Re: Request for Independent Eval for OT

[Guest guest]

We have done indep. OT & ST Evals for several different ISDs in the Houston

area. The parents have always chosen the provider. What district are you in?

Dawn Forsmith, MOT OTR

Memorial Pediatric Therapy Associates, PC

Walton wrote:

I have requested an Independent Evaluation for OT at my son's ARD and

I always thought I got to chose the OT, not the school. The school is saying

because they are paying for it they get to chose who does it...I don't think so,

what do you think? If they chose then it is not " independent " right. I went

through this last school year in Michigan and I chose a PT, OT and SLP on my own

and they had to pay for it.

Also, do you know anyone who does educational OT evals? The school OT is saying

all my son needs is 15 minutes per week of consult and one on one combined! That

is a joke! Last school year he was getting 30 minutes one on one 2X per week!

Any information you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

Walton

[Guest guest]

you might try Children's Therapeutics

Maggie

Request for Independent Eval for OT

I have requested an Independent Evaluation for OT at my son's ARD and I always

thought I got to chose the OT, not the school. The school is saying because they

are paying for it they get to chose who does it...I don't think so, what do you

think? If they chose then it is not " independent " right. I went through this

last school year in Michigan and I chose a PT, OT and SLP on my own and they had

to pay for it.

Also, do you know anyone who does educational OT evals? The school OT is saying

all my son needs is 15 minutes per week of consult and one on one combined! That

is a joke! Last school year he was getting 30 minutes one on one 2X per week!

Any information you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

Walton

[Guest guest]

We had this exact issue. If you ask for the independent eval, they have to

use who you want or they have to take you to due process not to do it. I

know this for a fact because it happened to us. We asked for an

independent eval with a specific person and they did it but we were told if

they refused they had to file due process to deny it.

Request for Independent Eval for OT

I have requested an Independent Evaluation for OT at my son's ARD and I

always thought I got to chose the OT, not the school. The school is saying

because they are paying for it they get to chose who does it...I don't think

so, what do you think? If they chose then it is not " independent " right. I

went through this last school year in Michigan and I chose a PT, OT and SLP

on my own and they had to pay for it.

Also, do you know anyone who does educational OT evals? The school OT is

saying all my son needs is 15 minutes per week of consult and one on one

combined! That is a joke! Last school year he was getting 30 minutes one on

one 2X per week!

Any information you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

Walton

[Guest guest]

Hi All -

While we're on this topic, here's another one - I requested an OT eval on my

kindergartener. I signed the consent form and an ARD was scheduled. I was

told that the OT would observe and depending on her observation, an

evaluation might or might not be done - only if she saw a need. I was

informed at the ARD that he does not qualify for educational OT and was

given a form letter explaining the difference between medical and

educational OT in the school. The OT was not at the ARD to explain why. I

questioned that decision since he is getting OT for sensory stuff 2x/wk

outside of school (what I had asked the school to look at for OT was fine

motor and sensory issues affecting behavior) I was told by the principal

that what he was getting was considered medical OT which wasn't the same as

educational OT. (I know now after a little research that she doesn't know

what she is talking about - par for the course!) I questioned whether

sensory integration issues were considered medical and the diagnostician

jumped in and said to qualify for Ed. OT the need had to tie into his IEP

goals. (Now that I have a copy of the IEP goals it is almost laughable that

they think they do not - I am going to question whether they even read

them!) Anyway, I met with the OT this morning to clarify why I wanted the

assessment and asked her why she said he did not qualify - turns out no one

told her I had asked for an assessment. She was told to observe and

recommend how his needs could be met in the general classroom. She made some

suggestions to the teacher for fine motor and recommended CM 30 minutes a

week to do a handwriting program that has a lot of sensory stuff built in.

She said she would do the assessment but still doesn't see the need because

it will only show what we already know - he has a need - and besides, all of

the fine motor skills that cause me concern are basic kindergarten skills

that will be stressed throughout the year anyway. Sorry for the tirade but

here's my question: When a parent asks for an assessment, signs consent and

there are legitimate reasons for the request, can the school refuse to do

it?

Thanks for your help!

Debbie A.

<http://www.gethealthyjuice.com> www.gethealthyjuice.com

[Guest guest]

what district are you in?

