Special Education Terms in Pennsylvania
What special education terms does Pennsylvania use?
Pennsylvania uses several unique terms, documents, and agencies in its special education system that differ from standard federal IDEA terminology. The NOREP (Notice of Recommended Educational Placement/Prior Written Notice) is Pennsylvania's combined prior written notice and placement consent document; it serves the role of the federal Prior Written Notice under 34 CFR §300.503 while also functioning as a placement consent form. When a school district proposes or refuses to initiate or change a child's identification, evaluation, placement, or provision of FAPE, it issues a NOREP. Parents have 10 calendar days to approve or disapprove. The 'Invitation to Participate' is Pennsylvania's required meeting-notice form, sent before each IEP meeting; it notifies the parent of the meeting date, time, location, purpose, and anticipated participants (34 CFR §300.322(b); PaTTAN IEP form guidance). 'Permission to Evaluate' (PTE) is Pennsylvania's consent form used to obtain written parental consent before conducting an initial evaluation (22 Pa. Code §14.123). The Evaluation Report (ER) is the comprehensive written document produced following an initial evaluation (22 Pa. Code §14.123), and the Reevaluation Report (RR) follows a reevaluation (22 Pa. Code §14.124); both must be provided to parents at least 10 school days before the IEP team meeting. Intermediate Units (IUs) are 29 regional educational service agencies established by the Pennsylvania School Code (24 P.S. §9-951 et seq.) that operate between PDE and local school districts, providing special education services, professional development, and technical assistance at the regional level. PATTAN (Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network) is the statewide system that supports the Bureau of Special Education (BSE) by providing training, technical assistance, and publications. The Bureau of Special Education (BSE), within PDE, is the state agency responsible for administering and overseeing all special education programs. Approved Private Schools (APS) are private schools licensed under 22 Pa. Code Chapter 171 that serve students requiring out-of-district placement; PDE funds 60% of tuition and the responsible LEA funds 40%. The Office for Dispute Resolution (ODR) manages due process hearings, mediation, IEP facilitation, and the state complaint system for Pennsylvania; it also operates ConsultLine (800-879-2301), a free helpline for parents. A 'Facilitated IEP' is a voluntary dispute resolution option administered by ODR in which a neutral facilitator assists the IEP team in productive communication during a meeting — available at no cost when all parties agree.
What Pennsylvania Requires
NOREP (Notice of Recommended Educational Placement/Prior Written Notice) serves as both prior written notice and placement consent; parents have 10 calendar days to approve or disapprove (34 CFR §300.503; PDE guidance)
'Invitation to Participate' is the required meeting-notice form sent before each IEP meeting, notifying parents of date, time, location, purpose, and anticipated attendees (34 CFR §300.322(b); PaTTAN IEP form guidance)
'Permission to Evaluate' (PTE) is Pennsylvania's written parental consent form required before any initial evaluation (22 Pa. Code §14.123)
Evaluation Report (ER) documents initial evaluation results; Reevaluation Report (RR) documents reevaluation results; both must be provided to parents at least 10 school days before the IEP meeting (22 Pa. Code §14.123, §14.124)
29 Intermediate Units (IUs) provide regional special education services, training, and technical assistance between PDE and local districts (24 P.S. §9-951 et seq.)
PATTAN provides statewide training and technical assistance under the Bureau of Special Education (BSE)
Approved Private Schools (APS) are governed by 22 Pa. Code Chapter 171; PDE funds 60% and the responsible LEA funds 40% of tuition
ODR manages due process, mediation, IEP facilitation, state complaint, and ConsultLine helpline (800-879-2301) for parents and advocates
'Facilitated IEP' is a voluntary ODR-administered option in which a neutral facilitator assists an IEP team meeting when all parties agree — available at no cost
Key Timelines
Parents must respond to a NOREP within 10 calendar days of receipt (PDE guidance; odr-pa.org)
If parents do not respond to a NOREP within 10 calendar days, most proposed actions may proceed (except initial services and evaluations, which require affirmative written consent)
ER and RR must be provided to parents at least 10 school days before the IEP team meeting unless waived in writing (22 Pa. Code §14.123(d))