Understanding Independent Educational Evaluations (IEEs) in Special Education

What exactly is an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE), and when should you request one? In this episode of Special Education Boss®, Karen Mayer Cunningham breaks down the facts about IEEs under IDEA and why they matter for parents, advocates, and educators.

We’ll cover:

• The legal foundation of IEEs (IDEA §300.502)
• What an IEE is — and what it is NOT
• When to request an IEE (and when not to)
• How schools grant, deny, or push to due process
• Common pitfalls with outside evaluations
• What parents should know before spending money on private testing

Karen also answers real parent questions, including:

• “How often is an IEE actually helpful?”
• “If a school accepts some of an IEE, do they have to accept all of it?”
• “What happens during a 30-day transfer ARD?”

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“When we get it right for the child, we get it right for everybody.” — Karen Mayer Cunningham