I have a student with an evaluation meeting coming up. I am somewhat worried that the team might decide, however, that this kid simply has not had enough access to education to not rule out that factor. 

It's an online school chosen by the parents. However, both parents work and the kid is meeting the bare minimum for attending classes and schoolwork. And I mean the barest minimum and they are somewhat in the trouble zone with the school and state for not doing more. 

So, yeah, I am worried this meeting might turn into "but Kid also hasn't been regularly practicing such-n-such or attending these required classes."

How would the law looking at an IEP approach how much schoolwork a student did?

Is the "evaluation meeting" the first evaluation meeting and the one to determine eligibility for the first time?  Also, what eligibility categories are you going to be looking at?

If you're looking at specific learning disabilities, then an evaluation showing low scores in academics could definitely (and legally) take into consideration all the absences as a reason for the low scores.  Especially if those absences have reached the point of non-compliance with state policy/regs.  However, if the disability is something like ADHD, maybe that is the reason FOR the absences.

What was the reason the parents chose an online school and is it through the school district?

2 hours ago, Carolyn Rowlett said:

Is the "evaluation meeting" the first evaluation meeting and the one to determine eligibility for the first time?  Also, what eligibility categories are you going to be looking at?

If you're looking at specific learning disabilities, then an evaluation showing low scores in academics could definitely (and legally) take into consideration all the absences as a reason for the low scores.  Especially if those absences have reached the point of non-compliance with state policy/regs.  However, if the disability is something like ADHD, maybe that is the reason FOR the absences.

What was the reason the parents chose an online school and is it through the school district?

This is to determine eligibility for evaluation. I'm just the gen ed teacher so I'm not sure what categories they'll be looking at. It was basically Mom saying "Kid has bad grades, we have some personal worries about ability, can we look into getting evaluated?"

The school is not through a district but through the state. Parents picked it because their work schedules interfere with drop-off/pick-up for neighborhood school.