California pays for these evaluations. Which program you contact depends on your child's age. You can use them and a private evaluator at the same time.
Free · birth to 3
Early Start at Golden Gate Regional Center
A free developmental evaluation for babies and toddlers.
AgesBirth to 3
CostFree
How to startRefer your own child. No doctor or diagnosis needed.
For infants and toddlers from birth to 3 years old.
GGRC's Intake Contact page says to email the Early Start Referral Form to intake@ggrc.org, call 1-888-339-3305, or fax the form to 1-888-339-3306.
All faxes get a call to confirm receipt; if you don't hear back within 2 business days, call.
When this was checked, GGRC's Apply page said its online application was being fixed and asked families to download the referral form and email it, or call the intake line and leave a message.
DDS asks families to call before sending personal health information.
Early Start Family Resource Centers listed by DDS: Marin, Matrix Parent Network and Resource Center (800) 578-2592; San Francisco, Support for Families of Children with Disabilities (415) 920-5040; San Mateo, AbilityPath Family Resource Center (650) 259-0189.
Taft School's staff pages list two 'PreK SPED Intake & Assessment Psychologist' positions at 903 10th Ave., Redwood City, CA 94063, phone 650.482.2416, extension 2483: Faviola Ibarra (fibarra@rcsdk8.net) and Chau Goel (cgoel@rcsdk8.net).
No district page describing the preschool special education referral process was found.
The district's 2026-27 enrollment page says families of special education PreK students who already have an IEP use the district's main registration application.
The separate Child Development Center line, (650) 482-2417, handles state preschool enrollment, not assessments.
No district-published assessment request instructions were found.
The district FAQ says: 'Please call the district Department of Special Education, 650-482-2258, or call the school, if you have questions about which program may be best for your student.'
The San Mateo County SELPA advises that assessment requests 'are best made in writing with some specific reasons why you believe the child should be evaluated.'
You can also fax the form to 1-888-339-3306, or mail it or drop it off at a GGRC office.
The mailing address for the Intake Unit is 1900 S.
Norfolk Street, Suite 100, San Mateo, CA 94403 (ATTN: Intake Unit).
GGRC's page says young children may qualify under Provisional Eligibility without a specific diagnosis (GGRC phrases this as '3-5 years old'; RCEB and SARC cite state law as covering children aged 3 or 4).
Organizations in San Mateo County, with the 5 in or near Redwood City first. Each detail shows where it came from; anything the organization hasn't published says “Not yet confirmed.” Order never depends on payment.
We list an organization after confirming it exists at this location and offers the evaluation services listed, from its own published materials. Ages, insurance, and testing scope show “Not yet confirmed” until we can source them. Order never depends on payment.
We're starting the California directory in the Bay Area and adding providers slowly. A profile appears only after we confirm the organization, its location, and the services it publishes. Details we haven't confirmed are labeled “Not yet confirmed.”
