CRITERIA FOR AN INDEPENDENT EDUCATIONAL EVALUATION Revised March 4, 2014

CRITERIA FOR AN INDEPENDENT EDUCATIONAL EVALUATION
Revised March 4, 2014
Location Limitations for Evaluators
Evaluators must be located within the greater Merced area, which is defined as Merced, Fresno, Kings, Madera and
Stanislaus Counties. Evaluators outside of this area will be approved only on an exceptional basis if the parents can
demonstrate the necessity of using such personnel outside the specified area. Costs beyond the evaluation (i.e.,
food, lodging, transportation, etc.) may not be covered in the cost of performing an independent evaluation.
Minimum Qualifications for Evaluators
As determined by the District, all assessments must be conducted by persons competent to
perform the assessment (Ed. Code section 56322). All assessments must be conducted in
accordance with all requirements of Federal and State law including, but not limited to,
observing the student in the appropriate setting and conducting evaluations in accordance
with Education Code sections 56327 and 56320, respectively. Evaluators who do not meet the
minimum qualifications will not be approved unless the parent can demonstrate the
appropriateness of using an evaluator meeting other qualifications.
Type of Assessment
Minimum Qualifications
Academic Achievement
Certified Special Education Teacher
Licensed Educational Psychologist
Licensed Psychologist
School Psychologist (Credentialed)
Adaptive Behavior
Licensed Educational Psychologist
Licensed Psychologist
Certified Special Education Teacher
School Psychologist (Credentialed)
Assistive Technology
Certified or Licensed Speech/Language Pathologist
Certified Special Education Teacher
Auditory Acuity
Auditory Perception (CAP)
Licensed or Certificated Audiologist
Licensed or Certificated Audiologist
Cognitive
Licensed Educational Psychologist
Licensed Psychologist
School Psychologist
Functional Vision
Certified Teacher of the Visually Impaired (Master’s Degree)
Licensed Physician
Motor
Licensed Physical Therapist
Registered Occupational Therapist
Adaptive Physical Education Specialist
Speech and Language
Certified or Licensed Speech/Language Pathologist
(Master’s Degree)
Type of Assessment
Qualification
Social/Emotional/Behavioral
School Psychologist (credentialed)
Social Worker (LCSW)
Licensed Marriage Family Therapist (LMFT)
Licensed Psychiatrist
Licensed Psychologist
Vision-Motor Integration
School Psychologist (credentialed)
Licensed Psychologist
Licensed Educational Psychologist
Typical Costs for Evaluation in the Central Valley
An independent multidisciplinary evaluation will cost between $2,000-$4,000 inclusive of the
cost to conduct the assessment, mileage, developing a written report, providing copies of the
report to the parent and school and attending the IEP meeting. *
Costs above these amounts will not be approved unless the parent can demonstrate that such
costs reflect a reasonable and customary rate for such evaluative services, or if the parents can
demonstrate that there are other factors that make the extraordinary costs necessary.
When insurance will cover all or part of the costs of the independent evaluation, the District
will request that the parents voluntarily have their insurance pay the independent evaluation
costs. However, parents will not be asked to have insurance cover independent evaluation
costs if such action would result in a financial cost to the parents, including, but not limited to
the following:
1. A decrease in available lifetime coverage or any other benefit under an insurance policy;
2. An increase in premiums or the discontinuance of the policy; or
3. An out-of-pocket expense such as payment of a deductible amount incurred in filing a
claim.
Independent evaluators must agree to release their assessment information and results to the
District prior to receipt of payment for services. The results of the independent evaluation will
be considered in the diagnosis, program decisions, and placement of the student with
disabilities as required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and/or Section 504 of
the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
Possible Sources of Independent Evaluation by Area of Assessment
This list was created as a means of providing possible independent evaluators for parents to
select. The District does not specifically endorse any listed agencies or individuals. Other
agencies and individuals will be considered if they meet District criteria. The District may
contract with these or other providers to obtain an independent educational evaluation at
public expense. This is not an exhaustive list of possible assessors. For additional assistance
in locating an independent assessor, the parent may contact the Assistant Superintendent of
the Merced County SELPA at 209-381-6711.
