Preparing for an IEP Reevaluation

An IEP reevaluation looks at whether your child still qualifies for special education services and whether their current services still match their needs. Reevaluations generally happen at least every three years, though you or the school can request one sooner if needs seem to be changing.

What a reevaluation actually involves

A reevaluation typically draws on existing data first, current grades, teacher observations, progress on existing IEP goals, before deciding whether new formal testing is needed. If the team determines no new testing is needed, you have the right to request it anyway if you believe your child’s needs have changed in ways the existing data doesn’t capture.

How to prepare in the weeks before

Request copies of all evaluation reports and progress data in advance. You have the right to review evaluation reports before the meeting, generally with at least some advance notice, rather than seeing them for the first time at the table.

Write down your own observations. Specific, concrete examples carry more weight than general impressions. Instead of “homework is hard,” note: “Took two hours to complete a 20-minute worksheet most nights this month, and needed redirection roughly every 5 minutes.”

List what’s working and what isn’t, separately. Reevaluations aren’t only about identifying problems. If a specific accommodation has genuinely helped, say so clearly, so it doesn’t get dropped in favor of something untested.

Note any outside information. Private therapy notes, outside evaluations, medical updates, or even consistent feedback from an outside tutor can all be relevant, and you are allowed to bring and share this information.

Decide what you want to ask for, specifically. “More support” is hard for a team to act on directly. “An updated assistive technology evaluation” or “additional speech therapy minutes” gives the team something concrete to respond to.

Questions worth asking during the meeting

• “What specific data shows progress, or lack of progress, toward each current goal?”
• “Are current accommodations actually being implemented consistently across all of my child’s classes?”
• “What would you recommend if cost or staffing weren’t a factor?” (This question sometimes surfaces options that weren’t otherwise mentioned.)
• “What happens if we disagree with today’s conclusions?” (A useful reminder to the team, and to yourself, that disagreement has a real process, not just an awkward silence.)

After the meeting

Request a written copy of any updated IEP or evaluation summary if it isn’t provided automatically. Compare it against your own notes from the meeting to confirm it accurately reflects what was discussed and agreed to, since written records are what matters if questions come up later.

Key words to know

Reevaluation: The process of reviewing whether a student still qualifies for special education and whether current services still fit their needs, generally required at least every three years.

Present levels of performance: The section of an IEP describing a student’s current skills and needs, which a reevaluation should update with current data.