How to Request a Special Education Evaluation in Connecticut

You've been watching your child struggle for a year. The school has been "monitoring" or suggesting extra practice. Nothing is improving. You think something more significant is going on and you want the school to actually evaluate your child. Here is exactly how to request a special education evaluation in Connecticut and what happens once you do.

You Have the Right to Request an Evaluation

Connecticut parents have the right to request a special education evaluation at any time. You do not need to wait for the school to suggest it. You do not need a pediatrician's letter. You do not need a diagnosis. You need a written request.

This right exists under both federal IDEA and Connecticut's Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies (RCSA). The moment the district receives your written request, specific legal obligations attach to it — they must respond, send you an evaluation plan, and, if you provide consent, complete the evaluation within Connecticut's 45-school-day timeline.

The ED622: Connecticut's Referral Form

Connecticut uses a standardized referral form called the ED622 to formalize special education evaluation requests. When you submit a written request, the district will typically send you the ED622 to complete and return. The form captures basic information about your child and the reason for the referral.

You do not have to wait for the ED622 to start the process. An email or letter explicitly requesting a special education evaluation is sufficient to trigger the district's obligations. In practice, the ED622 formalizes the referral — but your written request is the legally meaningful act. Keep a copy of everything you send and note the date the district received it.

What to include in your written request:

• Your child's full name, grade, school, and date of birth
• A clear statement that you are requesting a special education evaluation
• The areas of concern you want evaluated (academic, behavioral, communication, motor, etc.)
• A brief description of the challenges you have observed
• Reference to your rights under IDEA and RCSA

A sample opening: "I am writing to formally request a special education evaluation for [child's name], currently in [grade] at [school name]. I am concerned about [specific areas of concern] and believe these challenges may require specially designed instruction. I am requesting a comprehensive evaluation in all areas of suspected disability pursuant to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies."

SRBI Cannot Delay Your Evaluation Request

Connecticut uses the SRBI (Scientific Research-Based Interventions) framework — the state's version of multi-tiered support systems (MTSS/RTI). Districts sometimes suggest placing a child in SRBI interventions before conducting a formal evaluation. This can be appropriate when you agree to it and when SRBI data will genuinely inform the evaluation.

It is not appropriate as a substitute for or delay of the evaluation process. Once you submit a written evaluation request, the district must respond to it. The district cannot use SRBI participation as a reason to postpone or decline a formal evaluation. If you have submitted a written request and the district responds by suggesting more SRBI interventions instead of sending an evaluation plan, document the exchange and restate your request in writing, explicitly noting that you are requesting a formal evaluation under IDEA.

After the Request: The Evaluation Planning Period

Within 10 school days of receiving your referral, the district must send you a written evaluation plan. This document describes:

• The areas to be evaluated
• The specific assessments or tools to be used
• Who will conduct each assessment
• The proposed timeline

Review this plan carefully. It must cover all areas you identified in your referral plus any areas the district believes are relevant. Common areas to evaluate include cognitive functioning, academic achievement, speech and language skills, adaptive behavior, social-emotional functioning, behavioral functioning, and motor skills (occupational therapy evaluation). If the plan seems narrow relative to your concerns, request additions before you sign consent.

The 45-School-Day Timeline

When you sign and return the evaluation plan consent, Connecticut's evaluation clock starts. Under RCSA § 10-76d-13, the district has 45 school days — counting only days when school is in session — to complete all evaluations and schedule the eligibility PPT meeting.

This is stricter than the federal 60 calendar-day standard. However, because it counts only school days, the practical calendar time depends heavily on when you submit the referral.

The clock can be paused for up to 10 school days each time a consent form is returned to the district. That pause is the only permitted interruption. The district cannot stop the clock because a specialist is unavailable, because they're waiting for additional information, or because of administrative backlog.

If the district misses the 45-school-day deadline without a valid reason, that is a procedural violation you can include in a state complaint.

What a Complete Evaluation Must Cover

A legally adequate evaluation covers all areas of suspected disability. Common components:

Cognitive assessment: measures intellectual functioning, processing speed, working memory, and reasoning. Provides the baseline for understanding discrepancies between potential and performance.

Academic achievement testing: assesses reading (decoding, fluency, comprehension), writing, and mathematics. The foundation for identifying specific learning disabilities.

Speech and language evaluation: covers articulation, receptive language (understanding), expressive language (output), and pragmatic language (social use). Should be conducted by a licensed speech-language pathologist.

Occupational therapy evaluation: covers fine motor skills, handwriting, sensory processing, and functional skills. Not always included in the initial plan — you may need to request it specifically if motor or sensory concerns are present.

Social-emotional and behavioral assessment: behavior rating scales completed by teacher(s) and parent(s), interview data, classroom observation. Should specifically address whether behavioral or emotional factors are affecting educational performance.

Adaptive behavior assessment: how your child manages daily living tasks, communication, and social interaction outside the academic context. Particularly important for autism and intellectual disability evaluations.

Classroom and school observation: direct observation of your child in the educational setting(s) where concerns are present.

After the Evaluation: The Eligibility PPT

The evaluation must be followed by an eligibility PPT meeting where the team reviews all findings and makes two determinations: does your child have a disability in one of IDEA's 13 categories, and does that disability require specially designed instruction?

You should receive all evaluation reports before this meeting — not at it. Request them in writing at least one week in advance. If the team is reviewing a 30-page psychological evaluation at the same meeting where you're expected to weigh in on eligibility, you are at a significant disadvantage.

If you disagree with the evaluation results, you have the right to request an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE) at public expense. The district must either fund the IEE or file for due process to defend their evaluation.

The Connecticut IEP & 504 Blueprint includes a ready-to-send Connecticut evaluation request letter, an evaluation plan review checklist, and guidance on requesting missing evaluation components before signing consent.

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