Concierge Psychiatry
of Main Line Where Your Story Matters
of Main Line Where Your Story Matters
Educational Support
Thorough psychiatric evaluations and clear documentation your child's school team can consider when deciding on accommodations and support under federal law.
Many students with learning differences, ADHD, anxiety, or other conditions need accommodations to access education on an equal footing with their peers. Federal laws—specifically Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)—protect these students' rights to appropriate support.
Our evaluations give your child's school team detailed, clinically grounded information to consider. Under federal law, schools must consider outside evaluations, and eligibility decisions are made by the school team. Thoughtfully chosen accommodations can reduce barriers and help students learn with less unnecessary stress.
Who does what. Dr. Aqsa M. Malik, MD, a triple board-certified psychiatrist, performs the psychiatric evaluation, makes the diagnosis, and prepares the documentation. When a learning disability or processing disorder is suspected, formal psychological, learning-disability, and processing testing is done through licensed psychologists we coordinate with (and, for auditory processing, an audiologist). As our practice grows, we are welcoming additional psychiatrists and licensed therapists.
Section 504 (1973) requires schools receiving federal funding to provide equal access to education for students with disabilities. IDEA (originally enacted in 1975; most recently reauthorized in 2004) guarantees a free appropriate public education (FAPE) and specialized instruction for qualifying students. Both laws require the school to evaluate a student, at no cost to the family, when a disability is suspected. A private evaluation is optional—but it can add valuable clinical detail.
You are not required to supply outside documentation. You can ask your public school, in writing, to evaluate your child at no cost. In Pennsylvania, the evaluation must be completed within 60 calendar days of your signed permission (not counting summer). If you disagree with the result, you may request an independent educational evaluation at public expense. A private evaluation can complement—not replace—this process.
Privacy: We share reports with your child's school only with your written authorization. Once a school receives a report, it becomes part of your child's education record under FERPA, which has different privacy rules than medical records. We'll discuss with you which clinical details belong in the school version.
On June 16, 2026, the U.S. Department of Education signed interagency agreements moving day-to-day administration of special education (IDEA) to the Department of Health and Human Services and civil-rights enforcement to the Department of Justice. The laws themselves—IDEA, Section 504, and FERPA—have not changed, and neither have your child's rights to evaluation, services, and accommodations. Families can still file civil-rights complaints with the Office for Civil Rights, and Pennsylvania's Office for Dispute Resolution continues to handle special-education disputes.
Dr. Malik evaluates psychiatric conditions directly. Items marked "coordinated" rely on testing by licensed psychologists (and, for auditory processing, an audiologist) we work with.
Dr. Malik provides unhurried evaluations that bring together your child's history, symptoms, and how they're doing at home and in school. Clear, well-organized reports written with school teams in mind, access for questions as they arise, and ongoing guidance through the accommodation process—not just a one-time assessment.
Our evaluations give your child's school team detailed, clinically grounded information to consider. Schools must consider outside evaluations, and eligibility decisions are made by the school team.
Comprehensive developmental, educational, medical, and family history. Parent/guardian and student interviews to understand the full picture.
Standardized rating scales (for example, Conners, BASC-3, or Vanderbilt) to document symptom severity and functional impairment. When formal psychoeducational testing is needed, we coordinate it with a licensed psychologist.
Teacher rating scales, report cards, prior evaluations, and educational records review to document cross-setting impairment.
Documentation including DSM-5-TR diagnosis, functional limitations, and specific accommodation recommendations for the school team to consider. Shared with the school only with your written authorization.
These are examples only; which accommodations a student receives is decided by the school team.
Comprehensive ADHD assessments, with documentation prepared to College Board, ACT, and ETS guidelines (approval decisions rest with each testing agency).
Learn More →Psychiatric evaluation with cognitive testing coordinated through licensed psychologists.
Learn More →Comprehensive mental health care for children and teens.
Learn More →Request a private consultation to learn more about our evaluation process and how we can help your child get the support they deserve under federal law.
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