Reevaluation checklist for case managers

By the IEP Atlas editorial teamLast updated November 1, 2026

Short answer

This reevaluation checklist walks a case manager from the first due date check, about 90 days out, through the data review, consent, testing, the eligibility meeting and the updated IEP. Each item has a one-line reason. Start it when the triennial date appears on your caseload list, and use it for any reevaluation requested sooner.

A reevaluation must happen at least once every 3 years, unless the parent and the school agree it is not needed. It cannot happen more than once a year unless they agree otherwise.^[1] It can also be triggered sooner, when the student's needs change or a parent or teacher asks for one.

Most late reevaluations are not caused by the testing. They are caused by a consent form that went home in week 10, or a review of existing data that never happened. The checklist below is ordered to prevent that. Print it and keep one per student in the file.

Before: 90 to 45 days out

Confirm the due date. Enter the last eligibility date in the IEP due date calculator and set a scheduling lead time. Reason: everything else is planned backward from this date.
Check for an earlier trigger. Look for a parent or teacher request, a big change in progress or a new diagnosis. Reason: a request starts its own process and may not wait for the triennial.
Pull the existing data. Last evaluation report, current IEP, progress graphs, state test results, grades, attendance, discipline and related service notes. Reason: the review of existing data needs it all in one place.
Send parent and teacher input forms. Give two weeks to return them. Reason: new concerns usually come from these forms.
Hold the review of existing data. Go area by area and decide what new data is needed.^[2] Reason: it sets the scope of testing, or shows none is needed. The REED guide has a worked example.
Write the assessment plan or the no-testing notice. Reason: the parent must know what is proposed and why.
Send prior written notice and the consent form. Reason: notice is required when the school proposes or refuses an evaluation.^[4]
Log every attempt to get consent. Dates, method and result of each call, letter and email. Reason: for a reevaluation, the school may proceed without a signed form only if it can show reasonable efforts and the parent did not respond.^[3]
Assign evaluators and book dates. Include interpreters if needed. Reason: specialist calendars fill weeks ahead.

Record the date consent was received. Reason: it starts any reevaluation timeline your state sets. Many states apply a set number of days to reevaluations too; check yours.
Track each evaluator's progress weekly. Reason: one late report holds up the whole meeting.
Confirm the observation is scheduled in the right setting. Reason: observing at a calm time misses the concern.
Collect the input forms that have not come back. Reason: a report without parent input is weaker and harder to defend.
Draft the combined report or collect individual reports. Reason: the team needs one coherent picture of the student.
Send the report to the parent before the meeting. Reason: the parent must receive a copy, and reading it cold in the meeting is hard.^[5]
Invite the team with written notice. Name the purpose, time, place and who will attend.^[7] Reason: the parent needs time to arrange to attend and to bring someone.
Check required members. Parent, general education teacher, special education teacher, district representative and someone who can interpret evaluation results.^[6] Reason: a missing member can mean rescheduling or written excusal.

At the meeting

Review each area's results. Reason: the team needs the findings before any decision.
Decide continued eligibility and the category. Reason: this is the core purpose of the reevaluation.
Decide whether the student still needs special education. Reason: eligibility has two parts.
Discuss changes to goals, services and supports. Reason: reevaluation results should drive the IEP.^[8]
Record parent input and any disagreement. Reason: the record should show the parent took part.

After the meeting

Give the parent the eligibility documentation. Reason: the parent gets a copy at no cost.^[5]
Send prior written notice of the decisions. Reason: any change, or refusal of a parent request, needs notice.
Revise the IEP if needed. Update present levels with the new data and adjust goals. Reason: the IEP must reflect the student's current needs. See evaluation results to present levels.
Update the next triennial date. Enter the new eligibility date in the calculator or the caseload tracker. Reason: the 3-year clock restarts from this decision.
File everything. Consent, notices, attempts log, reports and meeting notes. Reason: the file is the evidence the process was followed.

If the team finds the student is no longer eligible

A school must evaluate before deciding a student no longer has a disability. That rule does not apply when the student graduates with a regular diploma or ages out; in those cases the student gets a summary of performance instead.^[2] Send prior written notice of the exit decision and the reasons. Many teams plan for the student's transition back to general education supports, such as a Section 504 plan if a disability still limits learning.

What to do when something is missing

Missing item	What to do
Parent has not returned consent	Keep trying by more than one method and log each attempt. For a reevaluation, if reasonable efforts get no response, the school may go ahead. If the parent refuses, the school cannot test, but it may use mediation or due process
Parent input form not returned	Call the parent and fill in the form by phone with them. Note the date
Progress data is thin or vague	Collect three to five fresh probes per goal before the review. Mark that area as needing more data if it still falls short
An evaluator cannot finish by the meeting date	Tell the parent right away. Ask whether the parent will agree to a short delay, and record the reason. Do not let the triennial date pass
The due date will be missed	Tell your supervisor and the parent in writing, set the earliest possible date and document why
Required team member cannot attend	Use your state's written excusal process with parent agreement, or reschedule

The triennial reevaluation comparison explains when record review is enough and when testing is required. For the case manager's full year, see the IEP case manager checklist and IEP timelines. The glossary entry for reevaluation covers the basic rules, and the full process is in the IEP evaluation process.

Rules vary by state. This is general information, not legal advice.

Frequently asked questions

How far ahead should I start a triennial reevaluation?

About 90 days before the due date. That leaves time for the data review, a consent form that takes a few weeks to come back, testing and a report sent home before the meeting.

Can a reevaluation be done without new testing?

Yes. If the review of existing data answers the required questions, the team can decide no new assessments are needed. The school must tell the parent in writing and explain the parent's right to request testing.

Can a parent request a reevaluation before three years?

Yes. A parent or teacher can request one. Reevaluations are limited to once a year unless the parent and the school agree to another.

Use it in IEP Atlas

Sources

34 CFR §300.303: Reevaluations, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
34 CFR §300.305: Additional requirements for evaluations and reevaluations, U.S. Department of Education (IDEA website)
34 CFR §300.300: Parental consent, U.S. Department of Education (IDEA website)
34 CFR §300.503: Prior notice by the public agency; content of notice, U.S. Department of Education (IDEA website)
34 CFR §300.306: Determination of eligibility, U.S. Department of Education (IDEA website)
34 CFR §300.321: IEP Team, U.S. Department of Education (IDEA website)
34 CFR §300.322: Parent participation, U.S. Department of Education (IDEA website)
34 CFR §300.324: Development, review, and revision of IEP, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School

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.