Understanding Timelines for Special Education Evaluation: What Parents Need to Know

Apr 29

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When a child is struggling in school, parents often wonder: "Is this something more?" Seeking a special education evaluation can feel overwhelming, especially when it’s hard to know what to expect — or how long the process should take. Fortunately, there are clear legal timelines designed to ensure students receive timely support. Knowing these timelines can empower families to advocate effectively and keep the process moving forward.

Here’s what you need to know:

Step 1: Referral for Evaluation

The process typically begins when a parent, teacher, or other professional suspects a student may have a disability that impacts learning. A written referral for evaluation must be made — and in many states, once the school receives the signed parental request to evaluate, the clock starts ticking.

Tip: Always make your referral in writing. This triggers formal protections and deadlines under laws like the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

Step 2: Consent to Evaluate

Before any testing can begin, the school must obtain written parental consent. Schools are legally required to act promptly on a referral request. Once consent is signed, the formal timeline begins.

Federal law (IDEA) generally requires that an initial evaluation be completed within 60 days of receiving consent.
State laws may set a slightly different deadline. For example, some states use 60 school days or 60 business days instead of calendar days.

Important: If you live in a state with different requirements (like Florida, Texas, or California), be sure to ask or check your state’s Department of Education guidelines.

Step 3: Evaluation Period

During this phase, the school will conduct a comprehensive evaluation. This isn’t just one test — it may include academic assessments, speech/language evaluations, psychological evaluations, behavioral observations, and other data-gathering activities depending on the child’s needs.

Evaluations must be:

Comprehensive: Assessing all areas related to the suspected disability
Non-discriminatory: Provided in the child's native language or mode of communication
Based on multiple measures: Not reliant on a single test or score

If delays happen (for example, due to student absences), parents should be notified — but in most cases, schools must still meet the original deadline.

Step 4: Eligibility Determination

Once evaluations are complete, the school must hold an eligibility meeting (sometimes called a staffing meeting) to review the results with the parent.

At this meeting, the team will decide:

Whether the student meets the criteria for one or more disability categories
Whether the disability affects the child's educational performance
Whether the child requires special education and related services

Timeline Tip: Some states set specific deadlines for how soon after evaluation results the eligibility meeting must be held (for example, within 30 days).

Step 5: Development of an IEP (if eligible)

If the child is found eligible for special education, the next step is to create an Individualized Education Program (IEP). Under federal law, an IEP meeting must be held within 30 calendar days of the eligibility determination.

The IEP sets out: