If a childs dominant language is not English, can the parent insist that the evaluation be conducted in English and refuse to have the evaluation conducted in the childs dominant language?
No. As stated in EIP State regulations, evaluators must administer tests and other evaluation materials and procedures in the dominant language of the child, unless it is clearly not feasible to do so. Participation in the EIP is voluntary to families. If a parent does not consent to a multidisciplinary evaluation consistent with federal and State requirements, eligibility cannot be established for the EIP and the municipality is not obligated to develop an IFSP and provide services to the child. There may be circumstances under which a child may be considered to be bilingual (e.g., have two dominant languages, one of which is English). Under these circumstances, the evaluator is responsible for determining the appropriate language in which to administer the evaluation in accordance with the requirement that non-discriminatory evaluation and assessment procedures are used.
Related Questions
- If a childs dominant language is not English, can the parent insist that the evaluation be conducted in English and refuse to have the evaluation conducted in the childs dominant language?
- Does the evaluation process consider my childs English language skills or ethnic background?
- What does a parent need to do if their child’s first acquired language is not English?
