The NAEAACLD receives numerous inquiries which include requests for information on how to determine whether or not a child has a learning disability.  The first point of contact in this regard should be the school the child attends where testing can be done by the public school district in which the child resides without cost.  If testing outside of the public school system is desired, there are other resources for identifying a psychologist who can conduct the necessary testing to determine a child's need for special education and related services, usually for a fee.

The following information on Accessing Special Education Services is taken directly from the NAEAACLD publication, One Child at a Time . . . A Parent Handbook and Resource Directory for African American Families with Children Who Learn Differently.  This section was excerpted from Questions and Answers about IDEA, published by the National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities. 

Before a child with a disability can receive special education and related services for the first time, a full and individual initial evaluation of the child, must be conducted.  Informed parent consent is required before this evaluation may be conducted.  There are at least two ways in which your child may be selected to receive an evaluation:

1. You may request that your child be evaluated.  You can call or write to your child's teacher, the principal of your child's school, or the director of special education in your school district.  If the public agency suspects that your child has a disability, your child must be evaluated at no cost to you.  If the public agency refuses to evaluate your child because it does not believe that that your child has a disability, you must be given a written notice of refusal and a full explanation of the reasons for the refusal.  Under IDEA you do have the right to request mediation or challenge the public agency's refusal through a due process hearing. 
   
   

2. The public agency may ask to evaluate your child.  Based on a teacher's recommendation, or observations or results from tests given to all children in a particular grade, a public agency may recommend that a child receive further screening or assessment (at no cost to you) to determine if he or she has a disability and needs special education and related services.  You, as a parent must give informed written permission before the public agency can evaluate your child.  If you refuse, the public agency may continue to pursue the evaluation by using due process or mediation procedures, unless doing so is inconsistent with State law.

The evaluation process begins when a group of individuals, including you as parents, reviews existing evaluation data on your child and decides if any additional data are needed to determine if your child has a disability and to help plan instruction.  The public agency will collect whatever information is needed (with your consent), following guidelines for sound evaluation and using a variety of evaluation methods and strategies, including tests, observations, and classroom-based assessments.  An evaluation report will then be prepared.  Such a report generally would summarize the results of your child's evaluation.

Upon completing the administration of tests and other evaluation materials, a group of qualified professionals and you, the parents, must determine whether or not your child is a "child with a disability," as defined by IDEA and local policy, and whether your child needs special education and related services.  This determination will be made based on the results of your child's evaluation and information from a variety of sources, including aptitude and achievement tests, parent input, teacher recommendations, and your child's physical condition, social or cultural background, and adaptive behavior.

The regulations state that a team may determine that a child has a specific learning disability if two conditions are met:

1. The first is that the child does not achieve commensurate with his or her age and ability levels in one or more of the following areas:  oral expression, listening comprehension, written expression, basic reading skill, reading comprehension, mathematics calculation, or mathematic reasoning, even if the child is provided with learning experiences appropriate for his or her age and ability level. 
   
   

2. The second condition is that the team finds that a child has a severe discrepancy between achievement and intellectual ability in one or more of those areas.  If the evaluation results indicate that your child meets the definition of one or more of the disabilities listed under IDEA and needs special education and related services, the results will form the basis for developing your child's Individualized Education Program.

If you, as parents of a child with a disability, disagree with the results of your child's evaluation as obtained by the public agency, you have the right to obtain an independent evaluation conducted by a qualified examiner who is not responsible for the education of your child.  If you ask for an independent evaluation, the public agency must provide you with information about where it can be obtained.   An independent evaluation must meet the same criteria that the public agency uses when it initiates an evaluation in order to be considered in any decision made with respect to your child's education.

The public agency may grant your request and pay for an independent evaluation or it may initiate a hearing to show that its own evaluation was appropriate.  You are not required to explain your objection to the public evaluation.  If the public agency initiates a hearing and the final decision of the hearing officer is that the agency's evaluation was appropriate, then you still have the right to an independent evaluation but not at public expense.  Of course, you have the right to have your child independently evaluated (using the same criteria) at any time at your own expense for additional consideration.

Evaluations must be conducted at least every three years after your child has been placed in special education.  Reevaluations can also occur more frequently if conditions warrant, or if you or your child's teacher makes such a request.  Informed parental consent is also necessary for reevaluations.

Benefits of Evaluation

The benefits of evaluation far outweigh the consequences of not having a child tested for fear of mislabeling.  The struggling learner is guaranteed for failure without an evaluation.  To avoid the chances of mislabeling, parents must make sure that the evaluation findings are accurate and that the interventions rendered result in continuous academic and social progress.  An accurate evaluation will determine the nature and extent of the disability so that an appropriate individualized education program can be developed.

Other Resources for Determining a Child's Need

If you, as parents of a child with a disability, disagree with the results of your child's evaluation as obtained by the public agency, you have the right to obtain what is known as an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE).  An IEE means an evaluation conducted by a qualified examiner who is not employed by the public agency responsible for the education of your child.  If you ask for an IEE, the public agency must provide you with, among other things, information about where an IEE may be obtained.

Although the NAEAACLD does not make recommendations or provide endorsements for psychological testing services, the following information is provided as a source for parent review in searching for these types of services in your community:  To narrow the field of psychologists being searched, you should ask if the psychologist you are contacting conducts testing for children with learning problems and what his/her experience with schools has been.

Association of Black Psychologists

The National Association of School Psychologists lists state associations on its web site.  Depending on the state, these associations may be able to help identify psychologists in private practice who conduct testing for children experiencing problems in school.


American Psychological Association