How long to hear if MoCo will test your kid

[Anonymous]

So, I just e-mailed my DC's school after it was recommended she gets tested for ADHD by a psychiatrist. She was so clearly hyper and out of control during the appointment that he was on the verge on giving her medication right away, but wants her to get educational support and for that she needs an evaluation. I found a private psychologist to do the evaluation as well, but would like to see if MoCo will do it, as per advice of posters here. How long did it take you to hear back from the school once you e-mailed them? Many thanks.

[Anonymous]

I heard the next day. What did you ask for?

[Anonymous]

My school ignored the email for a while, then told me I had to submit a formal request for an evaluation. (Just google to make sure you have the right terminology in the letter, and make them confirm receipt of the letter so you know that the clock is ticking.) They have to schedule an initial "screening" meeting within 30 days. My school scheduled it at exactly the 30 day mark, for a day that I had an irreconcilable work conflict. I gave them a bunch of other days within that 2 week period I was available, but they were then "unable" to find another available day for a couple of weeks, so our meeting happened about 6 weeks after I sent the formal and official request (3.5 months after my initial email asking them for an IEP assessment, which they apparently did not consider a formal request) If, at the initial screening meeting, they agree that they should evaluate your child, they have another 60 days in which to do that. So it'll probably be at least 90 days, even assuming that they agree to do an evaluation.

At our initial screening meeting, they declined to perform an evaluation. We had a full neuropsych that was 2 years old, with a confirmed ADHD diagnosis and some suspected other things, but they refused to do any further testing or evaluation basically because they felt my child was not ridiculously behind in any particular core academic subject.

Unless you cannot afford to go private for the evaluation, I would just go private and get the evaluation. You can use that to get 504 accommodations and maybe an IEP, depending on your school.

[Anonymous]

I asked that she be evaluated for ADHD and other learning issues as per strong recommendation of the psychiatrist we just saw. Was that the wrong thing to ask? If you went to the appointment with us, there would be no doubt, I didn't even have to say anything. Poor Dr. was frazzled just talking and looking at her. To be honest, she was more out of control than usual, she refused to eat before and wow...Dr. nodded at me sympathetically when she ran out of the office at the end. My DD then said to me in the car, that she is like this most of the time, but not in the mornings when I take her to school,which is true, but evenings have been terrible. The problem might be that she is not failing school and is in all honors and one AP class. I should have acted sooner, but I was of the mind set that it makes me a lazy parent if I don't work hard to find my active child outlets and other ways to cope. The whole thing was just eye opening.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My school ignored the email for a while, then told me I had to submit a formal request for an evaluation. (Just google to make sure you have the right terminology in the letter, and make them confirm receipt of the letter so you know that the clock is ticking.) They have to schedule an initial "screening" meeting within 30 days. My school scheduled it at exactly the 30 day mark, for a day that I had an irreconcilable work conflict. I gave them a bunch of other days within that 2 week period I was available, but they were then "unable" to find another available day for a couple of weeks, so our meeting happened about 6 weeks after I sent the formal and official request (3.5 months after my initial email asking them for an IEP assessment, which they apparently did not consider a formal request) If, at the initial screening meeting, they agree that they should evaluate your child, they have another 60 days in which to do that. So it'll probably be at least 90 days, even assuming that they agree to do an evaluation.

At our initial screening meeting, they declined to perform an evaluation. We had a full neuropsych that was 2 years old, with a confirmed ADHD diagnosis and some suspected other things, but they refused to do any further testing or evaluation basically because they felt my child was not ridiculously behind in any particular core academic subject.

Unless you cannot afford to go private for the evaluation, I would just go private and get the evaluation. You can use that to get 504 accommodations and maybe an IEP, depending on your school.

Will they accept a private evaluation from any psychologist or does it have to be county school approved? Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Frankly, a private evaluation is MUCH better quality. There actually is not comparison, since school "psychologists" often don't even have the right training and sometimes no PhDs.
It will be expensive and take some time. The school has to accept it.

[Anonymous]

I do have a private evaluation lined up. And got an OK price if I pay out of the pocket, even psychiatrist didn't seem too optimistic about the school, but I thought it can't hurt to contact them.

[Anonymous]

Sounds like a 504 plan to get accommodations would be adequate here. Did you receive a diagnosis? If so, that's all you need to get a 504 plan.

[Anonymous]

How old is your daughter and what kind of support are you looking for in school?

