What Is an IEP Evaluation?
An Individualized Education Program (IEP) is a special education program that is highly tailored to one child, aiming to meet their education needs given their specific learning disabilities. The process of developing and administering an IEP is a collaborative one, engaging parents/guardians, teachers, school administration, medical and mental health professionals, etc.
Definition and Purpose
Before an IEP can be written and administered, the recipient student has to be evaluated through a formal assessment, which is conducted by the child’s school, as per the mandates of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
The overall objective of the assessment is to effectively determine whether a child qualifies for an IEP. IDEA mandates that for a child to receive an IEP, they must: i) have a disability that fits law’s definition of a “child with a disability”, and ii) this disability must also be shown to negatively impact the child’s educational capabilities.
Consequently, an IEP evaluation does two main things:
- Establishes the presence and nature of a child’s disabilities;
- Determines the extent to which these disabilities impair or disrupt the child’s ability to get an education;
When an Evaluation Is Required
The process of evaluating a child for an IEP is a voluntary one, and can only happen following express, written consent from a child’s parents/guardians.
If a student’s teachers/school admin suspects that the child has a learning disability, or if the student’s parents do, they can ask that the child be evaluated. For the evaluation to take place, simple classroom interventions to assist the child in learning better must also be attempted. If these are not helpful for the child, special education support might be necessary, and for that to be available to a child, an assessment must be carried out.
Signs a Child May Need an IEP Evaluation
Since an IEP evaluation must follow a suspected learning difficulty in a child, a few tell-tale signs of education difficulties can be looked out for by parents and educators alike. Observing and documenting these signs can be vital to requesting an assessment.
Academic Difficulties
The first major area of learning issues to look out for can be in basic academic progress. This can include:
- Struggles with reading, writing, or math/arithmetic in general;
- Falling behind grade-level expectations in any of the above;
- Difficulty completing assignments or understanding lessons.
Behavioral or Developmental Concerns
Students with disabilities can often also suffer from behavioral problems that impair the ability to learn or function in a school environment. These problems can take the form of, but not be limited to:
- Trouble focusing in class, staying organized for class-related tasks or in managing school timetables;
- Communication challenges, with the child struggling to put thoughts or feelings into words, whether spoken or in writing;
- Difficulty interacting with peers, such as being withdrawn/not being sociable or not understanding social cues.
Teacher or Parent Observations
Parents know their child the best, including their child’s interests, emotional states, strengths and weak points/areas where the child needs help the most. They can offer the best observations and insights into a child’s learning and/or behavioral difficulties or offer details on a child’s developmental delays. They are thus the first point of contact in establishing a child’s disabilities. Parents will be the first to notice if a child:
- Is inordinately clumsy, forgetful, absent-minded.
- Struggles to do homework on their own or understand an assignment task without multiple explanations.
- Is disorganized and cannot initiate the task of doing homework on their own.
Teachers’ observations are also vital, as they stem from the child’s performance and behavior in an educational setting. These observations are crucial to receiving special education support for any child with difficulties, as a child must have a disability that impedes their ability to get an education.
Who Can Request an IEP Evaluation?
Parents or Guardians
Parents have the right to request an evaluation if they suspect their child needs special education services.
Teachers and School Staff
Teachers may recommend evaluations based on classroom performance.
Medical or Developmental Professionals
A child’s qualification for an IEP is a complex matter and thus requires that it be determined through a consultative and hands-on process overseen by a multidisciplinary group of qualified professionals, along with the child’s parents/guardians.
As such, medical or developmental professional such as the child’s pediatrician(s), psychologist(s), or therapist(s) may also suggest an evaluation.
How to Request an IEP Evaluation
Submitting a Written Request
Parents/guardians who want their child to be evaluated for an IEP have to submit a written request, in the form of an evaluation request letter to the school district. This must also be dated so as to establish a timeline.
What to Include in the Request
The written request has to provide details regarding the child. These range from basic identifying information to details of suspected learning difficulties, or even medical diagnoses or prior evaluations of the child that the parents think may be useful/relevant. In short, the information includes:
- Child’s name, school, and grade.
- Description of learning concerns.
- Any relevant diagnoses or evaluations.
While medical diagnoses can be useful in getting special education support for a child, they do not always guarantee this support.
This is because medical diagnoses and school-based evaluations are different:
- Medical diagnoses are broader and take a wholistic view of a child’s disabilities;
- School-based evaluations specifically assess how the child’s disabilities affect their educational performance.
Sample Elements of an Evaluation Request Letter
When writing an evaluation request letter, a few key things are important to include. These are:
- Date of writing the letter, to establish a timeline;
- The letter should be addressed to the Special Education Coordinator at the child’s school district;
- The body of the letter should have:
- An explanation of the parents’/guardians’ concerns for the child, with details of learning and/or development difficulties, including any past assessments or evaluations (copies of which should be attached as supporting documents with the letter), issues at school, previous interventions (and whether they were successful);
- A request for an initial multi-factored evaluation of the child by the school district;
- In closing, the letter should provide contact information for the parents/guardians.
What Happens During an IEP Evaluation
Multidisciplinary Evaluation Team
Evaluations are conducted by professionals such as school psychologists, special education teachers, and therapists.
