Planning ahead for an IEP or 504 in middle school

This is a complicated question (because you're looking ahead two years and a switch between private & public), so you should just call DREDF and discuss the specifics with one of their counselors.

Yes, you can definitely get her assessed now (though depending on your district, it may not be until next school year at this point). Whether she qualifies for a 504 or an IEP will depend on how her dyslexia and ADHD are affecting her learning. Depending on her needs, your local district may also offer some interventions or supports even while she's enrolled in a private school, so certainly worth connecting with them to find out.

I haven't gone through the district process yet but have done a lot of research about it and I highly recommend that you get a little advocacy/support as you plan for requesting assessment from the district--there are some specific tips and some legal knowledge that will go a long way. Starting w/DREDF sounds great; I also got some consultation recently from Lisa Baskin Wright, who was awesome. (https://lisabaskinwright.com/) This will also help you understand the timing issue. 

Also: my understanding is that the district/evaluators/support team *absolutely* have to consider what the underlying conditions/struggles are, no matter how much support the student currently has. In other words tutoring, meds etc... they must consider how things would be going for her without these in place. So, definitely pursue any supports you can, now, and be doing everything you can to document their impact! 

Yes, you can get tested by the district -- they are required to test all kids, even if in private school,  if you live in that district.   Personally, I'd take advantage of this for your child, as it's free and might provide additional information that can help your child now, even though you have received a private assessment.    However, if you don't want to invest in the time, you can wait until say the beginning of 5th grade to request an assessment, if your plan is to matriculate into a district school in middle school.  

We got our daughter IEP the summer between 3/4th grade. We are also in private school but wanted to make sure that we were prepared if we went back to public for middle school. You need to get  your child assessed by the district and go through the IEP process. The assessment lasts 3 years. I would suggest pushing for the IEP over the 504. As suggested DREDF is a really great place to get information.

It's always a good idea to have an assessment by school district. Request an IEP from yours (let them know you want to put her in a public school), the sooner the better since school is almost out for summer and they don't do assessments then. I assume the district would want the private evals you had done. The good thing about documenting things like ADHD with the district is that they have a formal plan for addressing it, and it's a credible record of it for the future if your kid goes to college. They use the district documentation without questions asked.

As another poster said, the big question for qualification is whether your daughter's diagnoses affect her ability to learn and thrive at school. In my experience as a middle school counselor, I wouldn't be too concerned about it now. If your daughter needs a 504 or IEP, you can request the assessment or qualifying meeting at any time, and at any decent school your daughter's teachers would do their best to accommodate her different learning styles anyway, even is she does not qualify.

Hi! I'm an educator and you can request an evaluation through your local public school even though your child attends a private school. First, they would need to identify eligibility such as a reading disorder or Other Health Impairment (ADHD). Services and goals are based on significant areas of weakness.