Connecticut Special Education Consent Forms: ED625 and ED626 Explained

The district sends home a form. It says something about evaluation or services, and there is a signature line at the bottom. You are not entirely sure what you are agreeing to, whether you have to sign, or what happens if you do not.

Connecticut uses standardized forms for several key moments in the special education process. Understanding which form is which — and what your signature actually means — is fundamental to protecting your rights as a parent.

ED625: Consent for Evaluation

ED625 is Connecticut's consent form for initial special education evaluations (and in some cases, reevaluations). When a district wants to conduct an initial evaluation to determine whether your child has a disability and requires special education services, it must first obtain your written informed consent. ED625 is the form used to document that consent.

Before you sign ED625, the district should have explained:

• The specific assessments and evaluations it proposes to conduct
• Who will conduct each evaluation (psychologist, speech-language pathologist, occupational therapist, etc.)
• What the district is trying to determine through the evaluation
• Your rights in the evaluation process, including your right to an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE) if you disagree with the results

Note the word "informed." Consent is only valid if it is truly informed — meaning you understood what you were agreeing to before you signed. If the district hands you ED625 at a meeting and pressures you to sign immediately without fully explaining the proposed evaluations, your informed consent may be questionable.

What happens after you sign ED625: Once you provide written consent, Connecticut's 45-school-day timeline begins (RCSA §10-76d-13). The district has 45 school days from receipt of your signed consent to complete the evaluations, hold a PPT meeting, develop an IEP, and begin implementing the IEP. The timeline is calendar-based on school days, not calendar days.

What happens if you do not sign ED625: If you refuse to consent to an initial evaluation, the district cannot evaluate your child. The district also cannot go around you by taking you to court to compel consent for an initial evaluation — federal law specifically bars districts from overriding a parent's refusal of consent for initial evaluation. This is different from what happens if you refuse services.

When to withhold or delay consent: There are legitimate reasons to ask questions before signing. You may want to request a copy of the proposed evaluation plan in writing before deciding. You may want to consult with an advocate or educational consultant about whether the proposed evaluations are appropriate and comprehensive given your child's needs. Waiting a few days to be fully informed is reasonable. Waiting months is not — timelines only begin after you sign, and your child needs to be evaluated.

Reevaluations: Connecticut typically uses ED625 or a similar form for reevaluations (triennial or more frequent). For reevaluations, you have the right to waive the reevaluation by written agreement if both you and the district agree that no additional data is needed. The district must still consider whether reevaluation is needed; you do not have to accept a district's assertion that it is not.

ED626: Consent for Special Education Services

ED626 is Connecticut's consent form for initial special education services. Once the evaluation is complete, the PPT has developed an IEP, and you have received the IEP, the district needs your written consent to begin providing services under the IEP. ED626 documents that consent.

This is a critical distinction: consenting to services (ED626) is different from consenting to the content of the IEP. You can sign ED626 to allow services to begin while still objecting to specific aspects of the IEP. Make sure your signature documents reflect this distinction accurately.

What your signature on ED626 means: You are agreeing to allow the district to begin providing services. You are not necessarily agreeing that the IEP is appropriate, that the placement is correct, or that you waive any rights to challenge elements of the IEP.

What happens if you do not sign ED626: If you refuse consent for initial services, the district cannot provide special education services. The district cannot override a parent's refusal of consent for initial services. However, unlike refusal of evaluation, the district also cannot be considered to have denied FAPE simply because you refused consent. If your child does not receive services because you refused consent, the district's FAPE obligation is discharged.

In practice, refusing ED626 is unusual and generally not in the child's interest. A more common scenario is a parent who signs ED626 to let services start while simultaneously challenging the adequacy of the IEP through a state complaint or due process petition. This preserves the child's access to at least some services while the dispute is resolved.

Note on ED621 and ED622

You may also see references to other "ED" numbered forms in Connecticut. Connecticut's special education form numbering system has evolved, and some older references use different numbers. Historically, Connecticut used a different numbering scheme, and not all documents in circulation use the current designations.

If you receive a form labeled ED621 or ED622, review the title and description on the form itself to understand what it covers. The title of the form — "Consent for Evaluation," "Consent for Services," "Prior Written Notice," "Procedural Safeguards Notice" — is more reliable than the number alone.

If you are ever unsure what a form is asking you to consent to, do not sign immediately. Ask the district to explain the form's purpose in plain language, request a copy to review before signing, and note the date you received it.

Signing IEPs: Agreement vs. Receipt

Connecticut IEPs typically include signature lines for parents. Your signature on an IEP acknowledges receipt — it confirms you received the document. It does not necessarily indicate agreement with the IEP's content.

Make sure the form you are signing clearly distinguishes between "I received this IEP" and "I agree with this IEP." If both options appear on the signature form (as they often do in Connecticut), check only the box that accurately reflects your position. If you disagree with elements of the IEP, note your specific objections in writing at the PPT meeting and follow up with a written summary after the meeting.

Informed Consent as a Substantive Right

Connecticut's procedural consent requirements are not paperwork formalities — they represent a fundamental principle that parents are partners in their child's special education, not passive recipients of district decisions. The informed consent framework means the district cannot move forward with evaluating or serving your child without your genuine agreement.

That protection runs both ways. When you do sign, your signature matters. Understanding what each form covers, when your signature is required, and what it legally means gives you control over the process.

For a complete guide to Connecticut's special education procedural rights — including evaluation consent, IEP signing, and how to document your position at every stage — the Connecticut IEP & 504 Advocacy Playbook is the resource Connecticut parents need.

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