If you’re a pediatrician, therapist, teacher, or school counselor, you’ve heard this question. It usually comes at the end of an appointment or in the hallway after pickup, and the parent wants a name and a phone number. The honest answer depends on what the parent is trying to find out, so it helps to have a short, clear way to walk them through it.
This post is meant to be forwarded or printed. It focuses on Illinois, though the federal pieces apply everywhere.
Start with the question behind the question
Parents ask for “testing” for many different reasons. Some want to know why reading is so hard. Some are worried about attention, or about social differences that might point to autism. Some need documentation for school services or test accommodations. Some have a child who is struggling emotionally and aren’t sure what’s going on.
A useful first step is to ask the parent what they hope to learn, and what they’ll do with the answer. That shapes where they should go.
Option one: the school evaluation
If the concern affects learning at school, parents can ask the public school district to evaluate their child for special education. This costs the family nothing.
In Illinois, parents should make the request in writing, usually to the principal. Under 23 Ill. Adm. Code 226.110, the district has 14 school days to decide whether to evaluate. If it agrees and the parent signs consent, the district has 60 school days to complete the evaluation and hold an eligibility meeting. Illinois Legal Aid Online has a plain-language guide, including what to put in the letter.
A school evaluation answers a specific question: does this child qualify for special education services, and what do they need at school? It does not usually result in a medical diagnosis, and it isn’t designed to look at everything happening outside the classroom.
Option two: a private evaluation
A private evaluation is done by a psychologist outside the school system. Families pay for it themselves or through insurance, and coverage varies widely by plan.
Families often go this route when they want a diagnosis, when the concern isn’t mainly academic, when they want a broader look at their child, or when they disagree with the school’s findings. Private evaluations can look at attention, learning, autism, anxiety, mood, and how those interact.
A private report can also go to the school. Under federal special education rules, 34 CFR 300.502(c), if a parent shares a privately obtained evaluation, the school must consider it in decisions about the child’s education, as long as it meets the district’s criteria. Considering a report doesn’t mean adopting every recommendation, and parents should know that going in.
Some families do both, sometimes at the same time.
What to tell parents about finding a private evaluator
This is where parents usually get stuck. A few points help:
Not every psychologist does testing. A therapist who is a great fit for counseling may not do formal evaluations, so parents should ask directly about standardized testing and a written report.
Match the evaluator to the question. Someone who specializes in early autism assessment may not be the right fit for a teenager with a suspected learning disability.
Ask about wait times and costs up front. Both vary a lot.
Telehealth can help with parts of the process. Interviews, some testing, and feedback often happen by video, and psychologists authorized through PSYPACT can provide telehealth to families in other participating states. Most direct testing still happens in person.
A short script
If you want something to say in the moment, try this:
“If this is mostly about school, you can ask the district in writing to evaluate. That’s free, and they have to respond within 14 school days. If you want a diagnosis or a wider look, you’d go to a private psychologist who does evaluations. You can also do both.”
Share Find My Psychologist
When a parent decides on a private evaluation, the next question is “who?” Find My Psychologist is a directory only for psychologists who do evaluations. Families can search by evaluation type and see who offers telehealth across state lines. Please share findmypsychologist.com with the patients and families who ask you where to get their child tested.