A letter comes home in the spring. It says your child is "due for a triennial" and asks you to return a form. Nobody has mentioned testing. Maybe there will be some, and maybe there will not. You have a right to understand which, and to have a say.
Every child with an IEP gets a fresh look at eligibility on a regular schedule. This guide explains what the federal rule says about that three-year check, what a "review of existing data" means, and how you can ask for new testing if you want it. It is general information, not legal advice, and your state may add its own rules.
When a reevaluation has to happen
Section 300.303 says a school must reevaluate a child with a disability in two situations. One is when the school decides that the child's educational or related services needs, including academic achievement and functional performance, call for it. The other is when the parent or the child's teacher asks for it.
The rule also sets limits on timing.
| Limit | What the rule says |
|---|---|
| At most | Not more than once a year, unless you and the school agree otherwise |
| At least | At least once every three years, unless you and the school agree it is unnecessary |
So three years is the longest gap, and you can agree to skip one only if you actually agree. A reevaluation is not the same as the yearly IEP review. See what to expect at an annual review for that.
The first step: a review of existing data
For any reevaluation, section 300.305 says the IEP team and other qualified professionals, as appropriate, review the information that already exists. That includes:
- evaluations and information that you provide;
- current classroom-based, local, or state assessments, and classroom-based observations; and
- observations by teachers and related services providers.
Using that review and your input, the group identifies what additional data, if any, it needs. The questions it asks are about whether your child continues to have a disability, your child's present levels of performance and educational needs, whether your child still needs special education and related services, and whether any changes to services are needed to help your child meet the annual goals and take part in the general curriculum.
The rule says the review can be done without holding a meeting. That means you may receive a form or a notice and never be invited to a table. Your input still counts, so if you have concerns, put them in writing.
If the team decides no new testing is needed
If the group decides that no additional data are needed, the school must tell you, in writing, what it decided and why. The notice must also say that you have the right to request an assessment to determine whether your child continues to be a child with a disability and what your child's educational needs are. The school does not have to do that assessment unless you ask for it.
That is the key sentence for parents: you may ask. If you want testing, say so in writing, and ask for an assessment plan.
What to share before the review
Since the review draws on your input, a little preparation can change what happens.
- Outside reports. A private evaluation, a doctor's letter, or a therapist's summary can go into the review.
- Your own observations. What has changed at home: homework, friendships, sleep, stress, new skills.
- Questions about the last evaluation. What no longer seems right, and what was never tested.
- Your child's view, if your child is old enough to share it.
Send them in writing and keep a copy, with the date.
Consent
Informed parental consent is required before a reevaluation. If you do not respond, the school may proceed if it can show reasonable efforts to get your consent. If you refuse, it may, but is not required to, use the procedures that let it override a parent. See parental consent in special education for the full picture.
When the results come back
After new testing, you will get a report and a meeting to discuss it. Ask for the report ahead of the meeting. How to read an evaluation report explains the scores. If you disagree with what the school did, you can ask for an independent educational evaluation, described in independent educational evaluation: a parent's guide. And for how long evaluations usually take, see how long an IEP evaluation takes.
Before special education ends
Section 300.305 also says that, in general, a school must do a reevaluation before it decides a child is no longer eligible. There are two exceptions: when eligibility ends because the child graduates with a regular diploma, or because the child ages out of eligibility for a free appropriate public education. In those cases the school must give the child a summary of academic achievement and functional performance, including recommendations to help the child meet postsecondary goals.
If you are told your child may no longer need services, ask whether a reevaluation has been done, and ask for the data in writing.
A short checklist
- Note the date the reevaluation is due.
- Send any outside reports and your own observations before the review.
- Ask whether the review will include a meeting.
- If the school says no new testing is needed, ask for the notice in writing.
- If you want testing, request it in writing and ask for an assessment plan.
- Keep copies of every form and message.
Reevaluation mix-ups
- Confusing it with the annual review. The annual review looks at the IEP. A reevaluation looks at eligibility and needs.
- Assuming it means testing. It starts with existing data.
- Assuming you cannot ask for more. You can request an assessment, and the school must tell you so.
- Signing without reading. Consent forms should say what will be done.
Terms are in the glossary.