How to Request an IEP Evaluation in Washington State

A teacher tells you your child is "just slow to warm up" or "a little behind but catching up." Your pediatrician says the school should be doing something. Your child is in third grade and still cannot read. Every instinct you have says something is wrong — but you do not know how to officially start the process.

Here is the answer: you write a letter. And the moment the district receives it, a legal clock starts ticking.

The Referral: How It Officially Begins

In Washington State, a formal evaluation for special education begins with a referral. Under WAC 392-172A, a referral can come from a teacher, a school administrator, or a parent. As a parent, you have the right to make this referral at any time — you do not need a teacher's permission, a doctor's note, or the school's agreement that an evaluation is warranted.

The referral should be in writing. An oral request to a teacher or school counselor may not be formally logged as a referral. A written request to the school principal or the district's special education director creates a documented starting point and triggers the district's legal obligation to respond.

What to Include in Your Evaluation Request Letter

Your letter does not need to be formal or complicated. It needs to do three things:

1. State clearly that you are requesting a special education evaluation. Do not soften this with language like "I was wondering if someone might look at my child." Write: "I am requesting that [child's name] be evaluated for special education eligibility."

2. Describe the specific concerns. What are you observing? Be as concrete as possible. "My child reads significantly below grade level and has not made progress despite extra support" is more useful than "I think she might have a learning disability." Include observations from home and school if you have them. If there have been teacher concerns raised in writing, reference them.

3. Reference the district's Child Find obligation. WAC 392-172A-02040 requires Washington school districts to proactively identify, locate, and evaluate all children with disabilities in their jurisdiction — including those who are advancing from grade to grade but still struggling. You do not have to cite this code in your letter, but knowing it exists matters. The district cannot refuse to evaluate simply because your child has passing grades.

A sample sentence to include: "I am requesting this evaluation under the district's Child Find obligations and my rights under IDEA and WAC 392-172A."

4. Request written confirmation. Ask the district to confirm receipt and notify you of the next steps within the required timeframe.

Send the letter by email with a read receipt, or mail it with delivery confirmation. Keep a copy.

The 25-School-Day Response Timeline

Once the district receives your written referral, the clock starts. Under WAC 392-172A, the district has a maximum of 25 school days to:

• Review the referral
• Gather preliminary data (existing test scores, report cards, teacher input)
• Consult with you
• Issue a Prior Written Notice (PWN) stating whether they will or will not conduct an evaluation

This 25-day window is measured in school days — days when students are required to be in attendance for instructional purposes. Weekends, holidays, and school breaks do not count. A referral made in late May will pause over the summer and resume when school resumes in fall.

The district's response must be in writing. If they agree to evaluate, they must describe what assessments they plan to conduct and obtain your written consent before proceeding. If they refuse to evaluate, they must explain their reasoning in the PWN — specifically, what evaluation data they relied on and why they determined an evaluation was not warranted.

What Happens After You Consent to Evaluation

Once you sign the consent for evaluation, the district has 35 school days to complete the assessment. The evaluation must be:

• Conducted by qualified professionals in your child's primary language
• Comprehensive — covering all areas of suspected disability, not just the one area you mentioned
• Based on multiple measures, not a single test score
• Free of charge to you

The evaluation might include academic achievement tests, cognitive assessments, behavioral rating scales completed by teachers and parents, speech-language screening, occupational or physical therapy screening, and observation in the classroom. The specific assessments depend on your child's presenting concerns.

After the evaluation is complete, the district must share the results with you in a written evaluation report before the eligibility meeting. You have the right to receive this report with enough time to review it before the meeting. Receiving a 20-page neuropsychological report 15 minutes before the eligibility determination meeting is not adequate notice — and you can say so.

If the District Refuses to Evaluate

A district refusal to evaluate must be documented in a Prior Written Notice. The PWN must explain the specific data the district relied on to conclude an evaluation is not warranted.

If you disagree with the refusal, you have options:

Request an independent evaluation. If you have obtained a private evaluation that supports the need for services, you can present it to the district and request they reconsider.

File an OSPI community complaint. If the district failed to respond within 25 school days, or if the PWN does not provide adequate justification for the refusal, an OSPI complaint is appropriate. OSPI can order the district to conduct an evaluation.

Request mediation or due process. If you believe the district's refusal violates your child's rights, you can request mediation through OSPI's free voluntary mediation program or file for due process. Due process is a formal legal proceeding before an Administrative Law Judge and typically involves attorneys, but it is the most powerful tool available.

Common Mistakes That Slow Things Down

Waiting for the school to initiate. Schools have a Child Find obligation, but they do not always fulfill it. Do not wait for the school to suggest an evaluation. If you have concerns, make the referral yourself.

Making a verbal request only. A conversation with a teacher is not a referral. The clock does not start until the district receives a written request. Put it in writing.

Signing consent immediately under pressure. When the district sends the evaluation consent form, you are allowed to take time to review it. If you have questions about what assessments they are proposing or why, ask before signing.

Not reviewing the evaluation report before the meeting. Request the evaluation report at least 5 business days before the eligibility meeting. Review it carefully. If you disagree with the findings, you have the right to request an Independent Educational Evaluation at public expense.

What Comes Next: Eligibility and the IEP

The evaluation determines whether your child meets Washington's three-pronged eligibility test: (1) presence of a disability in one of Washington's 13 categories, (2) adverse educational impact, and (3) need for specially designed instruction. A private diagnosis alone does not establish eligibility — the district's evaluation is the official determination.

If your child is found eligible, the district must hold an IEP meeting and develop an initial IEP within 30 calendar days of the eligibility determination. Services cannot begin until you give written consent for the IEP.

If your child is not found eligible, you can disagree with that determination and pursue an IEE, mediation, or due process.

The Washington IEP & 504 Blueprint includes a complete evaluation request letter template, a timeline tracker for the 25-school-day and 35-school-day windows, and a guide to reviewing the evaluation report before the eligibility meeting. Get the full toolkit at specialedstartguide.com/us/washington/iep-guide/

The evaluation process can feel bureaucratic and slow, but each step has a legal timeline you can hold the district to. Knowing the clock started the day your letter was received is the first step to keeping the process moving.

See more United States guides →