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What should I expect at a speech and developmental evaluation?

What is the difference between a speech evaluation and a speech LD screen?

  • My son has a TBI and his speech evaluations say he has the speech/language capabilities of a 5yr old. When I requested he have speech in school the school evaluated him and said he does not qualify with scores of expressive/receptive mid 80's. But his speech eval said low 60's. His Doctors are requesting he have speech. What should I do?

  • Answer:

    I agree with jdeekdee in asking for an IEE (Independant Educational Evaluation) at public expense. First though, have you provided the doctors requests in writing stating that they are requesting that he have speech? Always keep the original of anything like that and provide the school with a copy, but they need this request in writing. Also, unlike jdeekdee, I have heard of districts taking a parent to a due process hearing. However, this is unusal. Since you have doctors backing your position, you will get the IEE regardless of whether it's via a simple request or a hearing. Once you send the letter requesting the IEE, don't respond to any phone calls about the letter. Any response should be in writing. If they do call, simply state that they need to put their response in writing and send you the letter. If they argue the point, don't let them draw you into a conversation. Restate that they will have to respond in writing and send you the letter. Remember that you do not have to choose from the list of evaluators that the district provides. They simply must be someone who meets the other criteria. Here's a letter template for you: PARENTS NAME ADDRESS CITY, STATE ZIP CODE TELEPHONE NUMBER Date (Name of Special Education Director) (Name of School District) (Address of School) Dear (Name of Special Education Director): My child, (child’s name) (date of birth) attends (school name). I disagree with the results of the school district evaluation of (child’s name) on (date) because (child's name) doctors, (doctors names) disagree with your decision, as do we. I request an independent evaluation to obtain the valid and reliable information I believe is needed to plan an appropriate educational program for my child. Please send me information on: • Criteria for qualified examiners; • Suggested sources and locations; • Procedures for reimbursement; and • Reasonable and expected costs. I understand that the school must pay for the independent evaluation unless it can prove in a due process hearing that its assessment is appropriate. Please inform me in writing within seven days whether you intend to honor my request or to request a hearing on the issue. I will forward the results of the evaluation to you since, as I understand it, the results of an independent evaluation must be considered in any future decisions about my child. Thank you and I look forward to hearing from you soon. Sincerely, (Your name) (Your address) (Your telephone number)

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Jkeedee continues to give the same answers to every question ever posted so I would be guarded in using her advice. I'm sorry to hear of your son's Traumatic Brain Injury. My experience has been that medical requests and educational recommendations do not always jive as the doctors and the schools are operating on different criterion. Don't assume you are being yanked about on purpose but do ask questions. A speech evaluation can be alot of different things. Initially most people think of speech as strictly articulation, forming the words. Speech Language Therapists also conduct language evaluations and it sounds as though that has been done as you are citing expressive and receptive standard scores. So you might first wish to clarify if it is speech services strictly (articulation) that is being medically recommended or language services which are more encompassing. Next, given the TBI has a cognitive evaluation been completed (IQ test)? The cognitive would be worth investigating and might help address some questions regarding performance on the language evaluations. Also, is it possible your son is improving and the school's scores are reflective of that progress? I hope so but as the timelines aren't provided that would be purely speculative. So ask what the differences in scores represent, ask if the variation is due to the different types of test and get clarification on what is being recommended from the physician and why. Share school results with the physician and medical results with the school. I hope you have insurance. Inquire about services through your insurance company if in fact the doctor is recommending services but it turns out educational criterion is not satisfied. If criterion for IDEA (Learning Disabilities through school system) has not been satisfied then inquire about a 504. 504 is also under ADA but is typically geared more for general education. Services can be rendered under a 504 but a negative educational impact must be demonstrated. As you already have documentation of a TBI part of the requirements for a 504 will already have been met. Also, as it is a TBI, consider consulting the School Psychologist at your school for recommendations and additional assessment. The School Pschologist can walk you through the process for IDEA and 504. Again, I am sorry for what has happened to your child. I hope this provides you will some helpful information.

Nana

I completely agree with Nana. jdeekdee mentioned that the schools won't take it to a due process hearing...that is usually true. Even when the school corporation wins in a due process hearing, they are out thousands of dollars, which is why they usually cave and give the parents what they want. They do not do it because they think they are in the wrong, they do it because it is cheaper!

neato1975

Understand that there is a difference between medical need and educational need. Schools do not fill prescriptions for all speech. (although they do require prescriptions for educationally required therapies) Sometimes-you need to go privately for additional therapies that are not an educational need. Sometimes the difference is hard to determine. That being said-the issue seems to be more of a discrepancy in the evals-definately get an independent eval done-and then go from there

Individual

According to the federal law that mandates special ed in schools, IDEA, you can write to district sped director and request an 'independent educational evaluation at public expense because I disagree with the districts evaluation'. Write the date the eval was done, what eval was done, even send a copy of it along with your request. When you ask for this, the school will either 1) pay for an evaluation to be done by a doctor that YOU choose and the results will be used by the school to determine if child qualifies for services (even if they already said no) 2) disagree to pay for this eval and file due process hearing to prove their own eval is 'sufficient' (I have NEVER heard of a school do this, shows you how 'sufficient' their own evals are LOL) With an eval done by someone YOU choose, the results won't be 'rigged' to show there are no problems, like schools do with their own testing lots of times. And the REAL problems your child has will be in black and white and the school can't deny what is in their faces.

jdeekdee

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