Referring Your Homeschooled Child for Educational Testing

Are you homeschooling a child who you suspect needs special education services? Did you know that you can have your school district evaluate your child? If it turns out that your child needs services, the school district is obligated to provide them. Here are a few tips to help you navigate the process.

~Many schools provide a Kindergarten screening that can identify children who may need educational testing to determine if there is a learning issue. If you are not sure about pursuing educational testing for your pre-Kindergartner, this is a great opportunity. The screening is less time consuming and is a great option if parents are on the fence about the need for educational testing. Contact the school district if you are interested in participating in the screening.

~If you are certain that you want your child to have educational testing, you need to write a letter to the special education department of your school district. According to federal law, the school district has 60 days to start an initial evaluation after receiving your letter requesting one. Usually you need to include in your letter:

-the child’s full name, date of birth, race, and the city/state the child was born in,
-the parents’ full names,
-and a summary of the concerns you have for your child.

*Be sure to call to the school district to find out what specific information is necessary to include in the letter, though.

~Once you begin the process of having your child evaluated, remember to keep all paperwork that comes from the school and all of the communication you send to the school. Keeping good records is important because you’ll be able to refer back to that paperwork later, especially before a meeting.

~After your child is evaluated, you will receive the report from the testing two days before the official team meeting, which you are obligated to be invited to. Remember to read everything in the report carefully. Write down all of your questions, too. If you feel like you need help, you can consult with a parent advocate. You are your child’s advocate, so it is important that you understand the report.

~Participate actively in the team meeting. Ask any questions that you have. You should be included in any decisions that are made about your child.

~You can find more information and tips about the special education process at Helium.

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