The essential guide to IEP evaluations, eligibility, and your rights as a parent.
An IEP evaluation is a comprehensive assessment that determines whether your child qualifies for special education services. It examines multiple areas of development to understand your child's strengths, challenges, and specific learning needs.
This evaluation is the gateway to accessing support under IDEA and ensures your child receives the right services at the right time.
Parent or teacher requests an evaluation in writing.
School seeks parental permission to evaluate.
Professionals conduct tests across multiple domains.
Team compiles findings into a comprehensive report.
IEP team reviews results and determines eligibility.
Evaluates your child's performance in core academic areas including reading comprehension, fluency, written expression, math computation, and problem-solving. These standardized tests compare your child's performance to same-age peers.
Measures intellectual functioning, including memory, processing speed, reasoning, and problem-solving abilities. These assessments help identify learning strengths and areas where additional support may be needed.
Assesses both receptive language (understanding) and expressive language (speaking), as well as articulation, voice quality, and pragmatic language skills. Speech-language pathologists conduct these evaluations.
Evaluates both fine motor skills (handwriting, cutting, buttoning) and gross motor skills (running, jumping, balance). Occupational and physical therapists assess whether motor difficulties impact educational performance.
Measures practical, everyday life skills including self-care, communication in daily contexts, and social functioning outside of academic settings. This assessment looks at how your child navigates real-world situations.
Under IDEA, children ages 3-21 may qualify for special education services under one or more of these 13 disability categories.
Difficulties in reading, writing, math, or other academic areas despite appropriate instruction.
Communication disorders affecting speech sound production, fluency, or language comprehension.
Chronic or acute health conditions like ADHD, asthma, diabetes, or epilepsy that impact learning.
Developmental disability affecting communication, social interaction, and behavior patterns.
Behavioral or emotional challenges that adversely affect educational performance over time.
Significantly below-average cognitive functioning alongside limitations in adaptive behavior.
Partial or total loss of hearing that impacts educational performance and communication.
Partial or total loss of vision that affects educational performance even with correction.
Physical disabilities affecting mobility, motor skills, or physical functioning.
Combination of disabilities causing severe educational needs that can't be met in single-disability programs.
Simultaneous hearing and visual impairments causing severe communication and learning challenges.
Brain injury from external force causing cognitive, physical, or behavioral impairments.
For children ages 3-9, delays in physical, cognitive, communication, social, or adaptive development.
Eligibility requires both a qualifying disability and evidence that it adversely affects educational performance.
Federal law requires schools to follow strict timelines for evaluations. Understanding these deadlines helps you advocate for your child.
School must respond to your written evaluation request and either seek consent or explain why they're declining.
Once consent is given, the full evaluation must be completed within 60 calendar days (or your state's timeline).
After evaluation completion, the IEP team must meet to review results and determine eligibility.
Comprehensive reevaluation must occur at least every three years, or sooner if you or the school request it.
First comprehensive assessment to determine if your child has a disability and qualifies for special education services under IDEA.
Periodic reassessment to determine if your child still qualifies for services and to understand current needs and progress.
Evaluation conducted by a qualified professional outside the school district, at public expense if you disagree with the school's evaluation.
As a parent, you have specific rights throughout the evaluation process. Here are the key protections guaranteed by federal law.
You have the right to request an initial evaluation or reevaluation at any time. Submit your request in writing to document the date, and the school must respond within a reasonable timeframe (typically 10 to 30 days).
The school must explain all evaluations they plan to conduct and obtain your written consent before testing begins. You have the right to understand what's being assessed and why.
Evaluations must assess all areas of suspected disability, not just one domain. The school must use multiple measures and sources of information, including classroom observations and parent input.
Tests must be administered in your child's native language or communication mode and must be free from cultural bias. Evaluators must be properly trained and qualified.
You have the right to receive a complete copy of the evaluation report before the eligibility meeting. Review it carefully and prepare questions about areas you don't understand or disagree with.
If you disagree with the school's evaluation, you can request an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE) at public expense. The school must either agree to pay for it or file for a hearing to defend their evaluation.
You are an equal member of the IEP team. You have the right to attend the eligibility meeting, ask questions, provide input, and participate in all decisions about your child's eligibility and services.
Reevaluations follow the same procedural safeguards as initial evaluations. You can request one at any time if you believe your child's needs have changed, and you must provide consent before reevaluation testing begins.
Being prepared helps ensure the evaluation accurately captures your child's needs and leads to appropriate support.
Keep records of your child's academic performance, teacher feedback, report cards, and any concerns you've raised. Create a timeline of when difficulties began.
Collect relevant medical documentation, diagnoses, therapy reports, and medication information. Share anything that might impact learning or behavior.
List specific examples of challenges your child faces at home and school. Include when problems occur and any strategies that have helped or haven't worked.
Note your child's strengths, interests, and successes. A complete picture includes what your child does well alongside areas of difficulty.
Write questions about the evaluation process, what will be tested, who will conduct assessments, and when you'll receive results.
You can bring an advocate, attorney, or supportive friend to meetings. Having someone with you can help you process information and remember important details.
Carefully read the evaluation report. Highlight areas you don't understand or disagree with, and prepare questions for the team meeting.
The IEP team will discuss evaluation results and determine if your child qualifies for services. You're an equal member with the right to participate in this decision.
If your child qualifies, the team creates an IEP with goals, services, and accommodations tailored to their needs. Services must begin as soon as possible.
If your child doesn't qualify, ask about 504 plans, Response to Intervention (RTI), or request an IEE at public expense if you disagree. You can also file a state complaint, mediation, or due process complaint with the state to resolve the issue.
An advocate can help you request an evaluation, prepare for meetings, understand results, and ensure your child's rights are protected.