The special education process, step by step

By the IEP Atlas editorial teamLast updated November 1, 2026

Short answer

The special education process has ten steps: a concern, a written request, notice and consent, the evaluation, an eligibility meeting, the IEP meeting, your consent for services, services starting, progress reports, and yearly reviews with a reevaluation at least every three years. Each step comes with a paper you should keep.

When you first worry about your child at school, the steps ahead can look like a maze. They follow the same order in every state, though day counts can differ. This page lists each step, the paper that goes with it, and what to ask. You can hold it next to your own folder.

For what goes inside the IEP, read what an IEP is. This page is about the order of events.

The ten steps and the paper for each

Step	What happens	The paper you get or send	Day count
1. Concern	You or a teacher notice your child is struggling	Notes, work samples, report cards	None
2. Request	You ask in writing for an evaluation	Your dated letter or email	None, but the clock starts soon
3. Notice and consent	The school says what it will test, or why it will not	Prior written notice and a consent form	Varies by state
4. Evaluation	Testing, observation, records and your input	An evaluation report	60 days from your consent, or your state's timeline
5. Eligibility	The team decides if your child qualifies	An eligibility form	Within the evaluation timeline
6. IEP meeting	The team writes the IEP	A draft and then a final IEP	Within 30 days of eligibility
7. Consent for services	You agree to start services	A signed consent form	Before services start the first time
8. Services start	The IEP is put into action	Class schedule, service times	As soon as possible after the meeting
9. Progress reports	You see how goals are going	Progress reports	As often as the IEP says
10. Review and reevaluation	The team meets yearly and retests at least every 3 years	New IEP; reevaluation report	Yearly; every 3 years

The day counts come from IDEA: 60 days from consent to finish the first evaluation unless your state sets its own timeline,^[1] 30 days from eligibility to the IEP meeting,^[2] and a reevaluation at least once every 3 years unless you and the school agree it is not needed.^[3] The school needs your informed consent before the first evaluation and before the first services.^[4]

An example timeline, annotated

This fictional example shows how the dates line up. Keep your own version in the front of your folder.

Date	What happened	Note
Sept 8	Mom emails the principal asking for an evaluation for Noah, 3rd grade	(1)
Sept 15	School sends prior written notice and a consent form	(2)
Sept 17	Mom signs and returns consent	(3)
Oct 1 to Nov 5	Testing, a classroom observation, a parent interview	(4)
Nov 12	Eligibility meeting: Noah qualifies with a learning disability in reading	(5)
Dec 3	IEP meeting; mom takes the draft home for two days	(6)
Dec 5	Mom signs consent for services	(7)
Dec 9	Reading services start, 30 minutes a day	(8)

What each note means:

(1) Mom put the request in writing and kept a copy. The evaluation request letter page has a sample.
(2) This notice says what the school plans to test. Read the list. If an area you are worried about is missing, such as speech or attention, ask for it to be added before you sign.
(3) The 60-day clock starts here, on the day the school gets consent, not the day of the request. In this example, 60 calendar days later is November 16.
(4) The evaluation must use more than one test and include information from you.^[5] Write down anything you want the team to know and send it.
(5) The team met before day 60. You should get a copy of the evaluation report. Ask for it a few days before the meeting so you can read it first. The psychoeducational report guide explains the scores.
(6) The IEP meeting was 21 days after eligibility, within the 30-day limit. Taking the draft home is fine to ask for.
(7) Services cannot start the first time without this consent.
(8) Services began 6 days after the meeting.

For more on the evaluation stretch, including what counts as a day, see the 60-day evaluation timeline and the IEP evaluation process.

Questions to ask at each step

You can say these word for word.

When you send the request: "Can you confirm the date you received my request, and when I will get the consent form?"
When you get the consent form: "Which areas will you test? Can we add attention and speech, since those worry me too?"
During the evaluation: "Can I fill out a parent questionnaire or talk with the school psychologist?"
Before eligibility: "Can I have the evaluation report at least 3 days before the meeting?"
At eligibility: "If my child does not qualify for an IEP, should we look at a 504 plan?"
At the IEP meeting: "What number is each goal starting from, and how will I see progress?"
Before signing consent: "When exactly will services start, and who will provide them?"
After services start: "When is the first progress report?"

The team must also think about certain needs, like behavior, English language learning and assistive technology, when writing the IEP. The page on IEP special factors explains those.

If a step stalls

No answer to your request after 2 weeks: send a short follow-up email and copy the special education director.
The school says no to testing: it must tell you in writing why. That is prior written notice. You can ask for a meeting, mediation or a hearing.
The meeting is past the deadline: write down the dates and ask the district in writing when it will be held.
Services in the IEP are not happening: see what to do when the IEP is not being implemented.

What to do next

Start a folder or binder with a dated list on the front.
Put every request in writing, and keep copies.
Read your child's first IEP year to see what happens once services begin.
Ask your child's teacher how general education teachers help carry out the IEP. The guide for general education teachers shows their side.
Call your state's Parent Training and Information Center. It helps families through each of these steps for free, and you can find yours through the Center for Parent Information and Resources.^[6]

Your state may use shorter timelines or add steps, so check your state's parent guide too.

Frequently asked questions

How long does the special education process take?

From your consent to the first services, it is often about 2 to 3 months. IDEA allows 60 days to finish the evaluation unless your state sets its own timeline, then 30 days to hold the IEP meeting. Services start soon after you consent.

Can I ask for an evaluation, or does the teacher have to?

You can ask. A parent's written request is one of the most common ways the process starts. Send it to the principal or special education office, and keep a dated copy.

What if my child does not qualify for an IEP?

The school must tell you in writing. You can ask about a 504 plan, ask for an independent evaluation if you disagree with the testing, or ask for a meeting to talk through other supports.

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Sources

34 CFR §300.301: Initial evaluations, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
34 CFR §300.323: When IEPs must be in effect, U.S. Department of Education (IDEA website)
34 CFR §300.303: Reevaluations, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
34 CFR §300.300: Parental consent, U.S. Department of Education (IDEA website)
34 CFR §300.304: Evaluation procedures, 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.