From: HYDE AMY [mailto:ahyde@isbe.net]
Sent: Wednesday, December 07, 2011 10:50 AM
Subject: FW: Updated 34-57 form

The following is sent on behalf of Beth hanselman…

I am pleased to share with you a new recommended form that the Illinois State Board of Education has developed and is making available for use by school districts and special education joint agreements.  This form is titled Mutual Written Agreement to Extend Evaluation Timeline (SLD Only) and is posted on the agency’s website at http://www.isbe.net/spec-ed/html/forms.htm.

As you know, in Illinois, once written parental consent for a special education initial evaluation or reevaluation is obtained, the 60 school-day timeline begins for completing the evaluation, determining eligibility, and if the student is eligible, developing an IEP.  Per the federal IDEA Part B regulations at 34 CFR 300.309(c) (full text available at http://idea.ed.gov/explore/view/p/%2Croot%2Cregs%2C), when determining a student’s eligibility under the category of specific learning disability, there are certain circumstances under which this timeline may be extended by “mutual written agreement of the student’s parents and a group of qualified professionals.”  These circumstances are outlined in the form’s instructions.  Please note that we would expect there to be limited need for such timeline extensions. 

The form referenced above may be used to:  1) notify the parent/guardian of the district’s request to extend the 60 school-day timeline for conducting an initial evaluation of a student suspected of having a specific learning disability or reevaluation of a student who has such a disability and 2) document “mutual written agreement” to the extension by the student’s parents and the district.

I hope that you will find the recommended form helpful in those rare instances where there may be a need to extend an evaluation timeline within the context of the circumstances outlined in the form’s instructions.  If you have questions, please contact our office at 217-782-5589.

Beth

Elizabeth Hanselman
Assistant Superintendent
Special Education and Support Services
Illinois State Board of Education