Connecticut and Federal regulations have somewhat different evaluation timeline requirements regarding the first evaluation of whether a child needs special education services. Connecticut: the child must be evaluated and have the first IEP implemented no later than 45 school days from the date of the referral for special education. Federal: the PPT must complete the child’s initial evaluation regarding eligibility within 60 calendar days from the date of the referral for special education.
SDE has indicated that the child’s evaluation must meet the Connecticut timeline requirements.
Neither of these timeframes includes whatever time it takes to obtain parental consent for evaluation and parental consent for providing special education.
If requested, the school district must provide the parents with the results of the assessments and evaluations, which will be used to determine eligibility for special education, at least three school days before the PPT meeting.
When using the “45 school days” timeframe: If the referral has been made during a summer school vacation, the effective date of the referral is the first school day of the next school year.
SDE encourages school districts to complete evaluations during the summer so that the child, if eligible for special education services, will have an IEP in place at the beginning of the school year.
The child must be reevaluated at least every three years, unless the parents and school district agree that a reevaluation is not necessary.
The child may be reevaluated not more than once per year, unless the parents and school district agree otherwise.
Except for the first evaluation regarding eligibility for special education, there is no specific timeline for the completion of an evaluation.