Street Address If the school does not request a hearing to dispute your request for an IEE, the school must pay for the IEE. H328R180005. Independent Educational Evaluations The purpose of this advisory is to clarify school district responsibility under the federal and state special education law for providing a publicly funded independent educational evaluation (IEE) for a student. I would like this Independent Educational Evaluation to be done as quickly as possible so that we can fully address (childs name) needs. But if you can find a way, Id try this. No official endorsement by the U.S. Department of Education of any product, commodity, service or enterprise mentioned on this website is intended or should be inferred. If the hearing officer decides in favor of the school system, you may still obtain an independent evaluation, but you must pay for it. So say you suspect a reading disability of some kind. [Your Name] McAndrews Law Offices is located in Berwyn, PA and serves clients in and around Berwyn, Devon, Paoli, Lionville, Valley Forge, Villanova, Wayne, Newtown Square, Broomall, Devault, Oaks, Glen Riddle Lima, Haverford, Bryn Mawr, Bridgeport, Phoenixville, Ardmore, Westtown, Media, Cheyney, Arcola, Chester County, Delaware County, Montgomery County and Philadelphia County. Read Full Terms and Conditions. If a district believes in their evals and is denying the IEE, per IDEA they must file for due process. Weve put these below for parents who would like to read IDEAs exact words. 1. While a school district may request from the parents the basis for their disagreement with its evaluation, it cannot delay either agreeing to fund the IEE or requesting a due process hearing. (5) A parent is entitled to only one independent educational evaluation at public expense each time the public agency conducts an evaluation with which the parent disagrees. And when they notice, they want reliable information so they can help their students. Keep it simple. If the parent obtains an independent educational evaluation at public expense or shares with the public agency an evaluation obtained at private expense, the results of the evaluation, (1) Must be considered by the public agency, if it meets agency criteria, in any decision made with respect to the provision of FAPE to the child; and. (2) May be presented by any party as evidence at a hearing on a due process complaint under subpart E of this part regarding that child. If the hearing officer decides in favor of the school system, you may still obtain an independent evaluation, but you must pay for it. (2) May be presented by any party as evidence at a hearing on a due process complaint under subpart E of this part regarding that child. Hes going to be on the Dont IEP Alone Podcast. Parents should send the letter requesting an IEE by fax, email, or regular mail (certified) and keep a copy of the letter with their childs records. When an IEE is paid for with public funds, it must comply with the same criteria that the school system uses when conducting an initial evaluation of a child. Give your address and a daytime phone number where you can be reached. You will have the chance at this hearing to state your reasons why the school system should be required to pay for the IEE. And remember, not all people at all districts are jerks. web: www.nichcy.org, LD OnLine is made possible by a generous grant from. Sometimes a parent may feel that the results of the school's evaluation do not accurately describe the child. I am writing to request an Independent Educational Evaluation at public expense, for the following reasons: (BRIEFLY list your reason(s). Title If the school initiates due process, and the final decision of the hearing officer is that the evaluation of the school was appropriate, you still have the right to an IEE but not at public expense. How to Understand your Childs IEP Assessments, Disability Acceptance, Advocacy and Activism, Section 504 Plans and 504 Plan Accommodations, the district does not employ qualified evaluators for a specific evaluation, you disagree with the districts evaluation, districts eval was incomplete or used outdated methods or data, data collected is inappropriate (for example, they used a test protocol that is not appropriate for autism or IDD, or non-verbal or blind, or reading disabled, etc. (2) Each public agency must provide to parents, upon request for an independent educational evaluation, information about where an independent educational evaluation may be obtained, and the agency criteria applicable for independent educational evaluations as set forth in paragraph (e) of this section. He/She was evaluated for special education services in (month/year). https://www.parentcenterhub.org/placement-2/, Informing the school that you intend to place your child in a private school at public expense This individual then decides if the school system must pay for an independent evaluation. Independent Educational Evaluation - Family Guidance & Therapy Center Sometimes when a parent requests an IEE, the school says that they want to meet. When writing any business letter, it is important to keep it short and to the point. Its important to note that although the public agency may ask the parent why she is requesting an IEE, it cannot condition