A Parent’s Guide – Request for an Evaluation

There are lifelong repercussions of being identified as a struggling student late in the educational process. I know because I have lived them.

Not being identified until middle school, I have the personal experience and understand that without the right support, even the most driven, curious, intelligent, and creative children will struggle academically, too often leading to low self-esteem, school aversion, negative impact on relationship building, and lost potential.

Now as a parent of two young children diagnosed with dyslexia, I understand how early identification and intervention can change the course of how struggling students view themselves as learners, setting them on a path to find their own success.

When children are struggling in school, it’s important to find out why, but identification can be influenced by many factors from state to state and school to school. Too often early identification is not happening early enough, after a student has fallen far behind, or not at all.

Reasons why children with dyslexia are not being identified can vary, such as:

● Remediation outside of school
● Some parent’s refuse to have their child be “labeled”
● Teachers and parents think “they’ll catch up”
● Covering areas of need with strengths
● Accommodations provided informally–no paper trail
● Teachers with limited understanding of dyslexia
● Signs of dyslexia are overlooked or misinterpreted (a lack of motivation, ability, or effort)
● Academic struggles believed to be caused by family or lifestyle issues
● Getting lost in the shuffle–Covid restrictions and remote learning, a lot of kids appear to be behind.

No matter the reasons, don’t play the waiting game. In this case, time won’t help–the right support will. You can take action by requesting an evaluation. Our guide was made with you in mind, to bring ease to the process.