learning disabilities and virtual academies-withholding learning disability testing

[enjoythesilence]

I have two students in a virtual academy, and one of them is having some learning/attention difficulties. I have spoken at length with their teacher about the particulars, but am having a tough time getting my child an assessment for learning disabilities. First the teacher told me I needed to get that kind of testing done through DDs pediatrician, which is not true. So, I contacted the administration, who never called me back, and referred it back to our teacher, who says we need more documentation before they can get an eval for my kid. 

  I thought that by law, the school needs to eval a kid if the parents request it, but I just feel like we are getting the run-around. Anyone have any advice on how to navigate this one? 

[mattemma04]

They should be able to do it.Talk with administration at the school.I bet if you told them you would switch to a different school they would figure out how to get the ball rolling fast.

If they did not do it I would remove my kid and try another online school.

[kittie313]

Find out who is in charge of the at-risk or special education department and send THEM an e-mail.  I had the same run-around with my oldest when she was in ps here locally, her K teacher would tell me that they don't test for LDs prior to 3rd grade and that she has to be 2 grade levels behind before they will test and insist that there was nothing I could do.  The virtual academy she was in last school year and the start of this year, her 1st grade teacher suggested that we may want to test her so I thought I had to go through private testing since it is a virtual academy and I didn't do anything.  Then her 2nd grade teacher this fall mentioned LD testing through the school, and immediately sent a message to the at-risk coordinator to get things started to test her.  We had things all set up, and then dh pushed to pulling the girls instead of waiting for her testing to be done and get IEP in place so the testing got halted at the beginning for her.

But I'd look through the listing for your virtual academy to find out who the at-risk or services coordinator is and contact that person directly yourself.  Explain that you've gotten the run-around from the teacher and that you are tired of waiting, you want your child tested for learning difficulties.  That person will notify the school's psychologists and one will be assigned to do the testing, and you'll have to submit in writing then exactly what all is going on with your child and what the struggles are (in our case, that was a VERY long e-mail that I typed out because the difficulties we are dealing with now were present from infancy with dd1) and the psychologist will set up a date and time to start evaluation and at that call to schedule you will discuss what all to test for based on your information to the psychologist and other things (in my oldest dd's case, her severe anxiety meant that we were going to have to do testing over several sessions to allow her to get comfortable with the psychologist so that she wouldn't just shut down like she does so often with new people)

[enjoythesilence]

Thank you both! I will be getting DD evaluated by an mental health professional for her attention difficulties, and hopefully some documentation from a professional will help the process. I will look and see if they have a special ed department, and if we don't get services soon, I do plan to switch her.