• 45-School-Day Evaluation Rule
• • Once you sign consent for evaluation, the school has 45 school days to complete your child’s Full and Individual Evaluation (FIE).
    (Yes, it sounds long—but “school days” don’t include weekends, holidays, or breaks.)
  • The FIE must be fully completed by the 45th school day, meaning all testing, scoring, and report writing are done.
  • The completed report should be available on the next school day after the due date. Parents have the right to request a copy of the FIE immediately after it is due. 
• 30-Calendar-Day ARD Rule: After the FIE is completed, the district has 30 calendar days to hold the ARD/IEP meeting to review results and determine eligibility.
• 5-Day Parent Review Rule:  By law, the completed FIE must be provided to parents at least 5 school days before the ARD meeting. This ensures you have sufficient time to review, process, and prepare questions in advance of the meeting.

 

Clarify the Due Date

When you sign the consent, ask the person collecting it (counselor, administrator, or evaluation staff) to confirm the exact due date and mark it on your calendar. You can then request the completed FIE the day after the 45-day due date.

Absences Can Extend the Timeline

If your child has three or more absences after consent is signed, the evaluation timeline is extended by one day for each absence.

For example:

A 45-school-day timeline can become a 50-school-day timeline if your child misses five days during testing.

Attendance matters—every absence adds days to when the evaluation is due and when the ARD can occur.