Special Education Laws by State

Evaluation timeline

60 calendar days from receipt of signed parental consent for the initial evaluation.

IEP meeting timeline

An IEP must be developed within 30 calendar days after the child is determined eligible.

Evaluation timeline

60 calendar days from the date the district receives parental consent.

IEP meeting timeline

An IEP meeting must be held within 30 calendar days of determining a child is eligible for special education.

Evaluation timeline

60 calendar days from the public education agency's receipt of informed written parental consent through the Multidisciplinary Evaluation Team (MET) eligibility determination, subject to Arizona's limited written-extension rule.

IEP meeting timeline

The initial IEP team must meet to develop the IEP within 30 calendar days after eligibility is determined. Initial evaluation consent is not consent for services, so the school must obtain informed parental consent before first providing special education and related services.

Evaluation timeline

60 calendar days from receipt of parental consent for evaluation.

IEP meeting timeline

An IEP must be developed within 30 calendar days of the eligibility determination.

Evaluation timeline

Within 60 calendar days of receiving parental consent for the assessment, the eligibility determinations must be made and an IEP team meeting must occur, with school-session and qualifying vacation days excluded and limited exceptions.

IEP meeting timeline

The initial IEP meeting must occur within 30 days after the child is determined to need special education and related services. A parent-requested IEP review meeting must be held within 30 calendar days after the agency receives the written request, excluding specified school breaks. Initial services require informed parental consent and must be made available as soon as possible after IEP development.

Evaluation timeline

60 calendar days from the administrative unit's receipt of written parental consent to completion of the initial evaluation, including the evaluation report, subject to limited exceptions.

IEP meeting timeline

After the evaluation, Colorado requires an eligibility meeting within a reasonable time. If the child needs special education, the IEP meeting must occur within 30 calendar days of that determination, and Colorado also requires the initial IEP to be developed within 90 calendar days of evaluation consent. Initial services require separate parental consent.

Evaluation timeline

45 school days from written referral through evaluation, eligibility, and, if eligible, IEP implementation, excluding the time required to obtain parental consent.

IEP meeting timeline

The initial referral-to-IEP process—not only the PPT meeting—fits within the same 45-school-day timeline, excluding the time required to obtain parental consent.

Evaluation timeline

45 school days from the date of receiving parental consent.

IEP meeting timeline

An IEP must be developed within 30 calendar days of the eligibility determination.

Evaluation timeline

60 school days (not calendar days) that the student is in attendance after receiving parental consent.

IEP meeting timeline

An IEP must be developed within 30 calendar days of identifying the student as eligible.

Evaluation timeline

60 calendar days after the LEA receives parental consent for evaluation, adjusted for Georgia's specified five-consecutive-school-day breaks and summer exclusion. Consent received 30 days or more before the end of the school year remains subject to the 60-day evaluation timeframe.

IEP meeting timeline

A group of qualified professionals and the parent determines eligibility after the evaluation, and the LEA provides the evaluation report and eligibility documentation at no cost. If the child is eligible, the initial IEP meeting must be conducted within 30 days of that determination. Initial special education and related services require separate informed parental consent and must be made available as soon as possible after the IEP is developed.

Evaluation timeline

Determine eligibility within 60 calendar days after receiving parental consent for assessment, or after the team determines that no additional assessment data are needed, subject to the rule's repeated-failure-or-refusal exception.

IEP meeting timeline

If the student is eligible, HIDOE must obtain separate parental consent for the initial provision of special education and related services. The meeting to develop the initial IEP must occur within 15 calendar days after HIDOE receives that service consent and no later than 30 calendar days after eligibility. Services must be made available as soon as possible after the IEP is developed.

Evaluation timeline

60 calendar days from receipt of written parental consent.

IEP meeting timeline

An IEP must be developed within 30 calendar days of eligibility determination.

Evaluation timeline

60 school days from the date of parental consent (not calendar days).

IEP meeting timeline

An IEP must be in place within 30 calendar days of the eligibility decision.

Evaluation timeline

50 instructional days from receipt of parental consent.

IEP meeting timeline

An IEP (called a 'Case Conference' in Indiana) must be held within 30 calendar days of eligibility.

Evaluation timeline

60 calendar days from receipt of parental consent for the evaluation.

IEP meeting timeline

An IEP must be developed within 30 calendar days of eligibility determination.

Evaluation timeline

60 school days from the date the school receives parental consent.

IEP meeting timeline

An IEP must be developed within 30 calendar days of determining eligibility.

Evaluation timeline

60 school days from receipt of parental consent.

IEP meeting timeline

An Admissions and Release Committee (ARC) meeting must be held within 30 calendar days of eligibility.

Evaluation timeline

60 business days from the LEA's receipt of parental consent for the initial evaluation, subject to limited regulatory exceptions and Bulletin 1508 extensions.

