The Connecticut IEP Process: A Step-by-Step Guide for Parents

You've heard that the IEP process takes months and involves a lot of paperwork. What you haven't heard is exactly what happens in what order, what the timelines actually are in Connecticut (they differ from the federal standards), and where the process most commonly breaks down. Here is a straightforward account of how the Connecticut IEP process works from start to finish.

Step 1: Referral

The IEP process begins with a referral for special education evaluation. In Connecticut, the formal referral document is the ED622 form. The referral can be made by:

• A parent or guardian (your request in writing — email counts)
• A classroom teacher who suspects a disability
• A school administrator
• A physician, social worker, or other agency professional

If you are making the referral yourself, write a clear written request to the district's special education director and school principal stating that you are requesting an evaluation for special education eligibility, identifying the areas of concern, and noting that the request is being made pursuant to IDEA and Connecticut state regulations. Keep a copy with the date.

One important distinction: a referral for special education evaluation is different from a referral to the SRBI (Scientific Research-Based Interventions) process. Connecticut's SRBI framework — the state's RTI system — provides tiered interventions before formal evaluation. Districts sometimes suggest SRBI as a first step. While SRBI data is useful, SRBI cannot be used as a reason to delay or deny a formal evaluation. If you have requested an evaluation in writing, the district must respond to that request. They cannot substitute an SRBI referral for the evaluation process.

Step 2: Evaluation Planning (Within 10 School Days)

After receiving the referral, the district has 10 school days to send you an evaluation plan — a written description of the assessments they propose to conduct, the areas to be evaluated, who will conduct each assessment, and the timeline.

Review this plan carefully. The evaluation must cover all areas of suspected disability. If the referral raised concerns about reading, math, behavior, and communication but the evaluation plan only lists a cognitive assessment and academic achievement testing, you can request that the plan be expanded to include the missing areas. Do this in writing before signing the consent.

Step 3: Parental Consent and the 45-School-Day Clock

When you sign the evaluation consent form, Connecticut's evaluation timeline begins. Under RCSA § 10-76d-13, the district has 45 school days — not calendar days — from the date after they receive your signed consent to complete the evaluation. This is significantly different from the federal 60 calendar-day standard.

The clock can be paused for up to 10 school days each time a required consent form is returned. Beyond those pauses, the clock runs continuously during school days. Weekends, school holidays, and summer break do not count.

What this means practically: a referral submitted in late April may push the evaluation into the following school year if insufficient school days remain. A referral submitted in March typically allows the evaluation to be completed before the end of the school year. If the district says summer break extends their timeline indefinitely, that interpretation is not supported by the regulation — the clock resumes when school resumes.

Step 4: The Evaluation

The district conducts assessments in all areas of suspected disability at no cost to you. A comprehensive evaluation may include:

• Cognitive/intellectual assessment
• Academic achievement testing (reading, math, written expression)
• Speech and language evaluation
• Occupational therapy evaluation
• Behavioral/emotional assessment
• Functional behavioral assessment if behavior is a concern
• Classroom observation
• Parent interview and questionnaires
• Teacher reports and questionnaires

The evaluation must be conducted by qualified professionals. You have the right to receive all evaluation reports before the eligibility meeting. Request them in advance — you should not be reading them for the first time at the PPT table.

Step 5: Eligibility Meeting (PPT)

After the evaluation is complete, the Planning and Placement Team (PPT) — Connecticut's term for the IEP team — meets to determine whether your child is eligible for special education. The team reviews all evaluation findings and answers two questions:

1. Does your child have a disability within one of IDEA's 13 categories?
2. Does that disability adversely affect educational performance in a way that requires specially designed instruction?

Both must be true for eligibility. You are a required member of this team. Required members also include at least one general education teacher, a special education teacher, a district representative with authority to commit resources, and someone who can interpret evaluation results.

If your child is found eligible, the team either develops the IEP at this same meeting or schedules a follow-up PPT specifically for IEP development. Connecticut allows these to be combined, and most districts do combine them.

If your child is found not eligible, you receive Prior Written Notice explaining the decision, what data was considered, and what other options were reviewed. You have the right to request an Independent Educational Evaluation if you disagree with the findings.

Step 6: IEP Development

The IEP is developed by the PPT team with your full participation. Connecticut-specific requirements beyond federal IDEA:

Short-term objectives required for all students under RCSA § 10-76d-11. Every annual goal must have measurable interim benchmarks, not just a final criterion.

Transition planning at age 14 — Connecticut's transition planning obligation under Public Act 23-137 begins at age 14, two years earlier than the federal standard.

The IEP is entered into CT-SEDS — Connecticut's statewide special education data system — by the district. You should receive a copy. The CT-SEDS parent portal allows you to view the IEP electronically, but note that the portal times out after 60 minutes and access codes expire within 5 hours of being issued.

Step 7: Placement Decision

After the IEP is developed, the PPT determines placement — the educational setting where services will be delivered. Placement must be in the least restrictive environment (LRE) in which your child can receive FAPE. This is a legal standard, not just a preference.

The LRE continuum in Connecticut ranges from full inclusion in the general education classroom with supports, to resource room services, to substantially separate special education classrooms, to day programs, to Connecticut's Approved Private Special Education Programs (APSEPs). Connecticut has a notably high APSEP outplacement rate — about 6.2% versus a 2.4% national average — which reflects both the availability of quality private programs and the number of cases where public programs cannot meet student needs.

Placement must be based on the IEP, not the other way around. The district cannot decide placement first and then write the IEP to fit. If you feel the placement discussion is driving the IEP content, document your concern.

Step 8: Consent for Initial Services

For the first IEP only, you must provide written consent before services begin. This is a separate consent from the evaluation consent. Once you sign, services must begin.

Do not feel pressured to sign immediately if you have concerns. Review the IEP carefully. You can request changes before signing. If you sign with disagreements, note them in writing at the same time you sign.

Step 9: Implementation and Ongoing Reviews

Once the IEP is in place, the district is legally obligated to implement it exactly as written. Progress on IEP goals must be reported to you at the same intervals as report cards — typically quarterly in Connecticut.

Annual reviews must be held at least once a year. A triennial evaluation (reevaluation) must occur at least every three years to determine whether your child continues to qualify and whether the evaluation information is still current.

You can request an IEP review at any time. If services aren't being delivered, goals haven't been updated in years, or your child's needs have changed significantly, you don't have to wait for the annual review.

The Connecticut IEP & 504 Blueprint provides step-by-step checklists for each stage of the Connecticut IEP process, CT-specific timeline tracking tools, and template letters for referrals, evaluation requests, and IEP review meetings.

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