Types of Assessments Used
The evaluation process from the school district must be thorough, and as such often involves a series of steps/individual assessments that examine a student’s overall state of disability. The assessments typically are:
| Academic assessment | Looks at a child’s academic prowess in different subjects (to assess reading, writing, math skills, etc.). |
| Cognitive and developmental testing | Examines a child’s logical thinking, abstract reasoning, and problem-solving skills. |
| Motor skills | Fine motor skills and overall sensory integration in movement. |
| Behavioral and social-emotional evaluations | Overall assessment of student’s emotional state and behavioral tendencies. |
| Classroom observation | To assess a child’s behavior within an educational setting, their interactions with classmates and level of focus on studying. |
| Speech and Language | How expressive and articulate a student is when speaking or writing anything. |
Information from all of these evaluation “steps” is used to identify the child’s specific needs, the challenges they face and how these can be best addressed. The evaluation is also required to be non-discriminatory, and in the child’s native language.
Timeline for the IEP Evaluation Process
Parental Consent
Once an IEP evaluation is requested, schools must first obtain written parental consent for the process to begin. This consent must be what is called “informed consent”; this means that schools must disclose exactly what assessments will be part of the evaluation, so that parents/guardians are fully aware of what to expect.
Once an evaluation is requested and consented to, schools are required to evaluate whether the child in question is eligible for special education services. Schools may first provide classroom interventions to address learning difficulties before a full evaluation, but this should not delay the evaluation. In some cases, schools can proceed with evaluation or special education services even without parental consent, following due process procedures.
Evaluation Timeline
Federal law generally requires evaluations to be completed within about 60 days of consent, though timelines may vary by state. Once a child is found eligible for services under IDEA, the IEP team in the child’s school district has 30 calendar days to meet and write an IEP for the child. The child’s school must schedule this IEP meeting.
If a child is found eligible for services under IDEA, the services must begin within 90 days of receiving parental/guardian consent for evaluation, or within 100 days of a request for evaluation.
Receiving the Evaluation Report
Once consent is in place, a thorough evaluation is done to determine the nature and extent of a child’s disability. The results of this evaluation inform the services and educational program the child receives.
Following the evaluation and determination of eligibility, parents/guardians receive a report of the evaluation in the parents’ native language.
How Schools Determine Eligibility
The Two Key Eligibility Requirements
In broad terms, the eligibility criteria for IEPs are that a child must have a disability that fits IDEA’s definition of a “child with a disability” (the law lists 13 qualifying disabilities) and that this disability negatively impacts the child’s educational capabilities, thus requiring special education.
The latter is the biggest eligibility criteria for IEPs, as not all disabilities qualify for IEPs and many learning disabilities instead qualify for, for example, 504 plans which are meant to remove barriers to learning for a student with a disability and can include services and accommodations.
Apart from the above, the student must be between 3 to 21 years of age. Though the age requirement can vary by state (e.g. in Michigan, eligibility is from birth to age 25). Lastly, the child must be enrolled in a public school.
The Eligibility Meeting
The results of a child’s evaluation are assessed by a group of multidisciplinary professionals, who then decide if the child fits IDEA’s definition of a “child with a disability.”
If the child qualifies under the aforementioned criteria, an IEP meeting is planned, and parents can begin participating in the decision-making process for their child’s special education plan.
What Happens After the Evaluation
If the Child Qualifies for an IEP
Once a child qualifies for an IEP, the school is responsible for notifying the parents of their first IEP meeting and they must:
- Contact all participants of the IEP meeting, not just the parents;
- Tell the parents the time and location of the meeting, and the individuals who will attend;
- Lay out in clear terms the purpose of the IEP meeting;
It is also the school’s responsibility to ensure that parents can meaningfully participate in the IEP meeting, by allowing flexible scheduling or by letting parents know well in advance of the meeting’s date and time so that they can plan accordingly and attend. Parents should also be given the option to join the meeting electronically, via phone or videoconferencing (e.g. Zoom). If parents require accessibility assistance, for example translators or sign language interpreters, these should also be provided.
The first IEP meeting is also where the child’s IEP is composed. By law, the IEP team must include:
- The child’s parent(s) or guardian(s), as they know their child and the child’s needs the best;
- Teachers, with at least one general/regular education teacher, along with at least one special education teacher;
- A representative of the school district who has the power to make decisions;
- A qualified person who can interpret what the child’s evaluation results mean;
This team develops a special education plan for the child, outlining goals for the academic year, services, and supports that the child will receive.
If the Child Does Not Qualify
If not eligible for an IEP, the child may still receive accommodations through a Section 504 plan.
What If Parents Disagree with the Evaluation?
Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE)
Once a child’s evaluation is completed, it is presented to the child’s parents/guardians, who can disagree with this evaluation. If they do so, the parents/guardians have the option to have an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE) done for their child, and ask the school system pay for this IEE. The school must then either pay for the IEE or file for a due process hearing to prove that its evaluation was appropriate.
Next Steps for Parents
Following the initial evaluation, parents/guardians can begin to discuss ideas and concerns with the school team, as part of the process for writing an IEP. Parents/guardians reserve the right to request additional assessments at any time, if they deem it necessary.
Key Takeaways About IEP Evaluations
Understanding the Evaluation Process
IEP evaluations help determine whether a child qualifies for special education services, in line with the mandates of IDEA.
Parents Play an Important Role
Parents can request evaluations, review results, and participate in eligibility decisions.
Connect with the TAC Team
Developing an IEP for your child can be a daunting and intimidating process, rife with complicated and bureaucratic procedures and areas that are out of parents’ expertise.
Navigating through all of this can feel isolating, but it doesn’t have to be!
The parent is the most crucial member of any IEP team. Therefore, at The Advocacy Circle, we believe that an informed parent is a child’s most powerful ally. Whether you are preparing for your first IEP meeting or facing a complex placement dispute, The Advocacy Circle provides parents the tools, templates, and community support they need to lead their child’s team with confidence.
Join The Advocacy Circle to become part of a community of parents who are turning exhaustion into effective advocacy.