its response on whether to fund or file for due process on whether the parent has adequately explained her reasons for requesting the IEE. No! There are many circumstances in which parents may want to obtain an independent educational evaluation ("IEE") under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act ("IDEA"); most commonly when they disagree with an evaluation by their child's public school district. Letter Requesting Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE) Some reasons you may want to request an independent evaluation include: You believe the original evaluation was incorrect or incomplete and additional tests are needed. In some cases, you may pay for an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE). The results of the IEE must be considered by the school in any decision made regarding your childs free appropriate public education. In other words, parents may obtain an IEE of their child at their own expense, and then present the completed IEE to the school district and request reimbursement, thereby triggering the requirement that the school district either fund the IEE (i.e., reimburse the costs for the already obtained IEE) or request a hearing to defend the appropriateness of its last evaluation. However, the district may still say no. City, State, Zip Code After you write your first draft, put the letter aside for a day or two. In response, federal and state laws require the LEA to either agree to fund the IEE or file for due process. (2) Except for the criteria described in paragraph (e)(1) of this section, a public agency may not impose conditions or timelines related to obtaining an independent educational evaluation at public expense. California In response, federal and state laws require the LEA to either agree to fund the IEE or file for due process. Have someone else read your letter for you. The evaluation was not done with the needed accommodations (for example, in Braille or administered by someone who knows sign language). PDF reasons for requesting an IEE. - boarddocs.com Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress, Requesting an Initial Evaluation for Special Education Services, Requesting a Change in Your Childs Placement, https://www.parentcenterhub.org/records-2/, https://www.parentcenterhub.org/evaluation-2/, https://www.parentcenterhub.org/placement-2/, https://www.parentcenterhub.org/mediation-2/, https://www.parentcenterhub.org/statecomplaint-2/. How to Request an IEP Evaluation Can IEP Assessments be done Virtually? The school must tell parents what those criteria aresuch as the location of the evaluation and the qualifications of the examiner. Sec. Box 1492 IEE stands for Independent Education Evaluation. Accurate and updated information as of October 2021 No official endorsement by the U.S. Department of Education of any product, commodity, service or enterprise mentioned on this website is intended or should be inferred. Parents can choose to have their child tested outside the school system, for these or other reasons. your childs teacher(s). If the LEA agrees to fund the IEE, it must also provide the parents a list of potential independent assessors that meet agency criteria, but the parent is NOT required to choose anyone on the LEAs list. While permission to reprint material from this website is not necessary, the citation should be: Center for Parent Information and Resources (retrieval date). City, State, Zip Code, My son/daughter, (childs name), is in the ( _ ) grade at (name of school), in (teachers name) class. Awards, scholarships, and fellowships Up to $250,000 is awarded to IEEE Student Members per year to recognize the accomplishments of technologists and engineers worldwide! Independent meaning someone not working for the school. Money, of course. If the parent obtains an independent educational evaluation at public expense or shares with the public agency an evaluation obtained at private expense, the results of the evaluation, (1) Must be considered by the public agency, if it meets agency criteria, in any decision made with respect to the provision of FAPE to the child; and. Stories, memories, anecdotes drawings, photographs, paintings. First, start by asking yourself the following questions and state the answers in your letter: Each letter you write should include the following basic information: You want to make a good impression so that the person reading your letter will understand your request and say yes. Remember, this person may not know you, your child, or your childs situation. (c) Parent-initiated evaluations. Here is a sample request letter to help: Full Name Director of Special Education Name of School District Address City, State, Zip Re: Independent Educational Evaluation Request for Child's Name, age (DOB), grade Date Dear (Mr., Mrs., or Dr.) Last Name: Dyslexia? 2023 A Day In Our Shoes with Lisa Lightner, Understanding IDEA and Your Parental Rights. However, it is necessary to keep in mind that there are certain procedures under the IDEA that are triggered when parents request funding for an IEE from their school district. Common reasons for denying evaluation requests Here are six of the most common explanations schools give: 1. The results of the IEE must be considered by the school in any decision made regarding your child's free appropriate public education. Sincerely, Your Name Street Address City, State, Zip Code Daytime telephone number. 