Under IDEA, which rights do parents have regarding an initial evaluation, and what must schools do to obtain informed consent?

• A. Parents have the right to participate in decisions, obtain an evaluation, review records, and challenge decisions; schools must obtain informed written consent before the initial evaluation, provide information in accessible language, and offer translations as needed.
• B. Parents have no right to review records; schools can evaluate without consent and do not need to provide information in accessible language.
• C. Schools can begin evaluation with oral consent and do not need to inform parents about language accessibility.
• D. Parents may participate but decisions are solely made by the school with no parental input.

Answer: (A)

The fundamental idea is that IDEA protects parents’ role in the evaluation process and requires clear, accessible communication before any initial evaluation. Parents have the right to be involved in decisions about whether and how an evaluation will be conducted, to review all records related to the evaluation, to participate in discussions about the results and any subsequent placement decisions, and to challenge or appeal decisions through available dispute-resolution processes. Before an initial evaluation can occur, the school must obtain informed written consent from the parent. Informed means the district explains, in language the parent can understand, what will be done, why the evaluation is being conducted, what tests or assessments will be used, who will conduct them, how the results will be used, and the potential implications. The district must provide this information in the parent's primary language or mode of communication and offer translations or alternative formats as needed to ensure understanding. Consent is required for the initial evaluation, and the school must also provide the procedural safeguards notice and maintain opportunities for the parent to review records. This combination of rights and requirements is why this option best reflects how IDEA governs initial evaluations and informed consent.