[Anonymous]

They just e-mailed me back! I am not sure what kind of support we are looking at. I am not familiar with these things. She rushes through work, has hard time with short term memory, I think the biggest issue is her lack of attention, she is impulsive and very active, that is causing her to forget homework, or do wrong assignments and be able to actually sit down and focus on work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They just e-mailed me back! I am not sure what kind of support we are looking at. I am not familiar with these things. She rushes through work, has hard time with short term memory, I think the biggest issue is her lack of attention, she is impulsive and very active, that is causing her to forget homework, or do wrong assignments and be able to actually sit down and focus on work.

While you work on evaluations, whether it be private or through school, you need to spend some time researching typical accommodations and talk to your daughter about what might help.

Here's one website that shows some typical ones for ADHD. There are others.

https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/partnering-with-childs-school/instructional-strategies/at-a-glance-classroom-accommodations-for-executive-functioning-issues

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They just e-mailed me back! I am not sure what kind of support we are looking at. I am not familiar with these things. She rushes through work, has hard time with short term memory, I think the biggest issue is her lack of attention, she is impulsive and very active, that is causing her to forget homework, or do wrong assignments and be able to actually sit down and focus on work.

Is the psychiatrist going to prescribe medication for her?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They just e-mailed me back! I am not sure what kind of support we are looking at. I am not familiar with these things. She rushes through work, has hard time with short term memory, I think the biggest issue is her lack of attention, she is impulsive and very active, that is causing her to forget homework, or do wrong assignments and be able to actually sit down and focus on work.

Is the psychiatrist going to prescribe medication for her?

I think so, but I am fine with him wanting to review the evaluation first. She was so out of control yesterday, even with some uncontrollable motions that it is fine to get an evaluation first.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My school ignored the email for a while, then told me I had to submit a formal request for an evaluation. (Just google to make sure you have the right terminology in the letter, and make them confirm receipt of the letter so you know that the clock is ticking.) They have to schedule an initial "screening" meeting within 30 days. My school scheduled it at exactly the 30 day mark, for a day that I had an irreconcilable work conflict. I gave them a bunch of other days within that 2 week period I was available, but they were then "unable" to find another available day for a couple of weeks, so our meeting happened about 6 weeks after I sent the formal and official request (3.5 months after my initial email asking them for an IEP assessment, which they apparently did not consider a formal request) If, at the initial screening meeting, they agree that they should evaluate your child, they have another 60 days in which to do that. So it'll probably be at least 90 days, even assuming that they agree to do an evaluation.

At our initial screening meeting, they declined to perform an evaluation. We had a full neuropsych that was 2 years old, with a confirmed ADHD diagnosis and some suspected other things, but they refused to do any further testing or evaluation basically because they felt my child was not ridiculously behind in any particular core academic subject.

Unless you cannot afford to go private for the evaluation, I would just go private and get the evaluation. You can use that to get 504 accommodations and maybe an IEP, depending on your school.

Great explanation of the process. We had almost exactly the same experience as this PP!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My school ignored the email for a while, then told me I had to submit a formal request for an evaluation. (Just google to make sure you have the right terminology in the letter, and make them confirm receipt of the letter so you know that the clock is ticking.) They have to schedule an initial "screening" meeting within 30 days. My school scheduled it at exactly the 30 day mark, for a day that I had an irreconcilable work conflict. I gave them a bunch of other days within that 2 week period I was available, but they were then "unable" to find another available day for a couple of weeks, so our meeting happened about 6 weeks after I sent the formal and official request (3.5 months after my initial email asking them for an IEP assessment, which they apparently did not consider a formal request) If, at the initial screening meeting, they agree that they should evaluate your child, they have another 60 days in which to do that. So it'll probably be at least 90 days, even assuming that they agree to do an evaluation.

At our initial screening meeting, they declined to perform an evaluation. We had a full neuropsych that was 2 years old, with a confirmed ADHD diagnosis and some suspected other things, but they refused to do any further testing or evaluation basically because they felt my child was not ridiculously behind in any particular core academic subject.

Unless you cannot afford to go private for the evaluation, I would just go private and get the evaluation. You can use that to get 504 accommodations and maybe an IEP, depending on your school.

Will they accept a private evaluation from any psychologist or does it have to be county school approved? Thanks.

Depends on the school and the evaluation. They typically have a school psychologist review the application and that person decides whether or not the county accepts the report. Even if they accept the report, as they did in our case, they could still come back and tell you that there's no educational impact and therefore no need to go ahead with the IEP process. That means no IEP but could lead to a 504 or nothing at all (our case).