Re: Request for Independent Eval for OT

Hi All -

While we're on this topic, here's another one - I requested an OT eval on my

kindergartener. I signed the consent form and an ARD was scheduled. I was

told that the OT would observe and depending on her observation, an

evaluation might or might not be done - only if she saw a need. I was

informed at the ARD that he does not qualify for educational OT and was

given a form letter explaining the difference between medical and

educational OT in the school. The OT was not at the ARD to explain why. I

questioned that decision since he is getting OT for sensory stuff 2x/wk

outside of school (what I had asked the school to look at for OT was fine

motor and sensory issues affecting behavior) I was told by the principal

that what he was getting was considered medical OT which wasn't the same as

educational OT. (I know now after a little research that she doesn't know

what she is talking about - par for the course!) I questioned whether

sensory integration issues were considered medical and the diagnostician

jumped in and said to qualify for Ed. OT the need had to tie into his IEP

goals. (Now that I have a copy of the IEP goals it is almost laughable that

they think they do not - I am going to question whether they even read

them!) Anyway, I met with the OT this morning to clarify why I wanted the

assessment and asked her why she said he did not qualify - turns out no one

told her I had asked for an assessment. She was told to observe and

recommend how his needs could be met in the general classroom. She made some

suggestions to the teacher for fine motor and recommended CM 30 minutes a

week to do a handwriting program that has a lot of sensory stuff built in.

She said she would do the assessment but still doesn't see the need because

it will only show what we already know - he has a need - and besides, all of

the fine motor skills that cause me concern are basic kindergarten skills

that will be stressed throughout the year anyway. Sorry for the tirade but

here's my question: When a parent asks for an assessment, signs consent and

there are legitimate reasons for the request, can the school refuse to do

it?

Thanks for your help!

Debbie A.

<http://www.gethealthyjuice.com> www.gethealthyjuice.com

[Guest guest]

>

> what district are you in?

>

> ----- Original Message -----

> From: Debbie Andrick

>

[Guest guest]

Plano

betterhealth123 wrote:

>

> what district are you in?

>

> ----- Original Message -----

> From: Debbie Andrick

>

Walton

[Guest guest]

Thanks, that's what I thought!

Levine wrote: We had this exact issue.

If you ask for the independent eval, they have to

use who you want or they have to take you to due process not to do it. I

know this for a fact because it happened to us. We asked for an

independent eval with a specific person and they did it but we were told if

they refused they had to file due process to deny it.

Request for Independent Eval for OT

I have requested an Independent Evaluation for OT at my son's ARD and I

always thought I got to chose the OT, not the school. The school is saying

because they are paying for it they get to chose who does it...I don't think

so, what do you think? If they chose then it is not " independent " right. I

went through this last school year in Michigan and I chose a PT, OT and SLP

on my own and they had to pay for it.

Also, do you know anyone who does educational OT evals? The school OT is

saying all my son needs is 15 minutes per week of consult and one on one

combined! That is a joke! Last school year he was getting 30 minutes one on

one 2X per week!

Any information you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

Walton

[Guest guest]

-

The district can only dictate the criteria for an IEE, not who does

it. I would get a copy of the district's criteria for OT

evaluations as well as their list of independent evaluators that

meet their criteria (you don't have to select one of these but maybe

the person you want is on the list). They are required under the

IDEA regs to provide this information when an IEE is requested.

With respect to the criteria for IEEs, the following language is

straight from the IDEA regs concerning IEEs [34 CFR sec 300.502]:

(e) Agency criteria.

(1) If 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 public agency uses when it initiates

an evaluation, to the extent those criteria are

consistent with the parent's right to an independent

educational evaluation.

(2) Except for the criteria described in paragraph (e)(1) of

this section, a public agency may not impose

conditions or timelines related to obtaining an

independent educational evaluation at public expense.

There is important language in both of the subsections. Let's say

that the district's criteria says that OT evaluations ONLY include

assessments of fine and gross motor skills and muscle tone, but you

need an evaluation of sensory integration, then their criteria might

not be consistent with your right to an IEE. Or if they said that

only a licensed OT that works for xyz organization meets their

criteria, then their criteria might not be consistent with your

right to an IEE. The language in (e)(2) that prohibits them from

imposing conditions or timelines related to IEEs is also important.

This is the clincher that prevents them from dictating who does the

IEE.

I would get a written copy of the district's list of evaluators and

the criteria. The evaluator you want might be on the list and

already identified as meeting the district's criteria.

