How do I get an evaluation for a learning disability in a homeschooled child?

[Thandiwe]

Hi! I have a nearly 6 year old who is homeschooling after a brief 3 month stint in public schooling earlier this school year. I'm concerned about dysgraphia. I know his teacher when he attended school was also concerned about learning disabilities. How do I go about getting him evaluated for dysgraphia if he's homeschooled? Do I still have to contact the school district? Who does the evaluation? He's my oldest, so I've never been down this road before.

[kavamamakava]

Yes you contact the school district Special Education department. The school psychologist usually organizes the evaluation and works with you on which areas need to be evaluated. A specialist in that area usually does the evaluation. 

[Mittsy]

Just asking because we're probably going to be going down the same route ourselves soon... Would a private eval, or one through the local public school be preferable?

[kavamamakava]

I had my son evaluated through the school district and my daughter evaluated privately through mental health services. I didn't see any difference in the quality and/or thoroughness of the evaluation.

[CCJWGM]

DS is getting evaluated next week for ST.  There is nothing available other than ESD in this area for it.  I did, in the end, decide to go with the private eval and will drive to get to it.  The eval is probably the same but I just felt more comfortable with private over ESD as a homeschooler. 

[Thandiwe]

These are my feelings as well.  I don't really feel comfortable introducing the school into the mix if there are suspected delays.
 

Originally Posted by beezer75 

DS is getting evaluated next week for ST.  There is nothing available other than ESD in this area for it.  I did, in the end, decide to go with the private eval and will drive to get to it.  The eval is probably the same but I just felt more comfortable with private over ESD as a homeschooler. 

[SundayCrepes]

Our daughter has a speech delay. It CAN be a sign of dyslexia. I spoke with a reading specialist to learn as much as I could. She had nothing good to say about our local school district. She said school evaluations may or may not be any good. She also advised we NOT get a private evaluation if we think she has a reading disability. She said they are very expensive and we would be better off saving the money and applying it towards sessions with a reading specialist. She said the specialist will work with the child based on what they see clinically regardless of what the "diagnosis" is.

Early intervention speech therapy will stop at age 3. Our insurance will continue to pay as long as she needs it. Except that we have a $1,000 annual deductible. So come January we would have to come up with $1,000. Or, at age 3 the school district will provide speech. I am not thrilled with that option, but $1,000 is a lot of money. We will try the school district once she turns 3 and see how it goes. I am not pleased by that option, but trying to be fiscally aware.

[karne]

Something that might be of consideration:  where we live, not all recommendations by private evals are taken into consideration if you are asking the school district to provider services.  I'm not sure if this is the case everywhere.

[inkslinger]

This might not be an option for you, or even something that you want to do, but we homeschool through a homeschool charter school. We are able to use all of the school district's services, including EI, sports, band, libraries, etc. Otherwise, I would just contact the district or your local homeschooling group, they might have more options. We had my dd evaluated for speech through the school district when she was 3 before we knew we were going to homeschool her.

[ikesmom]

You could go either way. I called the district office and scheduled an evaluation for my ds right before his 3rd birthday. I had no idea I would homeschool him at the time. A few years later I had some problems when we changed schools and they did their own re-evaluation and tried to say that he didn't qualify for many services..ect.  I took ds for a private evaluation. It was very short and I think the therapist was looking for specific markers for autism or adhd ect.

I would say it depends on your insurance. I think you can just take your ds in for the help with the OT if that is all he needs.