Parents of children receiving special education services often rely on evaluations conducted by their school district to determine eligibility and support educational planning.
But what happens if you disagree with the results of that evaluation? This is where an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE) can make all the difference.
An IEE provides families with an objective, outside perspective on their child’s strengths and challenges. It can confirm or contradict the school’s findings and often uncovers areas that may have been overlooked.
What Is an Independent Educational Evaluation?
An IEE is an evaluation that is fully funded by a school district and performed by a qualified professional that is not a school district employee or school district consultant.
It can assess many areas, including academic achievement, functional performance, cognitive functioning, communication, motor abilities, health, hearing/vision, and social/emotional and behavioral functioning.
Parents may request the completion of an IEE if they believe the results of the school district’s evaluation were not sufficiently comprehensive and disagree with the results.
When Should You Request an IEE?
Consider requesting an IEE when:
- The school’s evaluation feels incomplete and doesn’t reflect your child’s daily struggles.
- You believe your child wasn’t assessed in all areas of suspected disability.
- You feel the evaluation results don’t match your observations at home or reports from private providers.
An IEE can provide the guidance and leverage parents need to advocate effectively for appropriate services and supports for their child.
How to Request an IEE
- Put it in writing
A request for an IEE must be made in writing. Draft a written communication (letter or email) to the school district stating that you disagree with their evaluation and are requesting an IEE at public expense. It is important that your letter/email include specific information and therefore seeking guidance from a legal professional is recommended. - Know the school’s obligations
Once you request an IEE, within (5) days of receipt of the written request, the school district must either agree to complete the IEE at school district expense, or the school district must submit a due process request to the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) to prove its evaluation was appropriate and therefore an IEE is not warranted. - Choose the evaluator carefully
If a school district agrees to complete an IEE, the school may provide a list of approved evaluators, but you have the right to select a qualified evaluator to complete the evaluation. Selecting an appropriate evaluator is extremely important and as such seeking guidance from a legal professional with knowledge of evaluators in your area is highly recommended.
What Happens Next?
Once the IEE is completed, the results must be considered by the IEP team.
When a parent/guardian disagrees with a school district’s evaluation results, completion of an IEE provides an effective route to both navigating disagreement with a school district and ensuring that your child is provided with educational programming designed to meet their individualized needs.
Consider consulting a special education attorney who can guide you through the steps and protect your child’s rights.
About Ancel Reiter LLC
Whether through Special Education Legal Representation or Child & Family Advocacy Services, our central goal is to empower parents and their children with the knowledge to find success at school, at home, and in the community. Our legal practice focuses on special education law and related issues in the greater Chicago area: Cook County, Lake County, DuPage County and throughout Illinois.
For more information, contact us today.