September 2025

Why School Evaluations are Important

With the new school year in full swing, are you noticing areas where your child may be struggling? Sometimes children need extra help at school. One way to find out what help is needed is through an evaluation. An evaluation is a set of tests and observations that show how your child is doing in areas like learning, behavior, speech, or movement.

Evaluations are important because they:

• Help parents and teachers understand your child’s strengths and challenges.
• Show if your child qualifies for special help, like an Individualized Education Program (IEP).
• Give ideas for how to support your child at home and at school.

Parents can ask the school to evaluate their child, or the school may ask parents for permission. By law, schools must do the evaluation at no cost to families. In South Dakota, the school has 25 school days to complete the testing after parents give consent. Then, within 30 calendar days, a meeting is held to review results and decide next steps.

Evaluations are not just about finding problems—they also show what your child does well. This information helps teachers create learning plans that build on your child’s strengths. Every three years, a re-evaluation is done to make sure your child still needs the same supports, or if changes are needed.

If you ever have questions about your child’s evaluation, speak up. You know your child best, and your input matters. Evaluations are a team process, and parents are an important part of that team. Call us at (800) 640-4553 and email sdpc@sdparent.org for help on where to start.

Additional Resources:

• What Parents Should Know About Evaluation and Re-Evaluation: https://sdparent.org/guide/evaluation-and-re-evaluation/
• What Parents Should Know About Special Education in South Dakota: https://sdparent.org/guide/what-parents-should-know-about-special-education-in-south-dakota-2/

Save the Date

2026 SD Special Education Conference

Mark your calendars! The 2026 South Dakota Special Education Conference will be held on March 3–4 at the Sioux Falls Convention Center. This year’s theme is “Grand Slam: Hitting it out of the Park for Every Student.”

This exciting event brings together parents, teachers, and professionals to learn new ways to support students with disabilities. It’s a chance to share ideas, hear from experts, and celebrate the progress being made for students across South Dakota.

Watch for more details soon on sessions, speakers, and how to register. We hope you will join us to make this year’s conference a grand slam for every child!

Board Member Spotlight

As we continue celebrating 40 years of supporting families in South Dakota, we would like you to meet Miah Ventura, a strong advocate who believes deeply in the mission of South Dakota Parent Connection. She first learned about the organization when she was struggling to support her daughters in school. Through the Navigator Program, she found the help she needed to get them set up for success. From there, Miah wanted to learn more and soon became involved herself.

Miah brings a powerful perspective as an individual with autism and as a mother of children who are differently abled. She uses her lived experiences to connect with others and help them feel understood. She says one thing that makes South Dakota Parent Connection stand out is how proactive it is—offering resources, teaching families how to advocate, and being there during hard times when extra support is needed.

Today, Miah serves on the Planning Committee of the board, which has been focused on the important task of sharing the organization's accomplishments over the past 40 years. For Miah, the most rewarding part of being involved with the organization is knowing she is part of something that changes lives. She loves meeting families at events and hearing how South Dakota Parent Connection has supported them.

Miah hopes to continue volunteering and helping South Dakota Parent Connection’s mission and vision continue on. If she could sum up the organization in one word, she would choose future—because everything the organization does is about building a brighter tomorrow for families, children, and people with disabilities.

Upcoming Events

See Where South Dakota Parent Connection Will Be!

Check out these upcoming events where our staff will be sharing information and resources to South Dakota families and those who support them. These opportunities provide valuable information, resources, and support for families across the state. To see where we’ll be next, check out our website or following us on Facebook. See you there!

October 2 & 3, 2025, Sioux Falls: Community Response to Child Abuse Conference: Brought to you by the Center for the Prevention of Child Maltreatment is presenting this two-day conference that brings together over 500 professionals, advocates, and students to share information and receive local training on innovative solutions and best practices to increase awareness of, improve the response to, and prevent child maltreatment. Stop by our booth and visit with South Dakota Parent Connection staff.

October 14 - 16, 2025, Sioux Falls: South Dakota RehabACTion Fall Conference: Serving the vocational rehabilitation needs of people with disabilities throughout the state, South Dakota RehabACTion is an organization composed of community professionals, educators, families, persons with disabilities, as well as friends and businesses, working in a combined effort to make a positive impact in public vocational rehabilitation programs. This is a three day conference. South Dakota Parent Connection will have an information booth on Wednesday, October 15th. Please come visit us while you are there.

October 16 - 17, 2025, Huron: NAMI South Dakota Annual Conference: Brought to you by NAMI South Dakota, this two day conference will bring provide those who attend with helpful information on mental health. South Dakota Parent Connection's Executive Director, Dr. Carla Miller, will co-present with Cole Uecker from Disability Rights South Dakota on the impact of ongoing behavioral challenges can have on student mental health.

This e-publication was developed under grants from the U.S. Department of Education Project Grant H328M2000666 and Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Grant H328M140021, Family to Family Health Information Center, $96,750; and approximately 5% financed with non-governmental resources. The contents should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by U.S. Department of Education, HRSA, HHS, or the Federal Government.