Area of Assessment
Source
Location
Phone #
Academic Achievement
California School of Professional
Psychology; Central
Sullivan Center for Children
District and COE Psych
Fresno
559-456-2774
Fresno
District/COE
559-243-4047
Fresno
559-243-4047
Fresno
Stanislaus,
Madera
559-278-6773
Adaptive Behavior
and Cognitive
Valley Regional Center
Diagnostic Center of Central CA
BCBA Assessment
Adaptive PE
Dr. Amanda Adams
District & COE APE Specialist
2
Psychological-Educational
Assessment)
Sullivan Center for Children
Harold Seymour
Dr. Robert D. Wells
Kiki L. Wells, M.A.
Dr. Michele Tomlinson Jimenez
Fresno
Fresno
Fresno/SF
Fresno/SF
Stanislaus
559-271-1186
559-431-1900
559-228-1618
559-228-1618
209-595-9735
Assistive Technology
Community Health Systems
(Fresno Community Medical Center)
District and COE Asst. Specialist
Fresno
559-459-6000
Auditory Acuity
Community Hearing Center
(Fresno Community Medical Center)
Fresno
559-459-6000
Auditory Perception
(CAP)
Dorian Hearing Center
Valley Children’s Hospital
Fresno
Madera
559-224-1344
559-353-3000
Functional Vision
Andrea Lanier M.D.;
Valley Children’s Hospital
Fresno
Madera
559-449-5010
559-353-5174
Health
(including Neurological)
Fresno Children’s Medical Group
Terry Hutchison, M.D.
University Medical Center
VCH-Charlie Mitchell Clinic
Carol Vance, M.D.
District/ COE Health Specialist
Fresno
559-438-2300
Fresno
Madera
Fresno
559-459-4000
559-353-6425
559-225-3300
Community Health Systems
(Fresno Community Medical Center)
Michele Smith, P.T.
Therapist Unlimited
Carolyn Unruh, P.T.
Valley Children’s Hospital
Fresno
559-459-6000
Madera
Fresno
559-353-5174
559-449-1557
Fresno
559-228-9100
Clovis
559-298-1813
Empire
209-574-9707
Motor
Safari Sensory Integrations and
Learning Center
Goodfellow Occupational Therapy
California Learning Connection
John Goodfellow
Physiomotion Sports Medicine &
Rehabilitation
Erin Dolin OTR and Liddy Futna
Brighter Futures
LucindaAnderson
Neurological-psychological
Assessment
Speech and Language
Howard Glidden, Ph.D.
Karen Krause, M.D.
Paul Lebby, Ph.D.;
Randhir Singh, Ph.D.
CSU, Fresno, Speech & Hearing
Diagnostic Center of Central
California
559-431-8500
559-353-6807
Delhi
209-656-2000
Fresno
Fresno
559-278-4004
559-243-4047
3
Physician’s Hearing Service at Central
Valley ENT
California Learning Connections
Kathy Wage, MA
Social/Emotional/Behavioral
California School of Professional
Psychology
Central Valley Regional Center
Diagnostic Center of Central
California
Developmental and Behavioral
Pediatrics
David Fox, M.D.
Kevin O’Connor, Ph.D.;
Sullivan Center for Children
Valley Children’s Hospital
Fresno
559-228-9100
559-456-2774
Merced
Fresno
209559-243-4047
Fresno
559-271-1186
559-271-1186
559-353-5174
Madera
Vision Motor-Integration
Valley Children’s Hospital
Madera
559-353-5174
Transition
California Diagnostic Center
Fresno
559-243-4047
Approved Assessment Instruments for use in Independent Educational Evaluations
The following test instruments are used to assess student skills in the areas identified. This
list is not intended to be exhaustive or exclusive. Other test instruments as identified through
the evaluation plan can be used. All listed instruments must be administered by a qualified
examiner, be age appropriate to the child, and be administered and scored in conformance with
the publisher’s instructions.
