Objective, gold-standard clinical assessments diagnosing autism and securing appropriate specialized academic instruction under California special education law.
Securing the right special education services starts with an accurate, comprehensive diagnostic evaluation.
Under California Code of Regulations Title 5 § 3030(b)(1), autism is defined as a developmental disability significantly affecting verbal and nonverbal communication and social interaction. However, school district psychologists often mischaracterize autistic students as having "willful non-compliance," miss subtle female or high-masking autism presentations, or wrongfully deny 1-on-1 behavioral aides and speech-language services.
An Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE) conducted by CAS Evaluations provides an exhaustive, multi-environment assessment. Our evaluators look beyond school checklist ratings, utilizing gold-standard direct observation protocols to document sensory triggers, pragmatic language deficits, and adaptive daily living needs.
Evidence-based diagnostic instruments recognized by California school districts and OAH administrative law judges.
The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition: the international gold standard in direct interactive behavioral observation.
Monteiro Interview Guidelines evaluating sensory processing differences, restricted interests, and social communication patterns.
Standardized communication, daily living skills, socialization, and motor skills ratings comparing student functioning to national peers.
Sensory Profile-2 and functional behavioral assessment (FBA) integration to establish clear antecedents to sensory meltdowns and classroom overwhelm.
CAS provides multidisciplinary assessment across all six core special education domains.
Cognitive, academic, and social-emotional assessments for Learning Disabilities, Autism, and ADHD.
Comprehensive SLP evaluations for articulation, language processing, and pragmatics.
Fine motor, sensory processing, and visual-motor integration assessments.
Gross motor and mobility evaluations for campus access.
Assessment of gross motor skills for PE participation.
Specialized testing for reading disorders and phonological processing.
A medical diagnosis identifies clinical symptoms under DSM-5 criteria. An educational evaluation under California Code of Regulations Title 5 § 3030(b)(1) determines how verbal and nonverbal communication, social interaction, and sensory processing impact the child's educational performance.
Districts frequently overlook high-masking students, girls on the autism spectrum, or children with average-to-high intellectual ability, incorrectly classifying them under Emotional Disturbance (ED) or denying IEP eligibility altogether.
Yes. Under IDEA 34 C.F.R. § 300.502, if you disagree with the district's psychoeducational assessment or eligibility finding, you have the right to request an independent evaluation conducted by an outside specialist like CAS Evaluations.