What is a reevaluation for special education?

If the school doesn’t initiate a conversation about a triennial evaluation, speak to the IEP case manager about it. Parents and schools can agree in writing not to do a triennial reevaluation. If after reviewing records and progress, the IEP team decides there’s already enough data to support continued services and set goals, a reevaluation may not be needed.

Keep in mind, though, that three years is a long time. Even if it’s clear a student is still eligible for services, their needs and abilities may have changed. A reevaluation can give the IEP team more information about what to include in an IEP.

Sometimes, parents don’t want triennial testing because they worry it may be used to take away a student’s IEP. That’s a real concern. But keep in mind that a student can’t lose services without data to back up that they’re no longer needed. Families also have the right to disagree with a decision to remove services.

A school can’t reevaluate a student if parents state in writing that they don’t want the reevaluation. But the school can request a due process hearing if it thinks testing is necessary. The hearing officer would then decide how to proceed.

Explore your rights in the evaluation process. 

A reevaluation can give the IEP team more information. For example, maybe a student with ADHD has accommodations to help them focus, but their impulsive behavior is also causing disruptions in the classroom. If a behavior assessment wasn’t part of the original evaluation, a reevaluation may be needed. 

Some other reasons to reevaluate:

• New areas of concern became clearer once a student got support.  

• The information from a previous evaluation didn’t address all the areas it needed to.

• A student wasn’t originally found eligible but is still struggling.

Learn more about eligibility requirements for special education.

To get accommodations and support in college, most college disability services offices require that students have been evaluated recently. This typically means no more than one or two years ago. If the last evaluation was years ago, it’s a good idea to ask for a reevaluation before a student leaves for college. You may also want to ask the college how recent an evaluation needs to be. 

A reevaluation in high school can also provide helpful information for an IEP transition plan.