How can you get additional services for your child?

If your child is already receiving special education services, it is within your rights to ask for changes to those services. You can ask for more or less of a service they are currently receiving. You can also ask for a service they aren’t currently receiving to be added to their program. 

If you feel your child would benefit educationally from additional special education services or if you believe their access to the general education classroom, curriculum, or environment would increase through additional time or frequency of a service they are already receiving, they will likely need to be assessed before any changes can be made. You should put your request for additional services—or any changes to existing services—in an email or a letter to your child’s case manager. They will typically have 25 school days to respond to your request.

Their response may be to offer you an assessment plan. You will need to give permission for your child to be assessed, even if you are the one who requested the additional services. If they offer you an assessment plan that you are in agreement with, the assessment process begins.

Their response may be to hold a meeting to discuss your request, but they may not immediately offer to assess your child. If they do not offer to assess, or if they say they don’t think your child needs to be assessed, you can request that they be assessed—again, put it in writing.

More questions? Email me:

mischamcmanus@centered-consulting.com