Testing
We assess through several evaluations and questionnaires to find your child’s strengths and weaknesses so that we are able to best meet their needs. We can provide assessments for IEP’s and 504’s
We screen specifically for reading, spelling, writing and processing difficulties.
If you feel that testing for Dyslexia is in the best interest for your child, the following testing options are available.
Option #1: Testing $450.00 (3 ½-4 hours)
We will screen your child for Dyslexia. This test can be used to get accommodations in school. If we feel that an additional testing session is needed, due to fatigue of child, we will do so. A written report will be given.
Option #2: Informal testing of Dyslexia $350.00 (2 ½-3 hours)
This is a perfect test for home-schoolers or for those of you that attend a private school. Since you do not need accommodations, it is the best test for those that want to know if their child has dyslexia and the severity of their disability. A written report will be given.
Option #3: At-Risk Evaluation: $200.00. (2 hours)
Preschoolers and those that want to know if their child might be at risk for a Language Processing disability. A written report will be given.
Option #4: $35.00 or $65.00 (required before starting tutoring)
All children entering the tutoring program will need to have this assessment completed. If a prior screening was done, then the cost will be $35.00, if not, then the cost is $65.00.
Before you seek outside testing I would suggest that you have your child tested by the school. The state of Utah does not recognize “Dyslexia” as a learning disability, so you have to use the language of a “Learning Disability” when you are requesting testing to be done.
Once the school has done their testing, they will schedule a meeting with the parents, teacher, school psychologist and principal to sit down and go over the results.
Even if the evaluation results show that your child does not need special education and related services, the information may still be used to help your child in a regular education program. In many cases children with dyslexia DO NOT qualify for Special Education Services, but if they do, it is a lot easier to get the school to work with you if they qualify for and IEP, or for implementing 504 accommodations. If they are already in Special Education with an IEP, and you feel that the program is not working and that Dyslexia is the cause of their struggles, then it is advisable to seek further dyslexia testing. (See testing options at the end of this document).
The following information is from LDA.org
What is an evaluation?
Evaluation is the process for determining whether a child has a disability and needs special education and related services. It’s the first step in developing an educational program that will help the child learn. A full and individual initial evaluation must be done before the initial provision of any special education or related services to a child with a disability, and students must be reevaluated at least once every three years.
Evaluation involves gathering information from a variety of sources about a child’s functioning and development in all areas of suspected disability, including information provided by the parent. The evaluation may look at cognitive, behavioral, physical, and developmental factors, as well as other areas. All this information is used to determine the child’s educational needs.
Why have an evaluation?
A full and individual educational evaluation serves many important purposes:
Identification. It can identify children who have delays or learning problems and may need special education and related services as a result.
Eligibility. It can determine whether your child is a child with a disability under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and qualifies for special education and related services.
Planning an Individualized Education Program (IEP). It provides information that can help you and the school develop an appropriate IEP for your child.
Instructional strategies. It can help determine what strategies may be most effective in helping your child learn.
Measuring progress. It establishes a baseline for measuring your child’s educational progress. The evaluation process establishes a foundation for developing an appropriate educational program. The public agency must provide a copy of the evaluation report and the documentation of determination of eligibility to the parent. Even if the evaluation results show that your child does not need special education and related services, the information may still be used to help your child in a regular education program.
What measures are used to evaluate a child?
No single test may be used as the sole measure for determining whether a child has a disability or for determining an appropriate educational program for your child. Both formal and informal tests and other evaluation measures are important in determining the special education and related services your child needs.
Testing measures a child’s ability or performance by scoring the child’s responses to a set of questions or tasks. It provides a snapshot of a child and the child’s performance on a particular day. Formal test data is useful in predicting how well a child might be expected to perform in school. It also provides information about unique learning needs.
Other measures of a child’s growth and development, such as observation or interviews with parents and others who know the child, provide vital information on how the child functions in different settings and circumstances.
The school must conduct a full and individual evaluation consistent with the IDEA that uses information from diverse sources, including formal and informal data. Tests are important, but the evaluation also includes other types of information such as:
*medical information
*comparisons of the child’s progress to typical expectations of child development
*observations of how the child functions in school, at home, or in the community
*interviews with parents and school staff
As a parent, you have a wealth of information about the development and needs of your child. When combined with the results of tests and other evaluation materials, this information can be used to make decisions about your child’s appropriate educational program.
Evaluation of Your Child
As a parent, you may request an evaluation of your child to determine his or her needs for special education and/or related services. The evaluation may include psychological and educational testing, a speech and language evaluation, occupational therapy assessment and a behavioral analysis.
These are the steps you need to take:
1. Meet with your child’s teacher to share your concerns and request an evaluation by the school’s child study team. Parents can also request an independent professional evaluation.
2. Submit your requests in writing for evaluations and services. Always date your requests and keep a copy for your records. Keep careful records, including observations reported by your child’s teachers and any communications (notes, reports, letters, etc.) between home and school. Gathering and organizing information about your child’s academic development will help you monitor his or her progress over time.
(Because having LD can also affect a child’s social skills, make notes about his relationships and friendships as well.) To track the patterns of your child’s development, mark the dates of the notes you keep. In addition to keeping your own notes, be sure to maintain a file of all school-generated reports, including standardized test results, report cards, progress reports, and written comments from teachers. Also keep a record of what you observe at different stages as well as discussions you’ve had with school personnel and other professionals. Through this process you’ll start to develop a keen awareness of your child’s ability to learn, study, do homework, and finish the tasks that are assigned.
The results of the evaluation determine your child’s eligibility to receive a range of services under the applicable law. Following the evaluation, an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or 504 is developed. Examples of categories of services in IEPs include: Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Speech and Language Therapy, and/or the provision of a classroom aide.
Parents do not determine whether their child is eligible under the law, however, parents are entitled to participate in the development of the IEP. Additionally, the findings of school’s evaluation team are not final. You have the right to appeal their conclusions and determination. The school is required to provide you with information about how to make an appeal.
Accommodations
Accommodations are alterations in the way tasks are presented that allow children with learning disabilities to complete the same assignments as other students. Accommodations do not alter the content of the assignments, give students an unfair advantage or in the case of assessments, change what a test measures. They do make it possible for students with a learning disability to show what they know without being impeded by their disability.
By: National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD) 2006