Why Is My Child Struggling in School? How to Request a School Evaluation and Get Answers 💜
- Kathy Cousineau
- 4d
- 8 min read
If you’re reading this late at night, worried about your child, you’re not alone.
Many parents end up here after another difficult evening of homework.
Maybe it looked something like this:
Your child sits at the kitchen table, staring at a reading passage. You gently say, “Let’s just try the first sentence.”
They sound out a few words… then suddenly the tears come.
“I hate reading.”
“I’m just bad at school.”
“I can’t do this.”
You try to reassure them, but inside, your heart sinks a little 💔.
Because moments like this often lead parents to start asking difficult questions, you might be wondering:
Why is homework such a struggle for my child?
Why does my child hate reading?
Why is school becoming so frustrating for them?
As these questions come up again and again, many parents begin to wonder if their child might be struggling in a deeper way.
Eventually, another question may start to surface:
Is there something more going on with my child's learning that is making school so difficult?
The Feelings Many Parents Carry
Before we talk about evaluations, it's important to talk about something many parents experience during this stage.
The emotions.
Parents often carry a lot of feelings when their child begins to struggle in school.
You might be feeling:
💜 worried about your child’s future
💜 frustrated that homework has become a nightly battle
💜 confused about the special education process
💜 guilty for wondering if you should have noticed something sooner
Please hear this clearly:
You didn’t cause this, and you didn’t miss something important.
Many learning challenges don’t become obvious until school demands increase. As reading, writing, and organization become more complex, some children begin to struggle in ways that weren’t noticeable before.
The fact that you’re asking questions now means you’re paying attention to your child’s needs, and that’s one of the most important first steps in helping them get the right support.
If that thought has crossed your mind, a school evaluation may be the next step toward better understanding how your child learns.
What Is a School Evaluation?
A school evaluation is a process schools use to better understand how a child learns. A team of evaluators at the school looks at different areas of a child’s development and academic skills to determine whether the child may have a learning disability or might benefit from extra support or special education services.
The goal of an evaluation is not to label a child. Instead, the purpose is to better understand how the child learns so the school can provide appropriate support.
Many parents begin researching how to request an evaluation once they notice ongoing struggles with reading, writing, homework, or attention at school.
The idea of a school evaluation can raise a lot of questions. This guide will walk you through:
📚 Signs your child may need an evaluation
✏️ How to request an evaluation from your child’s school
🧠 What happens during the evaluation process
💜 What the results can mean for your child
Common Questions Parents Google When Their Child Is Struggling
Parents often begin searching for answers online with questions like:
❓Why is my child struggling in school?
❓Why does my child hate reading?
❓ Does my child need a school evaluation?
❓What are the signs of a learning disability?
❓ How do I request an evaluation from the school?
❓ What tests do schools do for learning disabilities?
❓ What happens during an IEP evaluation?
If you've found yourself searching questions like these, you are not alone.
Understanding the signs of learning challenges can help parents decide whether it may be time to explore how to request an evaluation for their child.
Signs Your Child May Need a School Evaluation
Children learn at different rates, but persistent struggles may signal something deeper.
Parents often notice patterns like:
📚 Reading struggles
difficulty sounding out words
slow or choppy reading
avoiding reading
✏️ Writing difficulties
messy handwriting
trouble expressing ideas on paper
spelling struggles
➕ Math challenges
difficulty remembering math facts
trouble solving word problems
🧠 Memory or attention struggles
forgetting instructions
difficulty following multi-step directions
😟 Emotional signs
anxiety about school
frustration with homework
saying “I hate school!”
If several of these challenges appear consistently, it may be time to explore a school evaluation for learning disabilities.
Understanding Possible Learning Challenges
Sometimes parents begin researching a specific concern they are seeing at home.
You might be wondering if your child’s struggles are related to something like:
📚 dyslexia
Each of these learning challenges can affect how a child processes information and completes schoolwork.
At My Happy Teacher, we’ve written parent-friendly blog posts about each of these learning challenges to help families better understand what their child may be experiencing.
Our posts explain:
✔ common signs of learning challenges
✔ how the challenges affect learning
✔ strategies that may help
Exploring these posts can give you valuable insight that can help you identify what may be signs of concern and may help you decide on next steps.
Understanding these differences can help parents decide whether the next step may be learning how to request an evaluation through the school system.
Not Sure Where to Start? Take the Learning Challenges Quiz 💜
If you’re seeing some of these signs but aren’t sure what they mean, a helpful first step is gaining a clearer picture of your child’s learning profile.
Our Understanding YOUR Child’s Learning Challenges Quiz takes about 15 minutes and looks at 11 areas of learning, including:
📚 reading
✏️ writing
➕ math
🧠 memory and attention
💬 language and communication
📒 and more
When you finish, you’ll receive a report like the one above highlighting areas of low, medium, or high concern.
Many parents tell us this moment brings clarity.
They often say:
"This explains so much about what my child has been experiencing."
Note: The quiz doesn’t diagnose anything, but it can help you identify patterns worth exploring further.
💜Why a School Evaluation Can Be Life-Changing
Many parents hesitate to request an evaluation because they worry about labeling their child, but the purpose of an evaluation is actually the opposite.
