Clear answers for a confusing process.
Plain explanations of how to choose, prepare for, and make sense of a child evaluation.
Free programs, rights, and coverage
Early Start, school assessments, regional centers, Medi-Cal, and insurance, with the official sources for every rule.
Early Start in San Francisco, San Mateo, and Marin
How families in San Francisco, San Mateo, and Marin ask Golden Gate Regional Center for a free developmental evaluation for a baby or toddler under 3, what happens next, and what changes at age 3.
Learn moreEarly Start in Alameda and Contra Costa
How families in Alameda and Contra Costa ask Regional Center of the East Bay for a free developmental evaluation for a baby or toddler under 3, what happens next, and what changes at age 3.
Learn moreEarly Start in Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Monterey, and San Benito
How families in Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Monterey, and San Benito ask San Andreas Regional Center for a free developmental evaluation for a baby or toddler under 3, what happens next, and what changes at age 3.
Learn moreSFUSD preschool assessment
San Francisco Unified assesses children ages 3 to 5 for special education at no cost, including children who aren't enrolled in an SFUSD preschool. Here's who to contact and what timelines apply.
Learn moreRequesting a school evaluation
Any parent in California can ask their public school district to assess their child for special education. Put it in writing, and the district has 15 days to send a plan and 60 days after you sign to finish and meet.
Learn moreIndependent educational evaluations
If you disagree with your district's assessment, you can ask for an independent educational evaluation at public expense. Here's how the request works and what the district must do.
Learn moreRegional center after age 3
After the third birthday, California's regional centers serve people with autism, intellectual disability, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, or a closely related condition. Here's who qualifies, the timelines, and Bay Area intake contacts.
Learn moreMedi-Cal and evaluations
Children and teens under 21 with full-scope Medi-Cal are covered for medically necessary screening, diagnostic, and treatment services under EPSDT. Here's how that applies to developmental, autism, and ADHD evaluations.
Learn moreAutism insurance law (SB 946)
California requires state-regulated health plans to cover behavioral health treatment for autism, and to cover medically necessary mental health care on the same terms as other medical care. Here's what that means for getting an evaluation covered.
Learn moreDiagnosis vs. eligibility
In California, a clinical diagnosis, special education eligibility, and regional center eligibility are three separate decisions made by different people using different rules.
Learn moreTesting vs. consultation
Some evaluations are a few hours of interviews and observation; others include a day of standardized testing and a long report. Here's how they differ and which questions each can answer.
Learn moreWhile you wait
Private evaluation waitlists in the Bay Area can run for months. Free public routes have legal timelines, and much of what helps a child doesn't require a diagnosis.
Learn moreUnderstanding evaluations
What Type of Evaluation Does My Child Need?
A guide to matching what you notice with the evaluations families often consider.
Learn moreHow Child Evaluations Work
What happens before, during, and after testing, and how families can prepare.
Learn morePreparing Your Child for Testing
Age-appropriate ways to explain an evaluation and set your child up for a manageable day.
Learn moreUnderstanding Your Evaluation Report
How to read scores, diagnoses, recommendations, and the limits of a written report.
Learn moreSchool Evaluation vs. Private Evaluation
How purpose, cost, scope, timelines, and decision-making differ.
Learn moreNeuropsychological vs. Psychoeducational Evaluation
Where these evaluations overlap and when their differences matter.
Learn more