Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE)
Missouri Parents Act | 800-743-7634 | www.missouriparentsact.org | Copyright © 2018, MPACT. All rights reserved.
What is an Independent Educational
Evaluation (IEE)?
It is an evaluation conducted by a qualified
examiner who is not employed by the public agency
(school district) responsible for the education of the
child in question.
When can a parent request an IEE?
A parent has the right to request an independent
educational evaluation at public expense whenever
they disagree with an evaluation obtained by the
school district. The school district may ask for the
parent’s reason why he or she objects to the public
evaluation. However, the public agency cannot
require the parent to provide an explanation.
What happens when a parent requests
an IEE?
If a parent requests an Independent Educational
Evaluation at public expense, the district must,
without further delay, either:
• File a due process complaint to request a
hearing to show that its evaluation is
appropriate; or
• Ensure that an independent educational
evaluation is provided at public expense*
*Public expense means that the public agency
either pays for the full cost of the evaluation or
ensures that the evaluation is otherwise provided at
no cost to the parent.
Are there any other options?
Parents always have the right to obtain an
independent educational evaluation at their
own expense.
Is there a limit on how many IEE’s a parent
can request?
A parent is entitled to only one independent
educational evaluation at public expense each time
the public agency conducts an evaluation with which
the parent disagrees.
Parent Initiated Evaluations
If parents obtain an independent educational
evaluation at public expense or shares an evaluation
obtained at their own expense, and shares the
information with the school district, the results of the
evaluation:
• Must be considered by the public agency, if it
meets agency criteria, in any decision made
with respect to the provision of FAPE to the
child; and
• May be presented by any party as evidence at
a due process hearing
Agency Criteria
If an IEE is at public expense, the criteria required
(including location and qualifications of the examiner
must be the same criteria used by the public agency
when it initiates an evaluation, to the extent those
criteria are consistent with the parent’s right to an
IEE.
Except for the criteria above, the district may not
impose conditions or timelines related to obtaining an
IEE at public expense.
Requests for Evaluations by Hearing Officers
If a hearing officer requests an independent
educational evaluation as part of a due process
hearing, the cost of the evaluation must be a public
expense.
More information can be found here:
https://dese.mo.gov/sites/default/files/PartBStatePlan-EntirePlan.pdf
