The Foreign Service Journal, December 2013

92 DECEMBER 2013 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL EDUCATION SUPPLEMENT “labels” that an evaluation may evoke, the information and diagnoses provided in reports are often useful for guiding services and accommodations in the school and with other professionals, such as tutors. In many cases, the information and diagnoses are necessary to qualify for special education services, as well as accommodations on standardized test- ing. This is especially true when applying for accommodations in college and for college entrance examinations. Sharing the information with others working with your child may also help to clear up misconceptions. For example, certain educators may be viewing your child as “lazy,” when in fact a language, learning or attention disorder is the problem. If a psychoeducational evaluation is of interest to you, act now, as many evaluators are booked far in advance. Ask friends, teachers and pediatricians about their experiences with certain profession- als. Call them to see if you are comfort- able with that person, and whether or not your child would be comfortable with them. While it can seem somewhat daunting to a parent who has never had experience with such an evaluation, the psychoedu- cational evaluation process can be very enlightening for all those working with your child. Whatever its findings, the exercise can help ease the frustration that both you and your child may be experi- encing. n In many cases, the information and diagnoses are necessary to qualify for special education services, as well as accommodations on standardized testing.