DCPS Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) and AED Meeting: What Parents Need to Know

Your child's teacher said she has "concerns." The school recommended an evaluation. And now you've received a notice for something called an "MDT meeting" or an "AED review." If you're not sure what any of that means or what your role is in this process, you're not alone — and what happens at this meeting matters more than most parents realize.

In the District of Columbia, the evaluation process doesn't begin the moment you request it. It begins with a specific gatekeeping step called the Analysis of Existing Data (AED) meeting, convened by the school's Multidisciplinary Team. Understanding exactly how this step works — and what the team can and cannot do — is essential for ensuring your child gets the evaluation they need.

What Is the DCPS Multidisciplinary Team?

The Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) is a group of school professionals responsible for reviewing existing information about your child and making decisions about whether a comprehensive special education evaluation is warranted. At a minimum, the MDT includes a general education teacher, a special education teacher, a school psychologist, and an LEA representative who has the authority to commit district resources.

In DCPS, the MDT is a formal body with legal obligations under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the DC Municipal Regulations (5-A DCMR § 3000 et seq.). It's not a casual check-in. The decisions made at the MDT level can either open the door to services your child legally deserves — or delay access to them by months.

The 30-Day AED Timeline

Once a written or verbal referral for evaluation is received, DCPS has exactly 30 calendar days to convene the MDT for an Analysis of Existing Data meeting. This is a hard deadline under DC local regulations, not a courtesy.

The AED meeting itself has a narrow, specific purpose: the team reviews data that already exists about your child. This includes:

• Report cards and attendance records
• State assessment results (like MAP, ANET, or i-Ready scores)
• Teacher observations and behavior records
• Any prior evaluations or outside assessments already in the file
• Documentation of any interventions already attempted (such as Multi-Tiered Support Services, or MTSS)

The MDT uses this existing data to answer one question: Is there sufficient reason to suspect your child has a disability that is affecting their educational performance? If the answer is yes, the school proceeds to the full evaluation phase.

What Happens After the AED Meeting

If the MDT agrees that a comprehensive evaluation is needed, the school must obtain your written consent before proceeding. From the date of your signature on that consent form, DCPS has 60 days to:

1. Complete all required assessments (which may include psychological testing, speech-language evaluation, occupational therapy assessment, functional behavioral assessment, or others)
2. Hold the eligibility determination meeting

That 60-day clock is firm. The combination of the 30-day AED window and the 60-day evaluation window means the entire process from referral to eligibility meeting should take no more than 90 days. If DCPS is dragging past these timelines, that is a compliance violation you can document and escalate.

What the MDT Cannot Do

The MDT can review data and decide whether to proceed with evaluation — but there are clear limits on what they can legitimately refuse to do.

They cannot refuse to evaluate based on budget. If your child shows signs of a disability, the MDT cannot decline to evaluate simply because resources are stretched. DCPS has an affirmative Child Find obligation under IDEA, meaning the system is legally required to seek out and identify children with disabilities, not wait for parents to prove the case first.

They cannot use the AED meeting to pre-determine placement. Some parents report that school teams use the AED stage to steer away from evaluation by saying the child is "making adequate progress" or that interventions are "sufficient." This is a red flag. Adequate progress in general education does not automatically mean a disability is absent — it may mean the student is working extraordinarily hard to compensate.

They cannot dismiss a private evaluation you bring. If you've obtained an independent neuropsychological or educational evaluation — parents in DC regularly pay $3,000–$5,000 for these out of pocket — the MDT must consider that data during the AED review. They don't have to agree with its conclusions, but they are legally required to engage with it.

How to Prepare for an MDT Meeting

Before you walk into an AED meeting, put these steps in place:

Submit your referral in writing. Verbal requests for evaluation are legally valid, but a written, dated letter creates an undeniable paper trail and starts the 30-day AED clock with certainty. Cite IDEA's Child Find mandate and DCPS's local obligation under 5-A DCMR § 3005 to ensure the school cannot later claim the referral was informal or unclear.

Request all existing records before the meeting. You are entitled to review your child's educational records. Ask for progress monitoring data, behavioral incident reports, teacher notes, and any prior evaluation results. Go into the meeting already knowing what data the MDT will be looking at.

Bring your own documentation. If you have outside evaluations, medical diagnoses, therapist notes, or private school reports, bring copies. The MDT's job is to review existing data — make sure the picture they review is complete.

Ask directly what happens next. If the MDT decides not to proceed with a full evaluation, ask them to explain in writing why and what data informed that decision. You can request a Prior Written Notice (PWN) documenting the refusal under 34 CFR § 300.503, which locks the school into a specific legal rationale if you choose to challenge the decision.

If the MDT Refuses to Evaluate

A refusal to evaluate is not the end. You have two main options:

1. File an OSSE State Complaint. If the school violated a procedural requirement — like missing the 30-day AED window or failing to consider your outside evaluation — you can file a complaint with the OSSE State Complaint Office. OSSE must issue a decision within 60 days.

2. Request an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE) at public expense. If the MDT completed an evaluation but you disagree with the results, you have the right to request an IEE. DCPS must either fund the IEE or file for due process to defend their evaluation. IEEs in DC are governed by OSSE's rate schedule under 5-A DCMR Chapter 28.

The MDT meeting may look like a formality, but it's one of the most consequential junctures in the special education eligibility process. Coming prepared — with written requests, records in hand, and a clear understanding of the timelines — makes the difference between a smooth path toward services and months of preventable delay.

If you're navigating the DC evaluation process and want templates, timelines, and escalation scripts built specifically for DCPS and charter schools, the District of Columbia IEP & 504 Advocacy Playbook covers the MDT process from referral through eligibility determination with fill-in-the-blank letters that cite DC's local municipal regulations.

See more United States guides →