December 7, 2023

Requesting an Evaluation



As a parent, you may have concerns about your child’s behavior, school performance, or your child’s difficulty paying attention to and completing tasks. Your child’s teacher may also have concerns. How will you know if your child has a disability? By law, schools must provide special educational services to children with disabilities. You or your child’s teacher may request an evaluation to determine if your child meets the criteria and is eligible for these services in special education. If you want to request an evaluation for special education, we recommend:

• Put this request for an evaluation in writing
• List all of your concerns (concerns for academics, behavior, peer relationships, attention, etc.)
• Include things you know and your child's teacher have tried to help in these areas
• Keep a copy of your letters and any emails or text messages you may have discussing concerns about your child with his/her teacher/school including attendance records, behavior slips, and/or requests for you to come get your child due to behavior
• Give a copy of your letter to your child's teacher and the school principal

A sample letter to help you format yours can be found on pages 8 and 9 of a guide created by South Dakota ParentConnection; Dare to Dialogue...Reach YES! A Resource for Families of Children Receiving Special Education.

The school will respond to your request via a Prior Parental Written Notice. The school can accept or deny your request, and the reasons for their decision will be included in this notice. If you haven’t heard anything after about 5 days, follow up with the school by sending an email to check on the status of your request.

If the request is accepted, you will sign a Consent for Evaluation form. If you agree to the plan for evaluation and sign permission, the evaluation process begins. If the request for an evaluation is denied, ask for a meeting to discuss your concerns with the school. If they still refuse to evaluate and you disagree with this decision, ask for information on your legal rights.

Holiday Fun Had by All

We had so much fun with all our friends at Cookies & Cocoa this past weekend! There were more than 200 happy holiday faces that attended this year's event. Thank you to this year's sponsors! This event would not be possible without the support of our generous sponsors and talented friends!

There were plenty of sweet treats thanks to Heart of the City Bakery, Parker, and Sunshine Foods, Sioux Falls. And the holiday spirit was heard loud and clear with the music provided by Vicki Stewart.

Here are some of the wonderful memories shared at this event.

More photos can be found on our Facebook page.

Thank you to all our sponsors, donors, and all who attended!

Santa Clause and his elf, Addison were so thrilled to see all the smiling faces again this year and received everyone's list in plenty of time for Christmas.

When not visiting Santa Claus, the kids were busy playing make-believe with toys brought from the Toy Lending Library of South Dakota and learning more about books available from the Siouxland Libraries.

And, if that was not enough, they also learned and played with the OT/PT students from the University of South Dakota who brought some fun sensory-friendly activities or decorated Christmas cards and ornaments with staff from South Dakota ParentConnection.

Visiting Santa: 5 Tips to Make it a Positive Experience

Avoid the rush – go see Santa early

Many kids with complex challenges will benefit by going to see Santa early in the season when it's less crowded and stressful. In fact, says Santa, parents might want to visit with Santa a couple of times at a mall and not take a photo. This will allow the child to become comfortable with the experience and may lead to a more relaxed meeting.

Make sure your child is comfortable

Some children don't like to sit with Santa for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it's as simple as the fact that Santa is tall and the child's feet often don't touch the ground. In cases like this, the child may be willing to stand next to Santa for the picture. Or maybe your child wants to sit on YOUR lap with Santa standing beside you. Or maybe, your child doesn't want a photo taken at all.

Don't use Santa as a “weapon” or a threat

Don't threaten your children with the message that Santa is not going to come if your child is "naughty." Your child may worry that Santa might not visit their house, reassure them it is not true. Santa is a gift of heart and love – don't let that become a weapon.

Write your own social story about the steps of a Santa visit

You can also draw it out with stick figures or downloadable pictograms. The step-by-step process is invaluable to a child that responds well if things are broken down.

Make special arrangements, if needed

Call ahead of time and tell the place that you may need special arrangements. If your child has trouble waiting in line, or is anxious in crowds or with loud noises, or has other challenges that might interfere with his enjoyment of the experience, then ask for the help you need to make it a good experience for your child. 

Seeking Nominations: 2024 SPED Staff of the Year Award

The Office of Special Education Programs is accepting nominations for the 2024 SPED Staff of the Year Award. Parents/guardians can nominate a special education staff member who made an outstanding contribution to the education of their child. Nominees may include SPED teachers, SPED directors, speech/language pathologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, school psychologists, or paraprofessionals who have served in their profession for three or more years.

Parents/guardians can submit nomination forms via this link.

Entries are due Jan. 19, 2024. The top five nominees will be invited to the 2024 South Dakota Special Education Conference luncheon in Sioux Falls on March 6, 2024, where the award recipient will be announced. Questions? Contact Stacy Holzbauer.

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, $93,175; 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 US Department of Education, HRSA, HHS or the Federal Government.