Upon receipt of evaluation results, if the parent disagrees with an initial evaluation or re-evaluation completed by the school district, then the parent may request an Independent Educational Evaluation.

• All Independent Educational Evaluations shall be conducted by qualified persons who are registered, certified, licensed or otherwise approved and who abide by the rates set by the state agency responsible for setting such rates. Unique circumstances of the child may justify an individual assessment rate that is higher than that normally allowed.
• Parents may obtain an Independent Educational Evaluation at private expense at any time. The special education team shall reconvene to consider the Independent Educational Evaluation within ten (10) school days from receipt of this report.
• If the student is eligible for a free or reduced cost lunch, then the school district shall provide, at public expense, an Independent Educational Evaluation that is equivalent to the types of assessments done by the school district.  In such cases, the parent may request independent assessments in one, more than one, or all of the areas assessed by the school district.
• If the parent is requesting an evaluation in an area not assessed by the school district, or if the student does not meet the eligibility standards for free or reduced-cost lunch, then the school district shall respond in accordance with requirements of federal law.  The district shall either agree to pay for the Independent Educational Evaluation or, without undue delay, proceed to Special Education appeals to show that its evaluation was comprehensive and appropriate.  If Special Education Appeals finds that the school district’s evaluation was comprehensive and appropriate, then the school district shall not be obligated to pay for the Independent Educational Evaluation requested by the parent.
• Whenever possible, the Independent Educational Evaluation shall be completed and a written report sent no later than thirty (30) days after the date the parent requests the Independent Educational Evaluation.  If publicly funded, the report shall be sent to the parents and to the school district. The independent evaluator shall be requested to provide a report that summarizes, in writing, procedures, assessments, results, and diagnostic needs of the student.  The independent evaluator may recommend appropriate types of placements but shall not recommend specific placements.
• Within ten (10) school days from the time the district receives the report of the Independent Educational Evaluation, the TEAM shall reconvene to consider the Independent Educational Evaluation and whether a new or amended IEP is appropriate.
• If the family is not eligible for free and reduced lunch, there is a voluntary sliding scale fee program. Parents are requested to submit their financial information.  Given this information, a determination is made, based on formulas dictated by the state for the fee that would be the responsibility of the parents and the fee that would be the responsibility of the district.