How do I request an IEP evaluation for my child?

Send a dated, written request to the school’s principal or special education director saying you suspect a disability and describing what you’re seeing. Parents are allowed to start this themselves. The school then asks for your written consent, and the time it has to finish the evaluation starts when it receives that consent.

What to do

Write down what you have noticed — in schoolwork, behavior, communication, or daily routines — with examples and dates where you have them.
Send a written request for a full and individual evaluation to the principal or special education director, and keep a copy.
34 CFR § 300.301(a)–(b)
Watch for a consent form or a written notice. If the school agrees, it asks for your consent before testing; if it declines, it must explain the refusal in writing.
34 CFR §§ 300.300(a), 300.503(a)
Note the day the school receives your signed consent — hand it in or send it in a way you can confirm. That is the day the evaluation timeline starts, not the day you signed.
34 CFR § 300.301(c)(1)
Ask which areas will be assessed. The evaluation must cover every area related to the suspected disability, so name anything you are worried about.
34 CFR § 300.304(c)(4)

What the law says

Either a parent or the school may request an initial evaluation to find out whether a child has a disability.
34 CFR § 300.301(b)
The school must get your informed consent before the initial evaluation. Agreeing to the evaluation is not agreeing to services.
34 CFR § 300.300(a)(1)
The evaluation must be completed within 60 days of receiving your consent, or within the timeframe your state sets if it has one.
34 CFR § 300.301(c)(1)
If the school refuses to evaluate, it must give you written notice describing the refusal, why it refused, and what information it relied on.
34 CFR § 300.503(a)(2), (b)
Special education must be available to a child who needs it even if the child has not failed a grade and is moving from grade to grade.
34 CFR § 300.101(c)(1)

Ready to put it in writing? The letter tool's “Request for Initial Evaluation” template is written for this.

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Common questions

Does my child have to be failing to get an evaluation?

No. A child who passes every class can still have a disability that affects learning — in attention, reading, social skills, or behavior. Describe what you see day to day, not only the report-card grades.

The school wants to try classroom interventions first. What should I do?

Interventions can be useful, and you can agree to them while keeping your written evaluation request in place. Ask the school to answer the request itself in writing, so you know whether the evaluation is going ahead and when.

Should I send the request by email or on paper?

Either works, as long as it is dated and you keep a copy. Email gives you a timestamp automatically; if you hand-deliver a letter, ask the front office to date-stamp your copy.