What is special education?

Special education is school instruction, modifications, and services that help students with disabilities learn.

What is a special education evaluation?

If your child is having trouble learning, you or their teacher may ask for a special education evaluation. An evaluation looks at your child’s cognitive, behavioral, physical, and developmental factors to figure out if special education will help them learn.

What is the evaluation process?

A special education evaluation will assess your child’s development, medical information, and progress in school. It will also include information about your child’s learning provided by you and school staff. After the evaluation is completed, you will meet with your child’s school to determine if your child qualifies for special education services.

What if my child does qualify?

You and school staff will meet to plan your child’s Individualized Education Program (IEP). You are an equal member of the IEP team. The IEP lists the special education services your child needs, their goals for the year, and where and how often the services will take place.

What if my child does not qualify?

You can ask questions about the results and what they mean. If you disagree, you can ask for changes to the report based on information that has already been gathered, the evaluation team to conduct more assessments, or an independent educational evaluation (IEE).