What if the school doesn't want to assess my child for a learning disability because they seem "smart"?

If you're concerned that your child may have a specific learning disability such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, or dyscalculia, or another disability such as autism or ADHD, you can request a psycho-educational assessment from the school. Many smart kids with learning disabilities can "get by" for a long time until they get to a certain level, so if your child's progress stalls, ask for an assessment from the school in writing. You can say that you're concerned about a potential challenge in reading, writing, math, or whatever your child's area of struggle is.

The school can either assess your child or send a formal notice of denial. Don’t let them talk you out of it with a phone call; unless they offer something amazing on the phone, thank them for the offer and say, "I would still like to have my child assessed."

Make sure to put your request in writing. For example: "I request that my child be assessed for an IEP in all areas of suspected disability." You can list areas you want to make sure are assessed, such as attention, communication, executive functioning, etc. Here's a sample letter to request assessment.

If the school will not assess your child, ask them to put the reason in a prior written notice (PWN). You can take the PWN to an education attorney for help on what to do next.

If the school does assessments and still says your child doesn't qualify for an IEP – for example, if they say your child must be academically behind grade level before the school will provide an IEP – then you can ask for an IEE.

Remember that IEPs are for children who need special education and related services. You should be able to explain to the school why your child will need those.