An IEP evaluation request letter is a written request asking your child's public school to evaluate your child for special education. Federal law lets a parent ask for an initial evaluation. Putting the request in writing gives you a dated record, and in some states, such as Texas, it starts a clock that the school must follow.
Key takeaways
- A parent may request an initial evaluation (34 CFR 300.301). Date your letter and keep a copy.
- Ask for "a full and individual initial evaluation in all areas of suspected disability."
- The school must answer with prior written notice. If it says no, the notice must explain why.
- Timelines vary by state. The federal default is 60 days after you give consent. Texas requires a response within 15 school days and a report within 45 school days of consent.
- The evaluation cannot start until you give written consent, and that consent is not consent for services.
Why send an IEP evaluation request letter instead of calling?
A phone call is easy to forget. A letter or email shows the date, your exact words and your concerns. It also protects you if there is a later disagreement.
In Texas, the difference is built into the rules. When a parent submits a written request, the district must respond within 15 school days. A verbal request still needs a response, but the 15-school-day deadline does not apply, and TEA encourages parents to put verbal requests in writing.
What should an IEP evaluation request letter include?
- Your child's details: full name, birth date, school, grade and teacher.
- The date and your contact information.
- A clear request: ask for a full and individual initial evaluation to find out if your child is eligible for special education. Add "in all areas of suspected disability." Federal rules say a child must be assessed in all areas related to the suspected disability (34 CFR 300.304).
- Your concerns, with examples: grades, test scores, teacher emails, behavior at school, how long homework takes. Stick to facts instead of blame.
- Attachments: reports from doctors or therapists and earlier testing. The school must draw on many sources, including information from you, when it decides eligibility (34 CFR 300.306).
- What you want back in writing: the school's decision, the consent form, the procedural safeguards notice and a copy of the evaluation report.
- A thank-you and a request to confirm that the school received your letter.
Send it to the principal and the district's special education director. Email it and keep a copy, or hand-deliver it and ask for a dated receipt.
IEP evaluation request letter template
Example only. Replace everything in brackets, delete what does not apply, and keep a copy.
[Your name]
[Address] | [Phone] | [Email]
[Date]
To: [Principal's name], [School name], and [Director of Special Education], [District name]
Re: Request for a full and individual initial evaluation - [Child's full name], born [birth date], grade [grade]
Dear [Name or names],
I am the parent of [Child's full name], a [grade]-grade student at [School name]. I am writing to request a full and individual initial evaluation to find out whether my child is eligible for special education and related services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Please evaluate my child in all areas of suspected disability.
Here is why I am concerned: [two to four short, specific examples, such as "reading below grade level on the last two report cards" or "needs two hours to finish 20 minutes of homework"].
I have attached: [list any reports, such as a doctor's letter or earlier testing].
Please send me, in writing: (1) your response to this request, as prior written notice; (2) the consent form for the evaluation; (3) a copy of the procedural safeguards notice; and (4) a copy of the evaluation report before any meeting to discuss it.
[Texas only: I understand that the district must respond to a written request within 15 school days.]
I am happy to share more information or talk with the evaluation team. The best way to reach me is [phone or email]. Please confirm in writing that you received this letter.
Thank you,
[Your name]
What happens after you send an IEP evaluation request letter?
The steps below follow federal rules, with Texas as an example of a state timeline. Your state may differ, so check with your state education agency.
| Step | What should happen | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| 1. School responds | You get prior written notice that the school will evaluate, with a consent form, or that it refuses and why | Federal: a reasonable time. Texas: within 15 school days of a written request. |
| 2. You give consent | The school must get your informed written consent before evaluating | The evaluation clock starts when consent is received |
| 3. Records review | The team looks at existing records and your input and decides what testing is needed | Early in the evaluation period |
| 4. Testing | Assessments use a variety of tools in all areas of suspected disability, not a single test alone | Federal default: within 60 days of consent, or the state's timeline. Texas: report within 45 school days, with extensions for absences. |
| 5. Eligibility meeting | A group of qualified professionals and you decide whether your child has a disability and needs special education. You get the report at no cost. | Texas: within 30 calendar days of the report (with some summer exceptions). You must get the report at least five school days earlier. |
| 6. Next steps | If eligible, the team writes an IEP, and the school needs your consent before services begin. If not, ask about other supports. | Varies by state |
The federal timeline comes from 34 CFR 300.301. The Texas steps are explained in TEA's Parent's Guide to the Admission, Review, and Dismissal Process.
If your child is found not eligible for an IEP, a Section 504 plan may still help. Read our guide on IEP vs 504 to compare the two.
What if the school says no to the evaluation?
A refusal is not the end. The school must put it in writing and explain why it refused and what information it used (34 CFR 300.503). From there you can:
- send more information about your concerns, such as new grades or teacher emails,
- ask for a meeting to talk about the decision,
- get a private evaluation and share it. The school must consider it, if it meets the district's criteria, when it makes decisions about your child's education (34 CFR 300.502), or
- use the options in your procedural safeguards notice: mediation, a state complaint or a due process hearing. Federal rules set one year for a state complaint and two years for due process, unless your state sets its own limit.
An independent evaluation at public expense is available if you disagree with an evaluation the school has already done, so it comes after the school's own testing.
In Texas, a district may not require your child to take part in interventions for a set length of time before it evaluates, and your child keeps getting supports while the evaluation is under way (19 TAC 89.1011). To see what an evaluation can include, visit our page on IEP assessments.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a doctor's diagnosis to request an evaluation?
No. You can ask the school to evaluate your child without a diagnosis in hand. The school's evaluation team decides eligibility together with you, using many sources of information, including medical reports if you share them.
Can I request an IEP evaluation verbally?
You can, but a written letter is stronger. In Texas, the 15-school-day response deadline applies to written requests, and TEA recommends putting a verbal request in writing.
How long does the school have to respond to my request?
Federal law says the school must give written notice a reasonable time before it agrees to or refuses an evaluation, and many states set a specific number of days. In Texas, the school has 15 school days to respond to a written request. After you give consent, the evaluation report is due within 45 school days in Texas, or within 60 days under the federal default in states with no other timeline.
Who should I send the evaluation request letter to?
Send it to the school principal and the district's special education director or coordinator, and keep proof of delivery. Texas rules name the director of special education or an administrative employee such as a campus principal.
What if I disagree with the school's evaluation results?
You may ask for an independent educational evaluation at public expense. The school must then, without unnecessary delay, either pay for it or file for a due process hearing to defend its own evaluation.
Ready to send your letter?
If you would like a second set of eyes on your letter or on what to expect next, SustainBL offers IEP support for parents. You can Start the free IEP intake to tell us about your child.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Rules can vary by state and district.
