Test at what intervals?

I am not sure what you are talking about, but if your talking about testing for disabilities your child development specialist dosnt understand the laws.

The law says that ONCE a child is identified as haveing learning disabilities the school has to attempt to do a re-evaluation every three years.

By attempt it means they have to get parent permission, if they cant get parent permission then they can eighter stop services or take the parent to due process, if they win they get to test.

however the law also says the school has to teat the child when the parent requests the testing.

Thus the school has to retest the child every three years or more frequently if the parent requests it, or they have to take the parent to due process and prove why the additional testing is not needed- lol, I cant imagine how that could be proven.

I have requested that the school administer a nationally standardized achievement test, in the areas my children have disabilities, at the end of each and every year my children have been in sp-ed. (it cant be the same test everytime due to pretest postest interference- but if its a nationally standardized achievement test it will yeild, age eqivilents, grade equivalents, persentiles and standard scores)

so if you purpose is to identify disabilities and then track your childs progress it makes no sence at all to wait.

Well, I don’t know a whole lot about this, but here’s what someone mentioned at one of our IEP meetings.

Our child was initially evaluated at the end of grade 4. That puts him on the following reassessment cycle: end of grades 7 and end of grade 10.

Grade 2 assessment puts you on a 2, 5, 8, 11 cycle, and in our district anyway, that coincides (roughly) with transition to middle school, transition to high school, and then on to graduation/college. That way they can prepare an IEP for the transition to middle school (etc.) using assessment data that reflects the child’s current situation, (not the situation 1 or 2 years ago).

Don’t know what your situation is, but if getting services from the school is contingent on the results of the testing, I wouldn’t wait solely for the purposes of getting a “good” testing cycle. If your child is already receiving the appropriate help from the school, maybe timing the assessment cycle has some value.

In my district I was told that in order for re-testing to occur you have to have evidence that there was a significant change. I have 2 children with IEP’s who were due retesting last year - 1 was tested due to significant improvement in some areas but new concern in others. His retesting showed he still qualified for services but the focus of them needed to be changed. With the other child they said there was no need for testing because it was obvious he still needed services. He will be transitioning to high school next year and they still see no need for further testing since according to them he still needs services. I have been happy with the services he has been getting so have not argued. They have even agreed to our (mine and my sons) proposed schedule for next year.

If the child is in need of help, then I would do the testing immediately! Who cares about the testing cycle! If you feel the child needs to be reevaluated before middle or high school, then request it. Or better yet, get outside testing to see if the school has really remediated the disability! If they are doing a good job, your child might need NO services by high school!

Janis

THe standard cycle is three years. COlleges generally require testing that recent; some might want thigns more recent. However, I wouldnt let the cycle determine when I tested. It sort of sounds like the school has their own little cycle that *they* like… but schools do have this tendency to try to make the kids fit them instead of the other way ‘round, eh?
You can change the cycle later if the need arises, and test early or later. The three year deal is no longer set in stone.