The following information and resources have been provided courtesy of The Lurie Center for Autism, a program of Massachusetts General Hospital and Mass General for Children.

The Lurie Center for Autism is committed to advancing treatments for and knowledge about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other developmental disorders, and translating these discoveries into exceptional clinical care. A program of Massachusetts General Hospital and Mass General for Children, The Lurie Center is a multidisciplinary treatment, research, training, and advocacy organization dedicated to supporting individuals and their families across the lifespan.

This resource is intended to provide information so that you can be better informed. It is not a substitute for medical advice and should not be used to treat any medical conditions.

This information is also available in Arabic, Chinese, Haitian Creole, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. Click here to view these resources.

What to expect before, during and after an initial Special Education evaluation meeting

Purpose of an Initial Evaluation Meeting:

1. Determine eligibility for Special Education services.
   • Does the child have an educational disability?
   • Is the child making progress in school?
   • If not, is it because of the disability and do they need specialized instruction?
2. If they qualify, work as a Team to determine what supports and services the child will need to make progress and access their education. (This is documented in an Individualized Education Program.)

Who will be present at the meeting:

• Parent or Guardian
• Your child’s classroom teacher
• A Team leader (might be called a Team Chair or Team Facilitator – this person facilitates the meeting)
• Anybody from the district who has performed educational evaluations with your child
• The district can invite anyone they feel is relevant to the support your child might need. This could include a Guidance Counselor or Administrator.
• YOU can bring a support person to the meeting. This might be a relative, friend, or professional.
• The district will provide a translator if you need one.

What will happen before the meeting:

• The school will contact you to schedule the meeting. The date and time need to be mutually agreeable, so you can let them know if that date and time do not work for you. However, you should expect the meeting to take place during school hours.
• Specialists and teachers will work with your child during school hours to gather information.
• You should receive reports two days before the meeting so you can review them before the meeting. The reports you receive prior to the meeting are not always translated, but a translated copy should be provided as soon as possible.
• The district should provide you with a Parents Notice of Procedural Safeguards, translated as needed. This document gives you important information about your participation and rights as a parent/guardian.

How can YOU prepare for the meeting:

• You may want to write down your thoughts ahead of time, so you feel prepared. You can email or mail your ideas to the school ahead of time, but you do not have to. You should prepare your ideas about the following concepts:
  • Parent Concerns: What concerns do you have for your child?
  • Student Strengths: What strengths does your child have?
  • Team Vision: What do you hope for your child in the next 1–5 years?

What will happen at the meeting:

• Introductions and attendance: You will be asked to write your initials on the attendance sheet. Your initials only state that you are present. You are not agreeing to anything by signing the attendance sheet.
• Review of Data and Evaluations
  • School staff will summarize the evaluation reports and share information about how your child is doing in school.
  • You will be asked to share what your concerns are.
  • If you have submitted any private evaluation reports or medical forms, these will be considered too.
• The Team will discuss and determine if your child is eligible for Special Education.
• If your child is eligible, the Team will write an IEP together.
  • The Team will discuss what accommodations, goals and services your child may need.
  • Your input is important. Parents can participate by sharing what their child’s strengths are and what their challenges are. You know your child best. If you hear something that you do not agree with or are not certain about, you should ask questions and ask for more discussion.
  • During this process, the Team will talk about what services your child needs and where those services will take place.
  • The Team will also determine a placement for your child. Oftentimes, the placement is the school your child is already at. If your child requires a specific program, the school team could recommend a placement at a neighboring school or an out of district school. If this is your child’s first IEP, the placement is usually the school they currently attend.
• The Team Chair should give you a written summary at the end of the meeting. This is for you to keep. You do not need to sign this.

After the meeting:

• You will receive the IEP and Placement page in the mail or over email within two weeks of the meeting. This version might not be translated, but a translated version will follow, as needed.
• You should read the document and make sure you are comfortable with all the services.
• Your choices are to ACCEPT, REJECT, or PARTIALLY REJECT the IEP. If you partially reject the IEP, you should write which parts you reject. The rest of the IEP will go into effect once you return it.
• When you are ready, you should sign the IEP and the Placement page and return it via email or mail. The district will probably ask you to do this within one month’s time.
• If you have any questions while reading the IEP, you should contact the Team Chair or your child’s teacher.
• When the school district has your response, the IEP will go into effect. No services will begin until you agree to them. If you do not agree to them, you should contact the Team Chair and discuss your concerns.

Other important information:

• The Team will reconvene annually to discuss your child’s progress and update the IEP.
• Your child will be re-evaluated at least every three years to determine if they still require an IEP.
• You will receive progress reports at least as often as general education progress is shared. (This means you will get IEP progress reports around the same time report cards or parent/teacher conferences take place.)
• YOU (and any other member of the Team) can call another IEP meeting at any time.
• The only thing you should sign at an IEP meeting is the attendance sheet. You should wait until you have had time to read, understand and consider the IEP before you sign it.