An evaluation can help uncover:
✔ how your child learns best
✔ what their strengths are
✔ why they may be struggling
✔ what support they may need to help them succeed
When schools understand how a child learns, they can provide supports such as:
📚 specialized instruction
✏️ reading intervention
🧠 executive functioning guidance
📄 classroom accommodations
These supports can often transform a child’s school experience.
How to Request an Evaluation from Your Child's School
If you’re wondering how to request an evaluation, the process usually begins with a written request to your child’s school explaining your concerns, describing patterns you noticed, and sharing information about evidence you have gathered.
Step 1: Notice Patterns
Pay attention to patterns such as:
homework taking much longer than expected to complete
difficulty reading or writing
frustration during schoolwork or avoidance of it altogether
Document what you observe.
Step 2: Gather Evidence
Gather information that shows your child's strengths and weaknesses.
Helpful evidence may include:
📄 report cards
📄 work samples
📄 teacher feedback
📄 your notes about homework struggles
This documentation helps the school understand your concerns.
Step 3: Request the Evaluation in Writing
Parents have the right to request an evaluation from their child’s school at any time they have concerns about their child's progress.
Your request should include:
concerns about your child’s learning
examples of struggles you have observed
a request for a full evaluation
Submitting your request in writing starts the formal evaluation process and ensures the school is fully aware of your concerns.
For many families, requesting an evaluation in writing is often the first step toward understanding why their child is struggling.
Step 4: Understanding the Testing Process
School evaluations may assess areas such as:
📚 reading skills
✏️ written expression
➕ math skills
🧠 cognitive abilities
💬 speech and language
🧠 executive functioning
📒 and more
These assessments may help identify why a child is struggling and what support may help.
Step 5: Prepare for the Team Meeting
After testing is completed, the school schedules a Team meeting.
During this meeting, the team reviews:
📄 evaluation results
📄 eligibility for services
📄 possible supports
Several school staff will attend the meeting, but parents are important members of the Team too. Your perspective matters, so feel comfortable asking questions and sharing what you know about your child.
Frequently Asked Questions About Requesting a School Evaluation
Can parents request an evaluation from the school?
Yes. If you are concerned about your child’s learning or development, you have the right to ask the school to evaluate your child. Schools are required to consider parent requests and explain the next steps in the evaluation process.
How do I request an evaluation for my child?
The best way to request an evaluation is to send a written request to your child’s school. In your message, describe the concerns you have about your child’s learning and ask the school to conduct a full evaluation to better understand what support your child may need.
What happens after an evaluation is requested?
After the school receives your request, they will review your concerns and may ask you to provide written permission for testing. Once permission is given, the school begins the evaluation process by assessing different areas of your child’s learning to understand what may be causing the struggles.
How long does the evaluation process take?
The timeline can vary depending on the state and school district. In most cases, once parents give written permission for testing, schools have a set number of days to complete the evaluation and review the results with you.
Key Takeaways
If your child is struggling in school, you’re not alone, and there are steps you can take to better understand what’s going on.
Here are the key things to remember:
Persistent struggles with reading, writing, math, attention, or memory may signal a learning challenge.
Parents have the right to request a school evaluation if they are concerned about their child’s learning.
A school evaluation helps identify how a child learns best and what supports may help them succeed.
Gathering observations, work samples, and teacher feedback can help prepare you for the evaluation process.
Taking the first step toward understanding your child’s learning needs can open the door to the support they need to thrive.
For many parents, requesting a school evaluation is the first time they’ve navigated the special education process. While understanding the steps is helpful, knowing how to move forward can still feel overwhelming.
To help, we created a step-by-step guide for families who would like a little extra support along the way.
A Step-by-Step Guide for Parents 💜
"The Roadmap to an Initial Evaluation"
For many parents, requesting a school evaluation is the first time they’ve navigated the special education process. While understanding the steps is helpful, knowing how to move forward can still feel overwhelming.
To help parents feel more confident navigating the evaluation process, we created a guide for families who want additional support along the way.
The Roadmap walks parents through:
✔ organizing concerns about your child’s learning
✔ gathering evidence of struggles
✔ writing the evaluation request letter
✔ understanding testing results
✔ preparing for the Team meeting
Instead of trying to figure everything out on your own, the Roadmap provides clear guidance and tools to help parents advocate for their children with confidence.
You Don’t Have to Navigate This Alone 💜
A parent once told me,
"I just knew something wasn’t right, but I didn’t know what to do next."
If you’re feeling that way, you’re not alone.
If your child is struggling in school, trust your instincts. Parents are often the first to notice when something isn’t quite right with their child’s learning.
Understanding your child’s learning profile can change everything. It helps you identify the supports, strategies, and tools that will help them thrive.
If you would like step-by-step guidance through this journey, you can explore the Roadmap to an Initial Evaluation, which helps parents navigate every stage of requesting and understanding the school evaluation process right through how to prepare for a Team meeting.
Because every child deserves the opportunity to succeed, and every parent deserves the tools to help them get there. 💜
💜 Want to Talk Through What’s Going On? 💜
Sometimes it helps to talk with someone who understands learning challenges and the school evaluation process. We can talk through what you’re noticing, answer questions, and help you think about next steps.
If that would be helpful, schedule a time to talk below. 💜
