School vs. Private Evaluation - The Pros and Cons
So you’ve decided to get your child evaluated.
That’s amazing! Now you have the daunting task of figuring out what type of evaluation is best for your child.
Do you go through the school? Or is it better to do private evaluations? What’s the ‘right’ decision?
Don’t worry! In this blog post, I’ll explain what each evaluation brings to the table and I’ll share the list of pros and cons for each so you can make an educated decision!
School Evaluations
Let’s start off with school evaluations!
What exactly happens during a school evaluation?
All schools have a series of steps that they use to evaluate a student’s strengths and weaknesses and to determine the need for in-school services and/or accommodations. The typical battery may include any or all of the following: IQ, academic, social, language, occupational therapy.
Once this evaluation is completed, each evaluator writes up a report, complete with your child’s scores, results, and a summary of what they learned from your child’s evaluation. Also included is a list of recommendations to help you set your child up for success with special education services if necessary.
Pro of Schools Evaluating Your Child
The main advantage of having a school do the evaluation is cost, which is none.
Cons of Schools Evaluating Your Child and the Advantages of Going Private
There are several limitations in terms of the school performing an evaluation.
Among them:
The involvement of several individuals completing separate components. This makes it less likely of an integrated overall profile,.
Level of training and interpretation: School personnel have varying levels of training and also ability to accurately interpret data.
School personnel cannot diagnosis. For instance, if a student has ADHD, that will not be brought forth unless conducted via a private assessment.
Once approved (not an easy process) there can be significant wait time. The school needs to complete all evaluations and write up a report within 60 days from the day you give written consent to testing. A private testing may be much faster.
Thoroughness: While a school evaluation tends to cover the basics, it does not go as deeply into testing of cognition, behavior and emotional functions as does a private analysis.
A private evaluation is a learning evaluation done by a professional not working for a school.
If you’re worried about your child’s learning abilities, and the school doesn’t think your child has a problem, you won’t be able to get your child evaluated through the school.
Often, however, the school is wrong and there really are issues that need to be addressed, and quickly!
The advantage of a private evaluations is that you don’t have to have school approval
You can bring up your concerns with the evaluator and they can do the necessary tests to see if your child has a learning disability, ADHD, or any other life-impacting challenges.
Con of Private Testing
It can be expensive.
One of the biggest drawbacks to private evaluations is the cost. Private evaluations can be very expensive and parents usually pay for these.
Sometimes the school is willing to pay, in cases where an outside opinion is needed. Typically this is when the school doesn’t have the staff, the school’s evaluation team agrees that outside testing is needed, and if you don’t agree with the results of the school’s evaluation. If you disagree with the school’s opinion, you can ask for an IEE (Private evaluation) at public expense.
Pro: You Choose the Evaluator
Just like finding the right doctor for you, private evaluations give you the luxury of choosing a professional you like! One person does all of the testing with your child, so they don’t have to get comfortable with different people.
Private evaluators aren’t involved with the school, so they can be more objective and make recommendations without having to think about the school’s concerns.
After reading this list of pros and cons for school and private evaluations, hopefully, you have a better idea of what route you’re interested in taking.
Each child is different and each evaluation has its benefits!
Have questions about evaluations? Email me at welcome@drkoffman.com and I’ll help as best I can!