IEP meeting timeline

For an eligible student, the LEA has a maximum of 30 calendar days from dissemination of the completed written evaluation to its special education administrator to complete the initial IEP/placement document. Evaluation consent is not consent for initial services, so the LEA must obtain separate informed parental consent before first providing special education and related services.

Evaluation timeline

45 school days from receipt of parental consent (shorter than federal).

IEP meeting timeline

An IEP meeting must be held within 30 calendar days of the eligibility determination.

Evaluation timeline

both 60 calendar days from parental consent for assessments and 90 calendar days from the public agency's receipt of the written referral, subject to a qualifying written extension or limited exceptions.

IEP meeting timeline

For an eligible student, the IEP team must meet to develop the initial IEP within 30 calendar days of the evaluation. Maryland generally requires 10 calendar days' meeting notice, planned discussion documents at least five business days before the meeting, and a completed IEP or, if unfinished, a draft within five business days after. Initial services require written parental consent and the IEP must be implemented as soon as possible after development, subject to narrow timing exceptions.

Evaluation timeline

30 school days from receipt of parental consent for the evaluation.

IEP meeting timeline

An IEP meeting must be held within 45 school days of the referral.

Evaluation timeline

no more than 30 school days from the public agency's receipt of signed evaluation consent to notice of an initial FAPE offer or determination of ineligibility, unless the parent and agency agree to a qualifying written extension measured in school days.

IEP meeting timeline

Within the 30-school-day consent-to-offer period, the IEP team determines eligibility and, when the student is eligible, develops the initial IEP. The agency provides the initial FAPE-offer or ineligibility notice within seven school days after the IEP team meeting. The parent has 10 school days after receiving an initial FAPE offer to provide written consent for initial services. The agency then initiates the proposed IEP as soon as possible and within the applicable 15-school-day limit, unless a qualifying due-process or agreed later-date rule applies.

Evaluation timeline

30 school days from the date of receipt of written parental consent.

IEP meeting timeline

An IEP meeting must be held within 30 calendar days of the eligibility determination.

Evaluation timeline

60 calendar days from receipt of parental consent.

IEP meeting timeline

An IEP must be developed within 30 calendar days of the eligibility determination.

Evaluation timeline

60 calendar days from receipt of parental consent for the evaluation.

IEP meeting timeline

An IEP must be developed within 30 calendar days of the eligibility determination.

Evaluation timeline

60 calendar days from receipt of parental consent.

IEP meeting timeline

An IEP must be developed within 30 calendar days of the eligibility determination.

Evaluation timeline

Complete the initial multidisciplinary evaluation within 45 school days after receiving parental consent, without running past 60 calendar days because of school breaks, subject to the recognized transfer and repeated-failure exceptions.

IEP meeting timeline

After the multidisciplinary team verification decision, the school district or approved cooperative must provide reasonable notice and conduct the IEP conference within 30 calendar days. The IEP must be in effect before services are provided. Initial services require separate informed parental consent and must be made available as soon as possible after the IEP is developed.

Evaluation timeline

45 school days from receipt of parental consent.

IEP meeting timeline

An IEP must be developed within 30 calendar days of the eligibility determination.

Evaluation timeline

60 calendar days from receipt of signed parental consent.

IEP meeting timeline

An IEP must be developed within 30 calendar days of the eligibility determination.

Evaluation timeline

90 calendar days after parental consent for initial evaluation is received, covering evaluation, eligibility, and, if eligible, IEP development and implementation, subject to limited exceptions.

IEP meeting timeline

The initial IEP meeting must occur within 30 calendar days of eligibility, the IEP must be implemented as soon as possible after that meeting, and the complete consent-to-implementation sequence must fit within New Jersey's 90-day timeline.

Evaluation timeline

60 calendar days from receipt of parental consent.

IEP meeting timeline

An IEP must be developed within 30 calendar days of the eligibility determination.

Evaluation timeline

60 calendar days of receiving consent to evaluate and implement the IEP (inclusive of the meeting).

IEP meeting timeline

Included within the 60-day overarching initial evaluation to implementation timeframe.

Evaluation timeline

within 90 calendar days after receipt of the written referral, the evaluations must be conducted, eligibility determined, and, for an eligible child, the IEP developed and placement completed, unless a documented North Carolina exception applies.

IEP meeting timeline

The federal initial-IEP meeting deadline is within 30 calendar days after the child is determined to need special education, while North Carolina also requires IEP development and placement to fit inside its 90-calendar-day written-referral timeline. Evaluation consent does not authorize initial services; separate informed parental consent is required before initial special education and related services, which must be made available as soon as possible after the IEP is developed.

Evaluation timeline

60 school days from receipt of parental consent.

