School psychologist gave my child a survey

[Anonymous]

And when you pay out of pocket for a non-school psychologist to complete a neuropsych you end up answering the same questions about your child, but from the parent perspective. It's not some big bad thing. It is to find help for your child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For his 504 evaluation. It is called the Conners. The survey asked questions like "have you ever sexually forced someone to do something" or "have you used a weapon against someone?" I am livid. Do I complain to the principal? DC is 9, third grade.

I can definitely understand why OP is upset. Third grade is very young. I don't think I understood what it means to force someone to do something sexually at that age. That is a big topic to throw on a survey without knowledge of the parents. And I could see some innocent kid saying "yes" because they made their Barbies have sex or something. I would not like this at all.

[Anonymous]

I would love to see you get a lawyer to sue the school system for administering testing you requested and consented to. Please provide weekly updates on how it goes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For his 504 evaluation. It is called the Conners. The survey asked questions like "have you ever sexually forced someone to do something" or "have you used a weapon against someone?" I am livid. Do I complain to the principal? DC is 9, third grade.

I can definitely understand why OP is upset. Third grade is very young. I don't think I understood what it means to force someone to do something sexually at that age. That is a big topic to throw on a survey without knowledge of the parents. And I could see some innocent kid saying "yes" because they made their Barbies have sex or something. I would not like this at all.

NP - you and the OP may not like it, but please know that using validated measures, like the Conners, require that they administer the entire questionnaire to everyone. You don’t pick and choose which questions might apply to a given kid. These questions are not personal.

It’s fine to complain about the consent process - because this should have been explained to the OP and, moreover, her child should have given assent. That’s a different issue. But you can’t cherry pick measures based on what offends your sensibilities, at least, not if your main goal is helping your kid.

[Anonymous]

He has a 504 plan for a medical condition and I asked if we could add accommodations for anxiety (he does not have ADHD). The psychologist said she would have to do some data collection to be able to add accommodations for anxiety.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He has a 504 plan for a medical condition and I asked if we could add accommodations for anxiety (he does not have ADHD). The psychologist said she would have to do some data collection to be able to add accommodations for anxiety.

And you presumably consented to the data collection? Take this as a learning opportunity and move on. In the future, you can ask specific questions about the data collection tools that will be used if you'd like that information ahead of time. The Conners is a common questionnaire to use in schools for 504/IEP evaluations.

[Anonymous]

My kid has also gone through the process and used that questionnaire. We consented to testing and it never occurred to me to be bothered by the question. If you're concerned enough to get a 504, you want standard testing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He has a 504 plan for a medical condition and I asked if we could add accommodations for anxiety (he does not have ADHD). The psychologist said she would have to do some data collection to be able to add accommodations for anxiety.

And did you consent to the data collection?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He has a 504 plan for a medical condition and I asked if we could add accommodations for anxiety (he does not have ADHD). The psychologist said she would have to do some data collection to be able to add accommodations for anxiety.

Data collection is very different than a formal assessment. Data collection implies observation of the child in the classroom, not administration of a formal assessment.

Did you sign paperwork consenting to data collection and what that might include? Did they go through the process, tell you about risks and benefits, allow you time to ask questions, etc?

If not then raise ****.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is absurd! Nobody should be performing any type of behavioral or psychological assessments on your child without your written consent!

Report this immediately to the principal, sped director, state offices. Also request the licensing information for this psychologist and report it immediately to their licensing board.

Demand that all tests and testing booklets be turned over to you and not made a part of their permanent record.

Do all of this in writing and follow up in person. Hire a lawyer if you need to.

Quit while you're ahead. If OP asked or consented to starting the 504 plan procedure, the school probably has the right to conduct a battery of psychological assessments. Conners is one of the tests on that list. The psychologist was asked to verify whether ADHD could be a reason to develop a 504 plan.

This is all to OP's kid's benefit.

Federal law requires the school to obtain consent from the youth’s legal guardian before conducting any individual assessments.

One can assume proper informed consent was not given since the OP is livid that the test was performed and clearly didn’t understand the scope of the assessment prior to administration.

Somebody failed at their job.

Ha ha! Yes, the OP and your good self, are failing a basic comprehension test. OP consented to further evidence gathering, the psychologist is merely doing their job. This is a standard test, one of many.

You have no legal leg to stand on. Do not talk of what you don't know. This is the SN Forum, most of us have been in this situation, and we're fine with it, because we understand how assessments work.

