Moving from early intervention to a preschool IEP

By the IEP Atlas editorial teamLast updated November 1, 2026

Short answer

Early intervention eligibility does not carry over at age 3. Your school district must evaluate your child and decide if they qualify for preschool special education under Part B of IDEA. The rules are often stricter than for early intervention, so some children qualify and some do not. If your child qualifies, the IEP must be ready by the third birthday.

Early intervention (Part C) serves babies and toddlers up to age 3. Preschool special education (Part B) starts at 3 and is run by your school district. They come from the same law but use different rules for who qualifies. That is why a child who has had speech therapy at home for a year can still be found "not eligible" at age 3.

This page focuses on that eligibility decision. For the full timeline and how the two plans differ, see IEP vs IFSP.

The timeline in short

By 2 years 3 months to 2 years 9 months: your service coordinator plans the move with you and, with your approval, holds a meeting with the school district. That meeting must be at least 90 days before the third birthday.^[1]
Before the third birthday: the district asks for your consent, then evaluates your child.
By the third birthday: if your child qualifies, an IEP must be in place.^[2]

The Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center keeps a plain-language guide to these steps and to your state's version of them.^[3]

Why eligibility can change at 3

Part C and Part B ask different questions.

	Early intervention (Part C)	Preschool special education (Part B)
Who decides	State early intervention program	Your school district team, which includes you
Main question	Does the child have a delay or a condition likely to cause one?	Does the child have a disability that means they need special education?
Common ways to qualify	A delay that meets the state's cutoff, or a diagnosed condition	One of the federal disability categories, or developmental delay if the state uses it
Services happen	Often at home or child care, with coaching for the family	Often in a preschool classroom, sometimes at home or child care

Under Part B, a child needs both a disability and a need for special education because of it.^[4] Many states let preschool children qualify under "developmental delay," but each state sets its own cutoff, and it may be stricter than the one early intervention used. The page on developmental delay eligibility explains those cutoffs.

What the evaluation looks like

The district needs your written consent before it evaluates.^[5] It can use reports from early intervention, but it usually adds its own testing and observation. Expect some mix of:

Play-based testing by a school psychologist or early childhood teacher
Speech and language testing
Motor testing by an OT or PT, if motor skills are a concern
Your report on how your child talks, plays, eats and gets dressed at home
Observation at home, child care or a play group

After testing, the team meets with you to decide eligibility.^[6]

A sample eligibility notice, with notes

Here is a made-up summary for a child named Lena, age 2 years 10 months. Hold it next to your child's paperwork.

What each part means:

"Developmental delay" is the category. It is often used for young children instead of a specific diagnosis.
"Standard score 72" is a test score. On many tests, 100 is average and most children score between 85 and 115. Lower numbers mean a bigger delay. Ask the team what score your state uses as the cutoff.
"Areas not delayed" lists skills in the typical range. Services will not target these areas.
"Need for special education" is the second test. A child needs both a disability and a need for special teaching.
"IEP to begin on Lena's third birthday" shows the deadline being met.

If your child is found not eligible, the notice should explain why. You can ask questions, disagree in writing, or ask for an independent evaluation.

If your child does not qualify

A "not eligible" decision does not mean your child has no needs. It means they did not meet the Part B rules right now. Options include:

Head Start, public pre-K or a community preschool
Private therapy through insurance
Asking for a new evaluation later if concerns grow. Districts must find and evaluate children who may need special education.^[7]
In a few states, staying in early intervention past age 3. Ask your service coordinator.

Questions to ask the team

"When will you send the consent form for the evaluation?"
"Which tests will you use, and who will give them?"
"Will you use the reports from early intervention?"
"What cutoff does our state use for developmental delay?"
"Can I see the scores before the eligibility meeting?"
"If my child qualifies, where will services happen?"
"If my child does not qualify, what other programs can you point us to?"
"My child turns 3 in the summer. When will services start?"

What to do next

Ask your service coordinator for the transition meeting date. It should be at least 90 days before the third birthday.
Gather your records. Bring the IFSP, recent progress notes and any medical reports.
Write down what you see at home. Notes on talking, play, eating and sleep help the team.
Read up on preschool goals. The preschool IEP goals page shows what goals can look like.
Get free help. Your state's Parent Training and Information Center helps families with this move. Find it through the Center for Parent Information and Resources.^[8]

The Part C to B transition, early intervention and preschool special education glossary entries have short definitions you can share with family. When your child is ready for the next step, see preschool to kindergarten transition.

Frequently asked questions

Does early intervention automatically continue at age 3?

No. Early intervention ends at 3 in most states. Your school district must evaluate your child to decide if they qualify for preschool special education. A few states offer an option to stay in early intervention longer.

Why was my child eligible for early intervention but not for a preschool IEP?

Part B uses different rules. A child needs both a disability and a need for special education because of it. Your state's cutoff for developmental delay at age 3 may also be stricter than the one early intervention used.

What if my child turns 3 in the summer?

The IEP must still be in place by the third birthday. The IEP team decides when services start, which may be the first day of the school year or earlier.

Use it in IEP Atlas

Sources

34 CFR §303.209: Transition to preschool and other programs, U.S. Department of Education (IDEA website)
34 CFR §300.124: Transition of children from the Part C program to preschool programs, U.S. Department of Education (IDEA website)
Early Childhood Transition, Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center
34 CFR §300.8: Child with a disability, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
34 CFR §300.300: Parental consent, U.S. Department of Education (IDEA website)
34 CFR §300.306: Determination of eligibility, U.S. Department of Education (IDEA website)
34 CFR §300.111: Child find, U.S. Department of Education (IDEA website)
Center for Parent Information and Resources, CPIR

Written and checked by the IEP Atlas editorial team under our editorial policy. This guide describes general practice and federal rules. It is not legal advice; your state may add requirements, and the IEP team makes the decisions for each student.