Additionally, the written list of criteria will help make sure that

you, the district and the evaluator you select are all on the same

page. Good luck!

>

> I have requested an Independent Evaluation for OT at my son's ARD

and I always thought I got to chose the OT, not the school. The

school is saying because they are paying for it they get to chose

who does it...I don't think so, what do you think? If they chose

then it is not " independent " right. I went through this last school

year in Michigan and I chose a PT, OT and SLP on my own and they had

to pay for it.

>

> Also, do you know anyone who does educational OT evals? The

school OT is saying all my son needs is 15 minutes per week of

consult and one on one combined! That is a joke! Last school year

he was getting 30 minutes one on one 2X per week!

>

> Any information you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

>

>

>

>

> Walton

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

The district is required to provide you with the names of qualified

evaluators. They also must provide you with the criteria the evaluators

must meet so that IF you choose someone who is not on their list, they

will meet the district's criteria/requirements for an independent

evaluator (licensing, etc.). YOU DO NOT HAVE TO CHOOSE ANYONE ON THEIR

LIST. As long as they meet the district's criteria (licensing, etc.)

then you can choose anyone you want.

nna

[Guest guest]

Thank you!

nna Bond wrote: The district is

required to provide you with the names of qualified

evaluators. They also must provide you with the criteria the evaluators

must meet so that IF you choose someone who is not on their list, they

will meet the district's criteria/requirements for an independent

evaluator (licensing, etc.). YOU DO NOT HAVE TO CHOOSE ANYONE ON THEIR

LIST. As long as they meet the district's criteria (licensing, etc.)

then you can choose anyone you want.

nna

Walton

[Guest guest]

I have always experienced similar issues. The schools my children have attended

have all provided OT evaluations, but they do not see the same need for OT as

private therapists. My boys have sensory issues and need a daily sensory diet.

They get OT privately once a week for an hour. We try to integrate OT

activities at home. At school they receive OT consultation. The OT observes

them and offers suggestions to the teachers (and Tyler's shadow) to help them

with tasks such as handwriting. A school's criteria for qualifying for OT seems

to be based on their ability to function in school not the whole world. I'm not

an expert and my boys both received one-on-one and group OT in school until this

year. I have agreed to this plan so they learn to generalize skills.

Maggie

Re: Request for Independent Eval for OT

Hi All -

While we're on this topic, here's another one - I requested an OT eval on my

kindergartener. I signed the consent form and an ARD was scheduled. I was

told that the OT would observe and depending on her observation, an

evaluation might or might not be done - only if she saw a need. I was

informed at the ARD that he does not qualify for educational OT and was

given a form letter explaining the difference between medical and

educational OT in the school. The OT was not at the ARD to explain why. I

questioned that decision since he is getting OT for sensory stuff 2x/wk

outside of school (what I had asked the school to look at for OT was fine

motor and sensory issues affecting behavior) I was told by the principal

that what he was getting was considered medical OT which wasn't the same as

educational OT. (I know now after a little research that she doesn't know

what she is talking about - par for the course!) I questioned whether

sensory integration issues were considered medical and the diagnostician

jumped in and said to qualify for Ed. OT the need had to tie into his IEP

goals. (Now that I have a copy of the IEP goals it is almost laughable that

they think they do not - I am going to question whether they even read

them!) Anyway, I met with the OT this morning to clarify why I wanted the

assessment and asked her why she said he did not qualify - turns out no one

told her I had asked for an assessment. She was told to observe and

recommend how his needs could be met in the general classroom. She made some

suggestions to the teacher for fine motor and recommended CM 30 minutes a

week to do a handwriting program that has a lot of sensory stuff built in.

She said she would do the assessment but still doesn't see the need because

it will only show what we already know - he has a need - and besides, all of

the fine motor skills that cause me concern are basic kindergarten skills

that will be stressed throughout the year anyway. Sorry for the tirade but

here's my question: When a parent asks for an assessment, signs consent and

there are legitimate reasons for the request, can the school refuse to do

it?

Thanks for your help!

Debbie A.

<http://www.gethealt hyjuice.com> www.gethealthyjuice .com

[Guest guest]

OT independent evals:

The Handwriting Clinic of Plano

owner is a former OT with Collin County Special Education Co-op and who

contracted with several school districts.

Hope this helps,

Darla