Assessment Area
Approved Instruments
Academic Achievement
Diagnostic Achievement Battery
Diagnostic Reading Scales (Spache)
Diagnostic Test of Educational Achievement
Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement
Key Math Diagnostic Arithmetic Test
Peabody Individual Achievement Test
Silvaroli-Classroom Reading Inventory
Tests of Early Math Ability
Tests of Early Reading Ability
Tests of Early Written Language
Tests of Mathematical Abilities
Tests of Reading Comprehension
Test of Written English
Test of Written Language
Wechsler Individual Achievement Test
Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-Educational Battery
Woodcock-Johnson Test of Achievement
Woodcock-Johnson Reading Mastery Tests
Adaptive Behavior
AAMD Adaptive Behavior Scale
Adaptive Behavior Evaluation Scale
4
Developmental Assessment of Young Children (DAYC)-Adaptive
Deveraux Behavior Rating Scale
Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales
Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales II
Cognitive
Baley Scales of Infant Development
Comprehensive Test of Non Verbal Intelligence
C-TONI 3rd Edition
Cattel Infant Intelligence Scale
Developmental Assessment of Young Children (DAYC)-Cognitive
Developmental Assessment of Young Children (DAYC)-Physical
Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (KABC & KABC II)
Leiter International Performance Scale-Revised
Stanford Binet Intelligence Scale-4th Edition
Test of Nonverbal Intelligence-3rd Edition
Universal Nonverbal Intelligence Test (UNIT)
Wechsler Intelligence Scales (WIPPSI, WISC-IV, WAIS-R)
Motor
Peabody Development Motor Scales
Perceptual
Bender Visual Motor Gestalt Design
Development Test of Visual Motor Integration (Beery)
Motor Free Visual Perception Test-R
Test of Auditory Perceptual Skills-R
Test of Visual Perceptual Skills-R
Speech and Language
Boehm Test of Basic Concepts Revised
Bracken Basic Concepts Scale
Carrow Elicited Language Inventory
Clinical Evaluation of Language Functioning (Preschool)
Developmental Assessment of Young Children (DAYC)-Communication
Expressive One Word Picture Vocabulary Test
Fisher Logeman Articulation Test
Goldman Fristoe Test of Articulation
Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised
Preschool Language Scale (Zimmerman)
Receptive-Expressive Emergent Language Scale
Structured Photographic Expressive Language Tests II
Test of Auditory comprehension of Language-Revised
Test of Early Language Development
Test of Language Development-Primary or Intermediate
Test of Pragmatic Language
Test of Auditory Reasoning and Processing Skills
Test of Adolescent Language
Word Test Revised
Social/Emotional/Behavioral
Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist
Attention Deficit Disorder Evaluation Scale
Behavior Assessment Systems for Children (BASC II)
Behavior Disorder Evaluation Scale
Behavior Evaluation Scale
Brown ADD/ADHD Scales
Burks’ Behavior Rating Scale
Connors Rating Scale
Developmental Assessment of Young Children (DAYC)-Social-Emotional
Emotional and Behavior Problem Scale
Pier Harris Children’s Self Concept Scale
5
Roberts Apperception Test for Children
Rorschach
Thematic Apperception Test
Others
Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADDS)
Autism Diagnostic Interview, Revised (ADIR)
Autism Screen Instrument for Educational Planning
Childhood Autism Rating Scale
Detroit Tests of Learning Aptitude
(Primary and 3rd Edition)
Developmental Tasks for Kindergarten Readiness
Draw a Person
Gilliam Autism Rating Scale (GARS)
Gilliam Asperger’s Disorder Scale (GADS)
Goodenough-Harris Drawing Test
Hiskey-Nebraska
Jordan Left-Right Reversal Test
Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT)
6