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Getting an IEP in New York City follows a set path. It starts with a written request and moves through consent, an evaluation, a meeting and a written plan. This guide walks through each step as the NYC Public Schools describe it, and tells you who to send things to.
Step 0: notice the concern and talk to the teacher
Before any paperwork, the DOE suggests talking with your child's teachers and care providers. Ask how your child is doing, what the teacher sees in class, and whether there are work samples you can look at together. Share what you see at home.
The DOE also reminds families of three things. Children learn at different speeds. A child who learns differently does not necessarily have a disability. And a child should not be referred for special education because of limited English. If English is not your child's first language, ask about English as a New Language or bilingual programs too.
Signs the DOE lists include delays in thinking and learning, understanding and using language, self-help skills, behavior, and physical ability such as vision, hearing or movement.
RTI in the early grades
In public schools serving grades K to 5, the DOE says schools must use Response to Intervention, or RTI, before the school makes a referral. RTI adds support in three tiers, from strong classroom teaching up to more intensive help, with progress checks along the way.
This does not block you. The DOE says you may make a referral for a special education evaluation at any time. If RTI has been tried and your child still needs more, you or the school can refer. You can also ask about a Section 504 accommodation. Our page on IEP vs. 504 plan explains how those differ.
Step 1: make a written referral
The DOE says a referral must be in writing. It can come from you or from a DOE school official. A short letter is enough. The DOE says it should:
- Describe your concerns about your child's development, learning or behavior.
- Say that you are requesting a special education evaluation.
- List any services your child has had or has now.
- Give your child's full legal name and date of birth.
- Give your name, address and a phone number.
- State your preferred language, if it is not English.
Date the letter and keep a copy. If you hand it in, ask for a dated receipt or note who took it. Small habits like that help later. Our parent checklist and free printables include a page for tracking letters.
Where to send the referral
Where it goes depends on your child's age and school:
- Preschool age. Send it to your district Committee on Preschool Special Education (CPSE). The DOE says children may be eligible from the year they turn three through the end of the school year they turn five.
- School age, in a public school. Give it to the principal or a staff member at the school.
- School age, in a private, religious or charter school, or not in school. Send it to your district Committee on Special Education (CSE).
- A school outside New York City. Contact the school district where that school is located.
The DOE lists each CSE and CPSE office, with its districts, address, phone and email, on its Committees on Special Education page. The borough pages on this site, such as Brooklyn and Queens, have local context for families.
CSE or school-based team: who handles your child?
Families are often confused by this. In NYC, a school-age child in a DOE public school is usually evaluated, and has the IEP meeting, at the school, run by the school's IEP team. A child in a private, religious or charter school, or not enrolled in school, goes through the district CSE. Preschool children go through the CPSE.
The steps are the same idea in each case. Only the office changes. If you are not sure which office you belong to, call the school or the CSE for your district and ask.
Step 2: what you receive after the referral
For a school-age child, the DOE says you will get a "Notice of Referral" letter. It explains your rights, gives you a name and phone number for questions, and asks you to meet with the school social worker for a social history interview. That interview can be held in your preferred language, with an interpreter on request.
For a preschool child, the CPSE sends a referral packet. The DOE says it includes a notice that the referral was received, a list of approved evaluation sites, a consent form, information about your rights and a medical form.
Step 3: give consent
If your child has never had special education services, the DOE asks you to sign a "Consent for Initial Evaluation" form in your preferred language. The DOE is clear on two points. Even if you made the referral yourself, you still need to give consent. And if you choose not to consent, your child will not be evaluated.
Step 4: the evaluation
The DOE says that after you give consent, it has 60 calendar days to evaluate your child. Calendar days include weekends and holidays. Write down the date you signed, so you can tell when the 60 days end.
The DOE evaluates your child in all areas related to the suspected disability. An initial evaluation includes:
- A social history interview with you about development and family history.
- A psychoeducational test of what your child knows and how they learn.
- A classroom observation.
- A recent physical exam report covering vision, hearing and general health. The DOE says if you have trouble getting one, the team can help you get it at no cost.
Other assessments may be added when needed, such as speech and language, occupational or physical therapy, a functional behavior assessment, or assistive technology. If your home language is not English, the DOE says your child should get a bilingual assessment.
If you disagree with a DOE assessment, the DOE says you can ask in writing for it to pay for an independent one. It will either agree or begin an impartial hearing. You can also pay for your own, and the team will consider it.
Step 5: the IEP meeting and eligibility
After the evaluation, you are invited to an IEP meeting. The team reviews the results and decides if your child is eligible. For school-age children, the DOE says that means meeting one of 13 state disability classifications and the disability affecting school performance.
If your child is eligible, the team writes the IEP at the meeting. If not, no IEP is written, and the results go to the principal, who can work with staff to help.
The DOE lists who may attend, including teachers, related service providers and a school psychologist for initial evaluations in grades K to 12. If your child is 14 or older, they must be invited. Some requests must be made in writing at least 72 hours before the meeting: an interpreter, a certified IEP Parent Member, and a school physician. Read how to prepare for the IEP meeting and how to request an interpreter.
Step 6: consent to services and the plan starts
A finished IEP does not start on its own. The DOE says it will ask for your written permission to start services, and will not arrange any until it has your informed consent. Once services start, the IEP lists the date, how often each service happens, where, and for how long. Our guide to what an IEP is explains each section.
After the meeting, write down what was agreed and keep any notices you are sent. The DOE may send a notice explaining its decisions. Our pages on IEP meeting follow-up and prior written notice explain what to look for.
Step 7: reviews and reevaluations
The IEP's goals are written for one school year, so the team meets again to review progress and update the plan. You will also receive progress reports on the schedule the IEP lists. How to read progress reports helps you spot gaps.
A reevaluation is a new evaluation of your child. The DOE says you or school staff can request one, but it will not happen more than once a year unless you and the DOE agree otherwise in writing. For other review dates, the DOE sets the timelines; ask your school when your child's next review is due.
Keep one folder from the start
From the first letter, keep everything in one place: your referral, the Notice of Referral, the consent form, evaluation reports, meeting invitations, the IEP and any notices. Note every phone call with the date and who you spoke to. If services are ever missed later, this folder is where the story starts. It also makes the next meeting easier, because you can point to what was said and when.
If things do not go as planned
The DOE says you can ask for another IEP meeting to discuss concerns, and if you cannot agree, you can use mediation or an impartial hearing. See parent rights in special education.
A separate problem comes later, once the IEP is in place: services that are listed but not delivered. If that happens, our page on compensatory services explains what families sometimes ask for, and documenting missed services shows how to keep a record.
Your next step
If your child already has an IEP and services were missed, try the quick questions or read how families pursue compensatory services. If you want to talk it through, ask for a free callback. IEP Hours is an independent information and referral service. We are not the NYC DOE and not a law firm, we do not give legal advice, and we cannot promise any result. There is no cost to you, now or later.
Official source: NYC DOE: starting the IEP process.
Your borough office: Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens or Staten Island.
Last reviewed: October 2026