Special Education Boss® with Karen Mayer Cunningham

Understanding Independent Educational Evaluations (IEEs) in Special Education


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What exactly is an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE), and when should you request one? In this episode of Special Education Boss®, Karen Mayer Cunningham breaks down the facts about IEEs under IDEA and why they matter for parents, advocates, and educators.

We’ll cover:

  • The legal foundation of IEEs (IDEA §300.502)
  • What an IEE is — and what it is NOT
  • When to request an IEE (and when not to)
  • How schools grant, deny, or push to due process
  • Common pitfalls with outside evaluations
  • What parents should know before spending money on private testing

Karen also answers real parent questions, including:

  • “How often is an IEE actually helpful?”
  • “If a school accepts some of an IEE, do they have to accept all of it?”
  • “What happens during a 30-day transfer ARD?”

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“When we get it right for the child, we get it right for everybody.” — Karen Mayer Cunningham

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✨ When we get it right for the child, we get it right for everybody. ✨

👩‍⚖️ Hosted by Karen Mayer Cunningham, Advocate & Special Education Boss®
Each week, Karen shares real stories, legal insights, and no-nonsense strategies to help you navigate special education with clarity and confidence.

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Special Education Boss® with Karen Mayer CunninghamBy Karen Mayer Cunningham, Special Education boss®

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