Evaluation & Eligibility

A special education evaluation gathers information about your child’s strengths and needs and helps determine whether your child is eligible for special education and related services. Understanding the process can help you participate and ask questions along the way.

Quick Links: Evaluation Basics  |  Eligibility  |  The Eligibility Meeting  |  Resources

Father and daughter reviewing evaluation documents with a school professional.

What Is a Special Education Evaluation?

A special education evaluation is a process for gathering information about your child – not just a single test.

A Full Individual and Initial Evaluation (FIIE) looks at your child’s strengths and needs in areas related to a suspected disability. The information gathered helps the school and family better understand your child and answer important questions about special education eligibility and educational needs.

Identify strengths and needs

The evaluation gathers information about how your child learns and functions in areas related to the concerns that led to the evaluation.

Determine Eligibility

The evaluation provides information used to determine whether your child has a disability and needs special education and related services.

Plan for Individual Needs

Evaluation results help identify your child’s educational needs and, if your child is eligible, provide information that can be used to develop an appropriate IEP.

An evaluation is more than a test score.

No single test or measure should be used by itself to determine whether a child has a disability or what educational services the child may need.

What Does the Evaluation Look At?

Every child is different, so every evaluation is different.

The evaluation should look at all areas related to your child’s suspected disability and gather enough information to understand your child’s individual strengths and needs.

Academics

Reading, writing, math, problem-solving, and other academic skills

Communication

Speech, language, and how your child understands and communicates information

Social & Emotional

Behavior, emotions, relationships, and social functioning

Thinking & Learning

How your child processes, remembers, reasons, and solves problems

Health & Physical

Health, hearing, vision, motor abilities, and other physical factors

Daily Functioning

Skills your child uses to participate and function independently at school and in everyday activities

The evaluation should be comprehensive.

It should assess all areas related to the suspected disability not just the area where a concern was first noticed.

How Is Information Gathered?

A complete evaluation uses information from different sources to build a fuller picture of your child.

The evaluation team may use a variety of tools and strategies to understand your child’s strengths and needs. No single test, score, or source of information should be used by itself to make decisions about eligibility.

Tests & Assessments

Individual assessments may be used to gather information about specific areas of your child’s learning, development, or functioning.

Observations

The evaluation may include observations of how your child learns, communicates, interacts, or participates in different settings.

Existing Information

School records, previous evaluations, classroom work, progress information, and other existing data may be reviewed.

Parent & School Input

Information from you and from teachers or other school staff helps the team understand your child’s strengths, needs, and experiences.

Mother and son talking with a school professional during a meeting.

Your Input Matters

You know your child in ways that tests and school records cannot show.

Share information about your child’s strengths, challenges, development, health, experiences, and what you see at home and in other settings. You can also ask questions about the assessments being used and share information you believe the evaluation team should consider.

From Evaluation to Eligibility

After the evaluation is completed, the ARD committee, including you as the parent, reviews the results and determines whether your child is eligible for special education and related services.

1. Does your child have a disability?

The evaluation helps determine whether your child meets the criteria for an IDEA disability category.

2. Does your child need special education?

The committee considers whether, because of the disability, your child needs specially designed instruction through special education.

Eligibility for Special Education

Your child is eligible when the ARD committee determines that your child has a disability under IDEA and, because of that disability, needs special education and related services.

Eligibility Is More Than Grades

A child does not have to be failing in school to be eligible for special education.

Educational performance includes more than report card grades. The committee should consider how the disability affects your child’s ability to learn, participate, make progress, and function in the educational setting.

Report card showing passing grades in several school subjects.

The Eligibility Meeting: Your Role

You are an important member of the ARD committee.

After the evaluation is completed, the ARD committee meets to review the evaluation results and determine whether your child is eligible for special education and related services. As your child’s parent, you are part of that decision-making process.

Woman reviewing evaluation documents and taking notes at a desk.

 Before the Meeting

  • Review the evaluation.
    Read through the evaluation report and write down anything you do not understand or want to discuss.

  • Consider the results.
    Think about whether the evaluation reflects your child’s strengths, needs, and the concerns you have shared.

  • Prepare your questions.
    Make a list of questions you want the evaluation team to explain during the meeting.

During the Meeting

  • Ask for explanations.
    If something in the evaluation is unclear, ask the team to explain it in language you understand.

  • Share your perspective.
    Talk about your child’s strengths, needs, experiences, and any information you believe should be considered.

  • Participate in the eligibility discussion.
    Ask how the evaluation results relate to the eligibility criteria and your child’s need for special education.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions.

Evaluation reports can contain unfamiliar terms, scores, and testing information. You do not have to understand everything before the meeting. Ask questions until you understand what the results mean for your child.

After the Eligibility Decision

Once the ARD committee reviews the evaluation and makes an eligibility determination, the next steps depend on whether your child is found eligible for special education and related services.

If Your Child Is Eligible

The ARD committee moves forward with developing an IEP.

The evaluation results help the committee identify your child’s individual educational needs and develop an Individualized Education Program (IEP) designed to address those needs.

If Your Child Is Not Eligible

You can still ask questions about the decision and what comes next.

Ask the committee to explain how the evaluation results and eligibility criteria led to the decision. You can also discuss other supports that may be available to your child.

Some children who are not eligible for special education under IDEA may still be eligible for protections and supports under Section 504.

Make sure you understand the decision.

You should receive documentation of the eligibility determination. Before leaving the meeting, ask questions about anything you do not understand and make sure you know what happens next for your child.

What If I Disagree With the Evaluation?

You have options if you disagree with the school’s evaluation. If you believe the evaluation does not accurately or fully identify your child’s strengths and needs, you can ask questions, share additional information, and discuss your concerns with the ARD committee.

 Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE)

If you disagree with an evaluation conducted by the school, you have the right to request an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE). An IEE is an evaluation conducted by a qualified examiner who is not employed by the school district responsible for your child’s education.

1. Make Your Request

Tell the school that you disagree with its evaluation and are requesting an IEE at public expense.

2. The School Responds

After you request an IEE at public expense, the school must, without unnecessary delay, either agree to provide the IEE or request a due process hearing to show that its evaluation is appropriate.

3. The Results Are Considered

If an IEE meets the school’s criteria, its results must be considered in decisions about your child’s free appropriate public education (FAPE).

You can also obtain an IEE at your own expense.

Parents may choose to obtain an independent evaluation privately. If it meets the school’s criteria, the results must be considered by the school in decisions related to your child’s FAPE.

Evaluation & Eligibility Resources

Looking for more information? Explore these resources to learn more about evaluations, eligibility, timelines, and the special education process.

Understand the Evaluation

Evaluating Children for a Disability
A deeper look at the evaluation process, what an evaluation includes, and how information is used to make decisions.

Evaluation Timelines
Texas timelines for initial evaluations and other important evaluation requirements.

Understand Eligibility

IEP Eligibility Is More Than Grades
Learn why passing grades alone do not determine whether a child is eligible for special education.

10 Basic Steps in the Special Education Process
See where evaluation and eligibility fit within the larger special education process.

Know Your Rights

Independent Educational Evaluations (IEE)
Learn more about your options when you disagree with the school’s evaluation.

Notice of Procedural Safeguards
Learn about parent rights and protections throughout the special education process.