My son/daughter is struggling in school. Can I get an evaluation through the ApaCenter to get some more help from the school?
If your son or daughter is struggling academically, behaviorally, or developmentally to a significant degree in elementary, middle, or high school, you should consider requesting that the school conduct an evaluation to determine whether he/she meets eligibility criteria for special education services for having a disability (e.g., a learning disabled, speech impaired, emotionally disturbed). To be eligible for special education services, there must be: (1) an educational need (usually evident in academic performance, but the educational need can be social, behavioral, or developmental needs as well), (2) a disability present. Schools will typically not conduct an evaluation for special education services unless there is sufficient evidence of an educational need (e.g., repeated failing grades, ongoing discipline problems, repeatedly failing the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills test), and the student has not made sufficient progress with other documented intervention efforts.
However, before the school will initiate an evaluation to determine whether a student with an educational weakness is eligible for special education services, schools must first assess a student’s Response to Intervention (RTI). If, after an indefinite period of time, the student does not improve through regular education intervention efforts, only then will the school look at the possibility of an evaluation to determine whether the student is eligible for special education services.
Should the school decide, with your consent, to move forward with an evaluation to determine eligibility for special education services, this evaluation would be of no charge to you. On the negative side, school-based evaluations can take up to 60 days for the report once consent for the evaluation has been agreed upon and another 30 days to review the results at the Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) meeting. In addition, several weeks often pass between when the parent first inquires about testing and the first committee meeting during which consent to conduct the evaluation is officially agreed upon. Finally, the comprehensiveness and quality of school-based evaluations vary considerably depending on the particular district, school, and evaluator.
If you choose to have an assessment of your son or daughter through the ApaCenter, a Ph.D. with a license in psychology with specialized training in the area of concern would conduct it. The Licensed Psychologists at the ApaCenter are also Licensed Specialists in School Psychology (LSSPs). So, we are able to conduct comprehensive evaluations that meet the criteria of schools. A private evaluation through the ApaCenter also allows you to have control over how the results are used and can be helpful in significantly speeding up the process of determining eligibility for special education services. We can usually complete the evaluation and provide feedback within 2-3 weeks.
If the school declines to conduct an assessment of your son or daughter because they perceive only mild struggles, he/she still might be eligible for some accommodations through 504 services. Schools rarely conduct evaluations to determine eligibility for 504 services, but you could try requesting one.
I think that my son/daughter might have a disability and need some accommodations when he/she enters college. Can the ApaCenter help with this?
Yes, the ApaCenter conducts evaluations to help determine whether a student is eligible for Section 504 services at the college level. Colleges usually require a recent, comprehensive evaluation to determine whether a student is eligible for services. Colleges often require comprehensive evaluations to be within the past 3 years for learning disabilities and ADD/ADHD and within the past 12 months for emotional disabilities such as depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder.
| Area | Section 504 | Special Education |
| Ages served | All ages – college through adults included. | Ages 3-21. No special education services at the college level |
| Identification & Eligibility | Evaluations for determination of eligibility draw upon a number of sources. Schools do not typically do any standardized testing. | Requires that the student be fully and comprehensively evaluated by a multidisciplinary team. Standardized testing is provided by trained school staff. |
| __ | Student is re-evaluated periodically to determine continued eligibility, but school typically does not do any standardized testing. | Student is re-evaluated every 3 years by the school, which can include standardized testing. However, standardized testing is not required for every re-evaluation. |
| __ | No provisions made for independent evaluation at the expense of the school district or college. | Provides for an independent evaluation at the district’s expense if parents disagree with first evaluation |
| Responsibility to provide FAPE (free appropriate education) | Requires a plan for accommodations, but guidelines for service delivery are more loosely defined, followed, and enforced. | Requires a comprehensive individualized educational plan (IEP) that describes goals, measurable objectives, timelines, and accommodations |
| __ | Usually all services are provided in a regular classroom. | Services can be a combination of regular education and special education classrooms. |
| Parental Rights | Fewer rules and laws to protect parents’ rights. | Extensive rules and laws designed to protect parents’ rights. |