1415(b)(1), 34 C.F.R. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the positions or policies of the Department of Education. The right to an IEE is triggered each time the school district conducts an evaluation. Its important to note that although the public agency may ask the parent why she is requesting an IEE, it cannot condition its response on whether to fund or file for due process on whether the parent has adequately explained her reasons for requesting the IEE. Sample Letters for Requesting Evaluations and Reports - Understood cc: your childs principal Wait for the results and the report. Town, New York Zip Date. 20 U.S.C. The law requires the LEA to respond to a parents request for an IEE without unnecessary delay. (ii) Ensure that an independent educational evaluation is provided at public expense, unless the agency demonstrates in a hearing pursuant to Sec. Newark, NJ 07102 Fax: (202) 884-8441 The Court wrote: IDEA thus ensures parents access to an expert who can evaluate all the materials that the school must make available, and who can give an independent opinion. . Local Sections and Chapters network with others in the local member community, and participate in local educational events Technical Chapters engage with others through informative technical meetings Volunteering Volunteer members involved with student activities in over 2,150 student branches have opportunities to build leadership skills and networking opportunities myIEEE members-only personalized gateway into IEEE membership IEEE GOLD A vibrant community of engineers, scientists, and technical experts of Graduates of the Last Decade (GOLD) Profession IEEE membership builds a platform to introduce technology careers to students, to empower them to build and own their careers, and to enhance their resume. On am many reasons why ampere parent may ask her child's LEA to fund one or more IEEs. Independent Educational Evaluations (IEE) at the ApaCenter Use spell check and grammar check on the computer. If the parent obtains an independent educational evaluation at public expense or shares with the public agency an evaluation obtained at private expense, the results of the evaluation--, (1) Must be considered by the public agency, if it meets agency criteria, in any decision made with respect to the provision of FAPE to the child; and. Or ask someone reliable to edit your letter before you send it. Note:The cc: at the bottom of the letter means you are sending a copy of your letter to the people listed after the cc. Conference & Event Discounts Sponsoring more than 1,100 annual conferences and meetings worldwide, IEEE provides a unique member discount. Then look at it again and revise it with fresh eyes. If anyone has difficulty accessing our website information and resources, we encourage you to reach out to us directly so that we can improve our efforts to accommodate our audience. ., Evaluation should have been done in the area of . In light of the procedures triggered by a request for an IEE at public expense, parents need to be prepared to move forward with a due process hearing challenging the appropriateness of the school districts last evaluation at the time they make the request of their school district to fund the evaluation, and having the IEE in hand at the time may be critical to securing funding if the school district denies your request. In other cases, the school system may pay for it. Can the reader tell what you are asking for? https://www.parentcenterhub.org/iep-2/, Requesting a change in your childs placement And, I get it. No reading disability. The information presented at this site should not be construed to be formal legal advice nor the formation of a lawyer/client relationship. Authorization to reproduce it in whole or in part is granted. This product is public domain. This resource was found to be of High Quality, High Relevance, High Usefulness to Parent Centers. https://www.parentcenterhub.org/notice/, Requesting mediation to resolve a conflict Publication of this document is made possible through a Cooperative Agreement between the Academy for Educational Development and the Office of Special Education Programs of the U.S. Department of Education. My daytime telephone number is (give your phone number). Sample Letters: Requesting an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE A parent is eligible to receive an IEE at public expense if the parent disagreeswith an evaluation that the School District conducted or obtained for the child. They may want additional academic tests or medical exams. If you have evidence to the contrary (see above) and are comfortable going to Due Process over this, then Im not sure I would spill my entire strategy at this meeting. (1) If an independent educational evaluation is at public expense, the criteria under which the evaluation is obtained, including the location of the evaluation and the qualifications of the examiner, must be the same as the criteria that the public agency uses when it initiates an evaluation, to the extent those criteria are consistent with the parent's right to an independent educational evaluation.