If a parent or a child's teacher sees that a child may have trouble learning, the parents should probably pursue a learning disabilities assessment. First, have the child's hearing and vision tested. Perhaps they just need a hearing aid or a pair of glasses. If hearing and vision are fine, then the child should receive a learning disabilities evaluation.
Parents have a federally mandated right to request a learning disabilities evaluation for their child at the school district's expense. The most widely used model to test for a learning disability is the "discrepancy model." If your state uses this approach, your child will receive an educational evaluation, consisting of academic achievement testing, and a psychological evaluation, consisting of an IQ test. If a discrepancy exists between the results of the two evaluations, particularly if a child has a high IQ but performs poorly on the achievement tests, the child may have a learning disability.
A child who does not show an IQ/ Achievement discrepancy may still qualify for services if he or she performs poorly in one or more academic areas. Each state does things a little differently, so check with your local school district to get the details on how a child qualifies for special help and what help is available if a child does not meet the criteria for a learning disability.
An EDUCATIONAL EVALUATION may be performed by a school psychologist or by a private professional trained to test for learning disabilities.
A PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION (IQ test) must be administered by a licensed psychologist.
There is so much to know, not only as a Special Education teacher, but as a regular classroom teacher, as well. It's important that teachers know the criteria for evaluating students and the proper steps to be sure that each student is getting the help that he or she needs. In this case, I think parents play a critical role in this process, as well. We have to remember, as teachers, that each student has earned the right to a proper education.
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