Dana noticed that her son's reading homework took three hours and ended in tears most nights. His teacher said he was "a little behind." Dana wanted to know why, and she wanted something on paper. She did not know that she could simply ask the school to evaluate him.
You can ask, and the first step is simply asking. This guide covers what to say, where to send it, and what should happen next.
You can ask, and you do not need a diagnosis
Under the federal special education law, either a parent or the school can ask for an initial evaluation to find out whether a child has a disability. That is the wording of the rule in 34 CFR 300.301. Nothing in it says you must first try an outside doctor, wait for a teacher to suggest it, or collect a diagnosis.
Schools also have a duty to look for children who may have disabilities, even without a parent asking. The practical point for you: if you have a concern, you do not have to wait for the school to notice it.
Why put it in writing
The federal rule does not say a request has to be written. Even so, a letter or email has three advantages. It gives you a date. It shows exactly what you asked. And it gets handed to the person who can act on it rather than lost in a hallway conversation.
Some states and districts have their own forms or timelines. Check the special education page of your state education agency, and ask your school office whether there is a district form. Using the form does not stop you from also sending your own letter.
What to put in the letter
Keep it short and specific. You are asking for an evaluation, not arguing a case.
- Your child's full name, date of birth, school, and grade.
- A sentence that says you are requesting an initial evaluation for special education and related services.
- Your concerns, in plain words, with one or two concrete examples.
- What has already been tried, such as extra help, tutoring, or a 504 plan, if anything.
- Any outside reports you are attaching, such as a doctor's or therapist's report.
- A request for written confirmation of when the school received the letter, and for the consent form or a written explanation if the school will not evaluate.
- Your contact details and the best way to reach you.
Who to send it to, and how
Address it to the school principal and to the district's director of special education, or to whoever your district names for special education requests. If you are not sure who that is, ask the school office. Send it by email so it is timestamped, and keep a copy. If you also hand a paper copy to the front office, ask them to sign or stamp your copy with the date.
What happens after you send it
| Step | What you should receive | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| School receives your request | A reply that confirms receipt, often a meeting invitation or a form | Keep the date and the name of the person who replied |
| School decides whether to evaluate | Either a consent form for the evaluation, or a written refusal explaining why | Read it closely and keep it |
| You give written consent | A plan for which areas will be assessed | Ask questions before you sign; sign only when you are comfortable |
| Evaluation is carried out | Contact from assessors, requests for parent input | Share anything useful: reports, work samples, your observations |
| Eligibility meeting | An invitation, and usually a copy of the report | Ask for the report ahead of time if you do not get it |
Two notes. First, the school must get your informed consent before the first evaluation, and agreeing to the evaluation is not the same as agreeing to special education services. Services need a separate consent later, if your child qualifies.
Second, the federal rule sets an outer limit for completing the evaluation, described next.
How the 60-day clock works
The federal rule says an initial evaluation must be done within 60 days of the school receiving your consent, or within the timeframe your state sets if it has one. The clock starts at consent, not when you send the letter. That is why the order matters: the school's reply and consent form come first.
There are narrow exceptions. The timeframe does not apply if a parent repeatedly fails or refuses to bring the child for the evaluation, or if the child moves to a different district after the clock started and the new district is making progress and agrees a completion date with you.
States differ on whether they count school days or calendar days and on what happens between the request and the consent form. Your state education agency's special education page will say which applies. We cover this in more detail in how long an IEP evaluation takes.
If the school suggests trying something else first
You may hear, "Let's try some interventions and see." Extra support can be a good idea, and it can run alongside an evaluation request. It cannot replace the evaluation. The federal Office of Special Education Programs has said that a response to intervention process cannot be used to delay or deny an evaluation of a child suspected of having a disability.
If you hear this, restate your request and ask the school to put its answer in writing.
If the school says no
When a school refuses to evaluate, it must tell you in writing, and the notice has to explain why, what information it relied on, and where you can get help understanding your rights. That document is called prior written notice, covered in what is prior written notice.
You have options after a refusal, and none of them require you to act in a hurry. Our guide on what to do if the school denies an evaluation walks through them in order.
Where to get free help
Every state has at least one federally funded parent training and information center. Staff there can explain your state's rules and help you prepare. Use the Parent Center Hub directory linked in the sources to find yours.