pathwise

My child's teacher mentioned an assessment. What happens now?

Take a breath — this is a common moment, and there's a clear next step. Answer a few quick questions and we'll tell you exactly what to do this week.

Here's where you are

This usually means the school has noticed a pattern in how your child is learning and wants more information to understand it — not that something is wrong. In BC, this often goes through the school's School-Based Team before anything formal happens. It's the beginning of a process, not a verdict.

  1. 1

    Ask for a conversation

    Request a short meeting with the teacher to hear specifics: what they've observed, how often, and in which subjects. Ask whether your child has been referred to the school's School-Based Team — that's the group (usually the principal, a learning support teacher, and the classroom teacher) that reviews concerns and decides next steps, including who's assigned as your child's case manager.

  2. 2

    Bring a question list to that meeting

    Show the questions
    • What specifically have you noticed, and in which subjects or situations?
    • How long has this been observed?
    • What classroom strategies have already been tried?
    • Has this been referred to the School-Based Team, and what did they decide?
    • Would an assessment be through the school district (free, but often a wait) or private (faster, but paid — ask for a written quote, since pricing varies by clinician)?
    • What can start now, before an assessment is finished?
    • Who will be my child's case manager going forward?
  3. 3

    Send a short follow-up email

    Show the template
Most important Supports can often start before a formal assessment is complete. Ask directly whether classroom accommodations — extra time, chunked instructions, assistive tech — can begin now, while the assessment process runs separately.

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Your personalized roadmap

First, take a breath: what this does and doesn't mean

The process, step by step

Your first week

    Your next 60 days

    Remember This roadmap helps you with the process: who to ask, what to ask, and when to follow up. It doesn't interpret results, diagnose anything, or give legal advice. If you receive a report, ask the person who wrote it, or the school team, to walk you through it.
    Where this comes from

    Plain-language summary of public BC information, last checked October 2026. Districts differ, so always confirm with your school or district.