Conditions and/or Diagnoses Identified by School Psychologists

There currently exists significant confusion surrounding the ability of school psychologists to both use what is viewed or described as “clinical” or “medical” terminology in assessments and evaluation reports and to determine the presence of a diagnosable mental health condition.  Educational teams often need an identified condition or diagnosis to determine if a student is eligible for educational support services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and/ or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. It is the position of the Indiana Association of School Psychologists (IASP) that educational evaluation teams are able to use conditions and/ or diagnoses provided by school psychologists as a sufficient basis for determining the presence of a disability as required through IDEA and Section 504. Further, it is the position of IASP that there is no law, statute, or best practice guidance that prohibits school psychologists or educational teams from using diagnoses or related terminology in psychoeducational evaluation reports, individualized education plans (IEP), Section 504 plans, etc., including those determined and provided by school psychologists.  This would include terms such as ADHD, depressive and/or anxiety conditions, dyslexia, dyscalculia, and/ or dysgraphia.