6163 Independent Educational Evaluations
Adoption Date: 11/20/2003 Revised: 12/15/2005
6000 - Instruction
Instructional Services
6163 Independent Educational Evaluations
Regulation Info: 6163R |
An Independent Educational Evaluation is an individual evaluation of a student thought to have a disability, conducted by a qualified examiner who is not employed by the Lakeland Central School District or any public agency responsible for educating the student.
If a parent disagrees with an evaluation obtained by the District, the parent should explain, in writing, to the Assistant Superintendent for Pupil Personnel Services the reason(s) why he or she disagrees with the District’s evaluation. The Assistant Superintendent for Pupil Personnel Services will promptly make a decision as to whether the request for an independent educational evaluation at public expense will be granted. If the request is denied, the District will, without unnecessary delay, commence an impartial hearing to demonstrate the appropriateness of the challenged evaluation(s). If the hearing officer decides that the challenged evaluation is appropriate, the parent still has the right to an independent educational evaluation, but not at public expense. The results of any independent educational evaluation will be considered by the Committee on Special Education or Committee on Preschool Special Education in any decision made with respect to the student’s educational program.
Whenever an independent educational evaluation is at public expense, the criteria under which the evaluation is obtained, including the location of the evaluation and the qualifications of the examiner, must be the same as the criteria that the District uses when it initiates an evaluation. Thus, whenever approval of a parent’s request for an independent evaluation is granted, the independent evaluator must be licensed or certified or have met any minimum qualification requirements that an evaluator(s) employed by the District would need to possess to perform the same evaluation.
The Board directs the Superintendent of Schools to develop regulations, which ensure that information regarding independent educational evaluations is made available to parents who request the same. Such information should include the minimum qualifications required of independent evaluators and provide a schedule of the fees that the District will pay for independent educational evaluations in a variety of disciplines. The fee schedule shall be reflective of community standard rates in each discipline. In exceptional circumstances (e.g., if an unusual evaluation is needed, or if no appropriately certified independent evaluators can be found whose rates meet those set by the District), the Assistant Superintendent for Pupil Personnel Services may authorize an independent evaluation for which the fee charged will exceed the allowable fee which, may be paid for a particular type of independent evaluation.