dimanche 26 août 2018

Obtaining A Bay Area Independent Educational Evaluation

By Catherine Barnes


If a parent is upset with an assessment related to a special needs child, there are several things which can be done. In one case, the parent has a right to request a Bay Area Independent Educational Evaluation. Whether enrolled in a special needs program or being denied admission, this evaluation can often be beneficial.

There are some administrators and teachers whom may be hesitant of provide an evaluation. Regardless, parents have the legal right to request and receive an assessment upon request. In fact, in many states, including California it is a state law, especially when it comes to special needs students. It is also important to note, failure of parents to answer questions is never a valid reason for the board or district to delay a response.

When filing a complaint, there are several steps which must be taken in order to do so. For example, parents must send a letter to the school board noting the reason for the request. While the board may respond with questions, parents have the right to withhold answers until the time of a hearing.

When filing a request for an evaluation, it is important to do so in writing while keeping copies of all correspondence. Though not required, it is also suggested that sending a copy to the special education department can often help expedite proceedings.

After submitting a request, it can often take several weeks before receiving a reply. In most cases, replies will occur within six to eight weeks. While this is the case, California unlike other states has no federal or local guidelines with regards as to how quickly a reply must take place. Instead, the law only requires that a reply be made by a school district within a reasonable amount of time.

In most other states, thirty days is considered a reasonable amount of time. While this is the case, a California court recently determined that a reasonable period is closer to three months. In either case, one difference between California and other states, is that other states must provide a decision along with a reply while California often waits on making a decision until a hearing on the issue takes place.

California, local school districts and teachers now recommend waiting a reasonable amount of time before filing a complaint with regards to a reply. Regardless as to the time of a reply, it is important to never take no for an answer when it comes to requesting an evaluation. For, parents have the right to refusal with regards to answering any such questions up until the time of a hearing or other proceedings.

Ultimately, the timeline for a reply can depend on several factors, In one case, it can be related to the size of the school or district and the number of special education students. Whereas, in others it can depend on local and state guidelines. In most cases, individuals can obtain a good idea of response time by contacting and asking an administrator about reply times with regards to prior complaints.




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