IEP meeting timeline

An IEP must be developed within 30 calendar days of the eligibility determination.

Evaluation timeline

60 calendar days from receipt of parental consent.

IEP meeting timeline

An IEP must be developed within 30 calendar days of the eligibility determination.

Evaluation timeline

45 school days from receipt of parental consent (shorter than federal).

IEP meeting timeline

An IEP must be developed within 30 calendar days of the eligibility determination.

Evaluation timeline

within 60 school days from written parent consent through the meeting to consider eligibility, unless a documented Oregon exception applies.

IEP meeting timeline

When the child is determined to need special education, the initial IEP meeting must be conducted within 30 calendar days. Evaluation consent does not authorize initial services: the district must obtain separate informed parental consent before initial special education and related services, and services must be made available as soon as possible after the IEP is developed.

Evaluation timeline

no later than 60 calendar days after the agency receives written parental consent for evaluation, excluding calendar days from the day after the last day of the spring school term through the day before the first day of the subsequent fall school term.

IEP meeting timeline

The evaluation report is provided at least 10 school days before the IEP team meeting unless the parent waives that lead time in writing. When the child is determined eligible, the initial IEP meeting must be conducted within 30 days. Initial services require informed parental consent, and the completed IEP must be implemented as soon as possible but no later than 10 school days after completion.

Evaluation timeline

60 calendar days from receipt of parental consent.

IEP meeting timeline

An IEP must be developed within 30 calendar days of the eligibility determination.

Evaluation timeline

60 calendar days from receipt of parental consent.

IEP meeting timeline

An IEP must be developed within 30 calendar days of the eligibility determination.

Evaluation timeline

within 25 school days after the district receives signed parental consent to evaluate, unless the parent and school administration agree to another evaluation timeline.

IEP meeting timeline

The written evaluation report, eligibility determination, and initial IEP team meeting must all be completed within 30 days from the end of the 25-school-day evaluation timeline, or from the end of an agreed alternative evaluation timeline. The district must obtain separate informed parental consent before initially providing special education and related services. Services are made available as soon as possible after the IEP is developed.

Evaluation timeline

60 calendar days from receipt of parental consent.

IEP meeting timeline

An IEP must be developed within 30 calendar days of the eligibility determination.

Evaluation timeline

no later than the 45th school day following the LEA's receipt of written parent consent for the Full Individual and Initial Evaluation, with absence, summer-window, transfer, and student-setting rules that can change the calculation.

IEP meeting timeline

The district provides the completed FIIE report at no cost as soon as possible but no later than five school days before the initial ARD meeting. The ARD committee generally determines eligibility within 30 calendar days after report completion and develops an IEP if the student is eligible. Summer timing can move that meeting to the first school day or, for the special 35-to-45-school-day consent window, the 15th school day of the next school year; an indicated need for extended-school-year services requires a prompt eligibility decision. Initial services require separate informed written consent, and Texas generally requires Prior Written Notice at least five school days before IEP implementation unless the parent agrees to a shorter period.

Evaluation timeline

45 school days from the LEA's receipt of parental or adult-student consent for the initial evaluation, subject to limited exceptions in the Utah Special Education Rules.

IEP meeting timeline

If the student is found eligible and needs special education, the initial IEP meeting must occur within 30 calendar days; services must be made available as soon as possible after the IEP is developed.

Evaluation timeline

60 calendar days from receipt of parental consent.

IEP meeting timeline

An IEP must be developed within 30 calendar days of the eligibility determination.

Evaluation timeline

65 business days from the special education administrator's or designee's receipt of the referral through completion of all evaluations and the eligibility decision, including when the referral is routed to a school-based team, subject to limited exceptions and a qualifying written extension.

IEP meeting timeline

The initial IEP must be developed within 30 calendar days after the eligibility group first determines that the child needs special education and related services. The IEP must be in effect before services are provided and implemented as soon as possible following parental consent to the IEP.

Evaluation timeline

35 school days from receipt of written parental consent.

IEP meeting timeline

An IEP must be developed within 30 calendar days of the eligibility determination.

Evaluation timeline

120 calendar days from the date of referral for the full evaluation process.

IEP meeting timeline

An IEP must be developed within 30 calendar days of the eligibility determination.

Evaluation timeline

80 calendar days from the date of referral (includes consent process).

IEP meeting timeline

An IEP must be developed within 30 calendar days of the eligibility determination.

Evaluation timeline

60 calendar days from receipt of parental consent (or 90 days from referral if consent is delayed).

IEP meeting timeline

An IEP must be developed within 30 calendar days of the eligibility determination.

Evaluation timeline

60 calendar days from receipt of parental consent.

IEP meeting timeline

An IEP must be developed within 30 calendar days of the eligibility determination.