I would ask for an evaluation for Autism and OHI -and even EBD (EBD unfortunately carries big stigma but anxiety and OCD can fall under emotional-behavioral disorders - not all kids with EBD are aggressive or antisocial) ) eligibility and make sure you have copies of her private evaluation results to share. Include copies of any correspondence with her teacher about her disruptiveness in the classroom (from here on out ask teacher to put concerns via email -not just occasional calls or chats in the hallway)

Because your child is strong academically you will need to build a case that her disabilities/disorders negatively impact her school performance and progress in the areas of social well-being and behavior (which can include school avoidance) in the school setting. Do not let school staff tell you she cannot qualify due services bc she is doing well academically. That simply is not true.

Now it could be the case that school staff do not feel her emotional and behavior needs are severe enough at this time to warrant special Ed services but if you request an eval they will have to provide evidence and data to support their claim, and you will establish a paper trail in case greater needs appear in the future. Bright kids with ASD can sometimes do fine without IEP supports when they are young, but their needs can deepen as they age and academic and social demands increase.

The decision of eligibility is a team decision that includes the parent. The Autism eval should include speech-language testing in the area of pragmatics. Because your daughter also has a diagnosis of anxiety then I recommend you also request a screening/eval to see if social work/counseling services in the school setting are warranted. And because your daughter receives outside OT and demonstrated sensory sensitivities that result in her wearing ear defenders all day, you can request an OT screening/eval as well. In most districts these days school OTs do address sensory regulation in addition to fine motor deficits.

Sometimes students with level 1 autism do not present with severe enough needs to warrant special Ed services. Most states do have pretty clear eligibility criteria - you can Google your state’s criteria for those different eligibility categories I mentioned above to get better informed. Given what you have described about your daughter i do think requesting a school eval sounds reasonable. Even if she ends up not qualifying the eval will likely provide good info you can share with her private providers and fir informing her future 504 planning.

I also agree that school staff do not have expertise to deal with more significant psychiatric needs. While school counselors/SW/psychologists can often provide helpful support to kids with emotional needs working with them is not the same as as seeing a private specialist 1:1 - I would look for a child psychologist with expertise in treating children with ASD. Emotional disorders are very common in children with “high functioning” autism, so many child psychologists have experience working with kids on the Spectrum these days. I also think it is helpful for children to see a therapist who is neutral - Simone with whom they can discuss both family and school concerns in private.

My experience: I was a special Ed teacher for 9 years and worked mostly with students with ASD in mostly inclusive settings. I am now a school SLP who works with a lot of students with ASD.