Details About the 60-Day Timeline for Special Education Evaluations

The State Performance Plan (SPP) evaluates the implementation of the requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Each year, the state of Iowa evaluates all AEAs and districts according to the SPP. The SPP’s indicators are measures that show AEA and district performance and compliance. The indicators include measures such as proficiency and participation on ITBS and ITED, as well as suspension and expulsion rates. One indicator measures the percentage of evaluations completed within 60 days of receiving consent.

In 2007-08, Heartland met this timeline 93.65% of the time. Our most current internal data show us meeting the timeline near 95% of the time. However, since the target is 100%, we were required to submit an action plan to address this issue. One requirement of the plan is to send e-mail reminders about upcoming deadlines to staff. These e-mail reminders will be sent to the special education consultant, school psychologist and speech-language pathologist. If you are not working on an evaluation for the student listed in the e-mail, you may simply disregard the message. If you are the primary contact for the evaluation, please make sure the meeting has been scheduled. The e-mail reminders will be sent out on the 1st and the 15th of each month (or the first business day after).

Here are some other important things to remember regarding the 60-day timeline rule:
1. 60 days begin at the time the Agency or school received the consent – not when the consent was signed.
2. 60 days are based on calendar days – not school days. Breaks for holidays, spring or summer still count against the 60 days.
3. Although you are asked to provide a reason when the 60-day timeline has been missed, there are no reasons that are allowable under the 60-day rule. For example, meetings that miss timelines because of snow days or family cancellations will not be compliant with the 60-day rule.
4. When scheduling the IEP meeting, please make sure you allow enough time for the meeting to be cancelled and rescheduled before the end of the 60 days.