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.