OP's reaction actually makes me wonder whether there IS a problem in that department that she'd rather not explore. No normal parent who wants to help their child get a 504 would balk at that sort of question. All the kid has to say is no. I'm sure my son said no when he was asked, at 6, 10 and 17.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He has a 504 plan for a medical condition and I asked if we could add accommodations for anxiety (he does not have ADHD). The psychologist said she would have to do some data collection to be able to add accommodations for anxiety.

And you presumably consented to the data collection? Take this as a learning opportunity and move on. In the future, you can ask specific questions about the data collection tools that will be used if you'd like that information ahead of time. The Conners is a common questionnaire to use in schools for 504/IEP evaluations.

Stating that an assessment is “common” does not eliminate the requirement of informed consent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For his 504 evaluation. It is called the Conners. The survey asked questions like "have you ever sexually forced someone to do something" or "have you used a weapon against someone?" I am livid. Do I complain to the principal? DC is 9, third grade.

I can definitely understand why OP is upset. Third grade is very young. I don't think I understood what it means to force someone to do something sexually at that age. That is a big topic to throw on a survey without knowledge of the parents. And I could see some innocent kid saying "yes" because they made their Barbies have sex or something. I would not like this at all.

This test is administered to kids starting from 6 years old. It's one of a long list of questions. I can guarantee that no one has ever been traumatized by answering this question. If the kid doesn't understand the question, a simple very basic explanation about touching private parts ensues, that's all. Then everyone moves on. Surely you've told your kid not to touch other kids' private parts, or to tell you if someone else tries to touch his or hers? Basic parenting 101.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He has a 504 plan for a medical condition and I asked if we could add accommodations for anxiety (he does not have ADHD). The psychologist said she would have to do some data collection to be able to add accommodations for anxiety.

Data collection is very different than a formal assessment. Data collection implies observation of the child in the classroom, not administration of a formal assessment.

Did you sign paperwork consenting to data collection and what that might include? Did they go through the process, tell you about risks and benefits, allow you time to ask questions, etc?

If not then raise ****.

Actually it's not. Data collection is just the wider net and includes all of those things. There is no hell to raise, but you go knock yourself out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He has a 504 plan for a medical condition and I asked if we could add accommodations for anxiety (he does not have ADHD). The psychologist said she would have to do some data collection to be able to add accommodations for anxiety.

And you presumably consented to the data collection? Take this as a learning opportunity and move on. In the future, you can ask specific questions about the data collection tools that will be used if you'd like that information ahead of time. The Conners is a common questionnaire to use in schools for 504/IEP evaluations.

Stating that an assessment is “common” does not eliminate the requirement of informed consent.

Which was apparently given.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is absurd! Nobody should be performing any type of behavioral or psychological assessments on your child without your written consent!

Report this immediately to the principal, sped director, state offices. Also request the licensing information for this psychologist and report it immediately to their licensing board.

Demand that all tests and testing booklets be turned over to you and not made a part of their permanent record.

Do all of this in writing and follow up in person. Hire a lawyer if you need to.

Quit while you're ahead. If OP asked or consented to starting the 504 plan procedure, the school probably has the right to conduct a battery of psychological assessments. Conners is one of the tests on that list. The psychologist was asked to verify whether ADHD could be a reason to develop a 504 plan.

This is all to OP's kid's benefit.

Federal law requires the school to obtain consent from the youth’s legal guardian before conducting any individual assessments.

One can assume proper informed consent was not given since the OP is livid that the test was performed and clearly didn’t understand the scope of the assessment prior to administration.

Somebody failed at their job.

Ha ha! Yes, the OP and your good self, are failing a basic comprehension test. OP consented to further evidence gathering, the psychologist is merely doing their job. This is a standard test, one of many.

You have no legal leg to stand on. Do not talk of what you don't know. This is the SN Forum, most of us have been in this situation, and we're fine with it, because we understand how assessments work.

OP's reaction actually makes me wonder whether there IS a problem in that department that she'd rather not explore. No normal parent who wants to help their child get a 504 would balk at that sort of question. All the kid has to say is no. I'm sure my son said no when he was asked, at 6, 10 and 17.

You must work for the school system. By administering the test, the professional implementing the assessment has an obligation to obtain proper informed consent prior to the assessment. If OP was unaware this assessment was going to take place then there was a lack of informed consent.