Should I have my son tested by his school?

Put your request in writing. Mention child find provision of IDEA. They are required to find students with disabilities.

That said, if your insurance does cover testing, private testing is sometimes more thorough. They don't have to accept the outside tests, but they should look at it, and many districts do just accept it.

And the handwriting? Make sure there are OT and technology components in the domains tested.

Oh and the colleges and IEP thing. College students can get reasonable services under Section 504 of the Rehab Act. There are some colleges that actually call it an IEP, although it is not the same as the k-12 IEP. It's just the name they use.

The district can refuse to test based on current data.  If the OP wanted to continue after that, she would need to pay.

You've received some great, and some not-so-great advice here. Each state/district has different policies regarding testing, so it is best to find out from the special education coordinator at the school what you need to do where you are.

There are a few things I'd like to address - you are his mother and you do know him better than anyone else. But you don't know his educational needs better than anyone. His private doctor doesn't know. That why there are TEAMS that come together to discuss a child's need. Now, your area may be failing him. I doubt it, but they may. Here, before you even had the opportunity to speak with a school psychologist, a team would have met on your child's behalf. They would have looked at data to determine if testing was needed. MOST of the time testing is not needed. Now, you can definitely go to a private psychologist, who isn't an expert in education, and get a diagnosis. People buy them all the time. That doesn't mean it is legit nor does it mean the school has to do anything differently because of it. If they do not see an educational impact with a disability, they aren't going to give an IEP to a child. Schools have a pretty good idea which psychologists are legit so evaluations from the drive-by, hand-em-out-like-candy psychs aren't going to be viewed very favorably. We have so many of those around here it is scary. I personally know one person who was diagnosed over the phone by a psychologist! A ten minute conversation with the mother was all he needed to write up a diagnosis - crazy! A doctor's diagnosis does NOT guarantee an IEP or 504. Doctors do not get to determine what happens in a classroom.

Also, like another poster asked, what are you hoping to gain from an IEP? At the secondary level students do not get (nor want) most of the things elementary students get with IEPs. If your son was in my class and it was determined an IEP was necessary, he would probably get extended time on tests, the option of typing assignments instead of handwriting, and possibly a resource room where he had an aide help him study.

Schools do NOT have to test him once you put a request in writing. You cannot TELL them to test him. They have to meet as a team to determine if testing is necessary. He has to be discussed. He may already have been, since you've already spoken to the psychologist. But they can receive your request and simply say "we do not see the need for testing at this time."

What is often the case is that a student just struggles in certain subjects. The school team is looking for a discrepancy when they assign an IEP or 504. Is the child performing lower than what he is capable of? Is that due to a disability?

Regarding colleges - the psychologist might be telling you the truth about your area schools. We are aware of the schools that do honor IEPs in our state. Not all of them do, and some only offer certain accommodations with certain subjects. 504s get better results so we often have students switch from IEPs to 504s their senior year of high school.

My advice to you is to save up and have private testing done. Even ask the school psychologist for a recommendation. See who the team will take seriously. Remember that you get what you pay for and be very wary of one that asks you up front what you're looking for. I think it is great that you're looking at options for him in 8th grade. Get it done before he goes to high school and life will be easier for everyone. Good luck!

Wow, and how did you come up with that?  It is ridiculous to make that type of statement from a post.
If you don't trust your district, you need to find another district or school.  Yes, sometimes district's try not to pay for very expensive things, but when it comes down it, they would rather pay than get sued.
They are not required to test for every request.  They must consider every request.  
The school system does not have to test every tom, dick, and harry that parents want tested.  You can't make a school system do it if it isn't warrranted.  Putting the request in writing starts a timeline they have to follow, but the team can reccommend that no testing is needed.


OP, once you put the request in writing the district has 15 school days to reply to your request.  If they agree to test, then you sign a form and they now have 60 calendar days to do the evaluation and hold a meeting on the results.  If they do not agree to test, you can file due process.

Honestly, before you pursue this, I would get very educated on the rights, responsibilites, and procedural safeguards of IDEA.  It helps is they know that you know.

With all that said, I believe that most teachers want what is best for their students.  This school psych may not, but the teachers do.  Have any teachers reccommended testing?

@blah808 As the speed of my daughter's reading increased, her comprehension also increased. Week after week she would bring home D's or F's on her comprehension testes. I probably could have guessed the answers (without reading the story) and done better. She now gets A's and B's.

Google dyslexia center and your city's name and see if anything pops up. I know our center takes kids of all ages.

Keep Checking around.  That is what we paid to have my daughter tested the first time.  When we needed her re-tested, after we moved, I found someone who was willing to cut us a break as our insurance didn't cover it. 

I am surprised that they are suggesting Handwriting with out tears in 8th grade. 

I would think that if nothing else you should be able with a 504 to get some accommodations for handwriting that allow him to use a computer  or some sort of assisted device.

I'm sorry this is happening. He shouldn't be moving forward at a slower pace than his peers in reading without extra help.  Lower is fine, below grade level is difficult. I'm betting his marks and confidence are dropping because no one has tried getting him up to grade level in reading.  It sounds like he's slipping through the cracks, so to speak.  Or that the school is brushing his education under the rug instead of trying to educate him. Before I went the IEP route, I'd start getting a tutor for reading and maybe have him tested privately to put your mind at ease. Our school board has recommended offices for private testing - maybe yours does. It can provide you with information to better help / advocate for your child. Depending on the accommodations and how it is written, an IEP can limit a child's education plan or expand it.  The more knowledge you have about your son as you move forward the more power you'll feel you have. 

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to insult you. Often parents that "buy" a diagnosis don't even know they are doing it. They don't know that the psychologist they hired is a dud. 

What I meant was that seeing a private psych doesn't necessarily mean a diagnosis is true. But save up for a GOOD one, get recommendations for educational professionals, and you might be able to find something that might help him. It may not get him an IEP, but it might give you some things you can do at home. 

Please don't assume that because your son reads below grade level that the system has failed him. You might be correct. But it might also be that reading comprehension is always going to be a struggle for him. He might have a disability that cannot be helped with an IEP. 

If you do seek private testing, be sure to get an IQ test too. If your son has an IQ of 120 but is reading below level, supports should definitely be put in place. 

I didn't read all the replies as my lunch break is almost over.

I live in Ohio. In Ohio you have the right to have your child tested by independent specialist instead of the school. The school must pay for it. You need to submit your request in writing.

Without going into details. I have traveled the IEP road. My son has an IEP if he chooses to go to college.

The biggest thing I learned is that you will get more response from the school district when you send your requests in writing via certified mail with a signed receipt. This effectively creates a paper trail that they can't deny.

Find out who theses issues need to be addressed with. In my case it was the school superintendent.

Also trying searching for a group that helps educate the disabled. I can't remember what it is called in Ohio. But, I will find out and post tonight.