW -- A parent has the right to ask for standardaized testing YEARLY. The triennial evaluation is the MINIMUM the school district must do.[/QUOTE]
I never knew this. All we have to do is request this? Thanks...glad to see you are back |
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