IEP Evaluation Process in Michigan
How long does Michigan have to complete an IEP evaluation?
Michigan's evaluation procedures are governed by MARSE R 340.1721b and federal requirements in 34 CFR 300.301–311. The evaluation process begins when a parent, teacher, or other professional makes a referral. Within 10 school days of receiving a written request for evaluation, the public agency must provide the parent with written notice and request written parental consent to evaluate — this 10-school-day notice requirement is Michigan-specific (R 340.1721b). Once consent is obtained, the Multidisciplinary Evaluation Team (MET, R 340.1701b) — a minimum of 2 persons including a specialist with knowledge of the suspected disability — must complete the evaluation AND the IEPT must meet within 30 school days. This 30-school-day timeline (from consent to evaluation complete AND IEP meeting) is significantly more stringent than the federal 60-calendar-day default. The timeline may be extended by mutual written agreement between the parent and district, measured in school days. The evaluation must use multiple assessment tools and strategies, not rely on any single measure, be technically sound, administered in the child's native language, and assess all areas of suspected disability including, if appropriate, health, vision, hearing, social and emotional status, general intelligence, academic performance, communicative status, and motor abilities. The MET produces a written MET report (R 340.1721c) with evaluation data, eligibility recommendations, and educational implications. Parents must receive the MET report before the IEPT meeting. For reevaluation, the same procedures apply — reevaluation must occur at least every 3 years unless parent and district agree it is unnecessary.
What Michigan Requires
Within 10 school days of receiving a written evaluation request, the district must provide written notice and request parental consent — 10-school-day response is Michigan-specific (R 340.1721b).
Informed parental consent must be obtained before any initial evaluation — failure to evaluate after written request within 10 days constitutes a procedural violation (R 340.1721b; 34 CFR 300.300).
The MET must include a minimum of 2 persons, at least one being a specialist with knowledge of the suspected disability — this is a Michigan-specific minimum composition requirement (R 340.1701b).
The evaluation must use multiple assessment tools, not rely on a single measure, be technically sound, and assess ALL areas of suspected disability (34 CFR 300.304; R 340.1721b).
The MET report (R 340.1721c) must document evaluation data, the MET's eligibility recommendation, and educational implications — parents must receive the MET report before the IEPT meeting.
Reevaluation follows the same procedures and 30-school-day timeline as initial evaluations, and must occur at least every 3 years unless parent and district agree in writing it is unnecessary (R 340.1721b; 34 CFR 300.303).
Key Timelines
Within 10 school days of a written evaluation request, the district must provide written notice and request consent (R 340.1721b) — Michigan-specific requirement.
Within 30 school days of parental consent, the MET evaluation must be completed AND the IEPT must meet (R 340.1721b(1)) — stricter than federal 60-calendar-day default.
The 30-school-day timeline may be extended by mutual written agreement between parent and district, with the extension measured in school days (R 340.1721b).
Reevaluation must occur at least every 3 years unless parent and district agree it is unnecessary (34 CFR 300.303(b)).
Parents may request reevaluation at any time; the district may not reevaluate more than once per year without parental consent unless both parties agree (34 CFR 300.303(b)).