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If your child is struggling with learning or behavior, and these issues are impeding their ability to function optimally in school, you may have to consider the possibility of a learning disability. The good news is that there are a ton of services available to your child, and they’re free to access. These are called special education and related services.

First of all, you needn’t be upset. As a school psychologist, I see approximately 20% of the student population for one reason or another. Services range from In-Class Support to Out-of-District Placement, and the range in between is significant. There are Resource Center placements that place your child in a smaller class environment for an extra period each day; there are replacement classes that offer a full class period of instruction in the Resource Center instead of the mainstream environment; there are self-contained classes for students with more significant learning difficulties.

If you suspect your child has a learning disability, your first course of action is to request an evaluation. You’ll write a letter to your district’s IEP Team and they’ll have a short time period (usually 20 days) to get hold an Identification meeting with you. At that meeting, you’ll discuss your child’s difficulties with the Team, which consists of (at a minimum) a School Psychologist, Social Worker, Regular Education teacher, Special Education teacher, and district representative, which may or may not be one of the aforementioned members. At this meeting it will be decided whether or not to evaluate your child.

If your child is deemed to necessitate an evaluation, then a three-pronged evaluation will begin. Your child’s IQ will be assessed, as will be their learning profile. A background interview will be conducted during which you’ll provide all pertinent information on your child. You’ll receive copies of these reports within a 90-day period.

You’ll reconvene to discuss the results of the assessments within three months. At that meeting it will be decided whether or not your child qualifies for services, and placement will be discussed when the Individualized Education Program is devised. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to interject and offer your opinion – after all, it’s your child! If you disagree with the findings, there are procedures you can take. You can refuse services altogether. Remember, though, that if your child is found to be learning disabled your Team may initiate a Due Process hearing to implement services if you refuse. There are legal protections for you, and for your Team.

Whatever the outcome, at the very least you’ll have a detailed learning profile of your child. You’ll be able to get them the help they need. And they’ll be better off after the process is complete.

Article Keywords: Special Education

A Quick Note From The Publisher... If you like the article above, you may be interested in the following article which is also related to Special Education... So, My Child Has Been Recommended for Testing - What Do I Do Now? You’ve just received a call from your child's teacher. As your blood pounds in your ears, you hear her explain how she has noticed your child having difficulty with some academic subject in school. Your child is not understanding math or reading the way the other children do. So she would like your permission to proceed with testing to find out what exactly is causing the problem. So what do you do next? The first thing is, Don't panic. This referral for testing simply means that she's asking for your permission to find out whether a learning disability is evident, or, if not, how she can help your child. She wants to know 1) how your child learns best, 2) where the child's learning strengths are, and 3) where his learning weakeness lie. This does NOT mean she thinks your child is stupid or that you are a bad parent. She sees that your child does very well in many areas of learning, but there are one or two areas that are really just not "clicking". When your child is referred, it’s always a good idea to meet with the teacher in person. Arrange to sit down and talk with the teacher to discover specifically why she has recommended an evaluation. What is she seeing that causes concern? Can she show you some samples of your child's work that illustrate the problem? It's a good idea to include the special education teacher in the meeting as well. She will be able to further clarify why these indicators are cause for concern. She can also explain the referral and evaluation process to you. One indication that there is a problem might be that the child gets very good grades in math, but his reading achievement is below average for his age or grade. He is not reading at the same level that most of the other students of his age are reading at. There is a big difference...