Request and Track a Public-School Special Education Evaluation

A full and individual initial evaluation is the district's own assessment, paid for by the district, that answers one question: does your child qualify for special education under IDEA? The team must find both parts of the answer — the child has a disability in one or more of IDEA's 13 categories, and that disability creates an educational need that special education services address. A medical diagnosis is evidence the team weighs, not a decision it must copy.

The district has a legal duty, called Child Find, to identify, locate, and evaluate every child suspected of having a disability — whether or not a parent asks. Your written request triggers a duty that already exists. The evaluation itself, including testing, the written report, and the eligibility meeting, costs you nothing.