WHAT HAPPENS IF YOUR CHILD IS REFERRED FOR AN EVALUATION?
Who will test my child?
Walker County employs individuals qualified to do educational and intelligence testing. Each testing team is comprised of an educational diagnostician who is primarily concerned with academic testing and a school psychologist, which administers intelligence and other tests. Before your child can be tested they must first receive a vision and hearing screening. You must also provide written permission before your child can be evaluated. Once written permission is received your child will be tested within the next 60 days and you will receive a typewritten report from the evaluators.
What tests will my child be given?
The tests will examine all areas related to the suspected problems. Your child will be tested individually to insure that they understand what is expected of them. Tests will be individually selected which help to pin point your child’s individual needs. Decisions are never made on the basis of one test alone. Special arrangements will be made for children that do not speak English or use spoken language. Testing may also include observations of your child in the classroom/school setting, teacher and/or parent observations, examination of schoolwork, and a review of medical and school records.
When will my child be tested?
The evaluation will be scheduled within 60 days following the school system receiving your written permission to test your child.
Where will my child be tested?
The test(s) are usually given in your child’s home school. Occasionally it is necessary to request additional tests in other settings prior to placement in special education.
What happens following testing?
Following completion of the evaluation you will be mailed a type written report of the findings. Next a meeting will be scheduled to go over the written report and explain any area(s), which need clarification. At the meeting you will be given the opportunity to disagree with the results of the evaluation and share any concerns that you may have. If you choose to disagree with the evaluation the examiner may agree that more testing is needed and an independent evaluation may be requested. You have the right to be told where an independent evaluation can be obtained at no cost or low cost to you.
How is it decided whether or not my child is eligible for special education?
The state department of education in Atlanta determines the eligibility requirements that a student must meet in order to qualify for one of the 12 special education programs in Georgia. All of the information gathered by the evaluation team will be used to determine whether or not your child meets the requirement(s) to qualify for special education.
You will be invited to a placement committee meeting conducted by the staff of your child’s school. During the meeting the committee will review the data collected and determine whether or not your child meets the eligibility requirements for the program under consideration.
Following the eligibility determination meeting, an IEP meeting will be held to plan your child’s special education program to address the individual needs of your child.
If your child is not eligible for one of the 12 special education programs you may request modifications for their regular education programs. Modifications are available for all students experiencing difficulty in the regular education classroom. Your child will continue to be eligible for modifications through the student support team (SST) of your child’s school.