At some point in most school years, a parent stops you after a meeting and asks, “Should I have my child tested? Do I do that through the school or somewhere else?” It is a fair question, and the answer depends on what the family is trying to learn.
This guide explains the difference in plain terms, using Illinois rules, so you can help families think it through. Feel free to forward it.
What a school evaluation is for
A school evaluation under special education law answers a specific question: does this student have a disability that qualifies them for special education services, and what do they need educationally? It is free to the family.
In Illinois, the rules are in the Illinois Administrative Code, Section 226.110. A few points are worth knowing:
- A parent can request an evaluation. So can an employee of the state education agency, another state agency, a school district, or a community service agency.
- Within 14 school days after receiving a request, the district must decide whether an evaluation is warranted and let the parent know.
- Once the parent signs consent, the district has no more than 60 school days to complete the evaluation, determine eligibility, and hold the IEP meeting if the student is eligible.
- If fewer than 60 school days remain in the school year after consent, the eligibility decision and IEP meeting must be completed before the first day of the next school year.
Counselors and teachers can help by making sure parents know they can put a request in writing and keep a copy with the date.
What a private evaluation is for
A private evaluation is done by a psychologist outside the school, usually a licensed clinical, school, or neuropsychologist in private practice. The family chooses the provider and pays, either out of pocket or through insurance when it covers testing.
Private evaluations tend to answer broader questions. They can provide a clinical diagnosis, such as ADHD, autism, a specific learning disorder, or anxiety, and look at how a child functions at home and in the community as well as in school. The report often includes recommendations for the family, outside therapies, and medical providers, in addition to school.
How the two connect
Families sometimes worry that a private report will be ignored. Under federal special education regulations, 34 CFR 300.502, if a parent shares an evaluation they obtained privately, the school must consider the results in decisions about the child’s education, as long as the evaluation meets the district’s criteria. Considering a report is different from adopting every recommendation, and families should know that.
The same regulation gives parents the right to request an independent educational evaluation at public expense if they disagree with the school’s evaluation. Parents who are unhappy with a school evaluation should ask the district about this process directly.
When each tends to make sense
A school evaluation is usually the right first step when the main concern is learning or functioning at school and the family wants to know if the student qualifies for an IEP. It costs the family nothing, and the people evaluating see the student in the setting where the problems show up.
A private evaluation is often worth considering when the family needs a medical or clinical diagnosis, when concerns show up at home as much as at school, when the questions are complex (a student who is advanced in some areas and struggling in others, for example), or when they want a second opinion after a school evaluation. Some families need documentation for things outside the school’s scope, such as therapy services through insurance or testing accommodations later on.
Some families do both. That is common, and the two evaluations can complement each other when they share information.
What you can say to a parent
You don’t need to recommend a path. You can describe the options, explain that the school process is free and has set timelines, and mention that private evaluations are available if the family wants a broader look. If your district has a policy about suggesting outside providers, follow it.
What helps most is concrete information. Tell parents how to put a request in writing, who at your school receives it, and where they can look for a private evaluator if they want one.
Share a place families can look
Find My Psychologist is a directory built only for psychologists who do psychological evaluations and testing. Families can search by evaluation type and see which psychologists offer telehealth across state lines through PSYPACT. We’re starting in the Chicago area and expanding from there. Please share findmypsychologist.com with parents and families who are weighing a private evaluation.