South · LA
Louisiana special education IEP compliance and timelines
Governing regulations: La. Admin. Code tit. 28, pt. XLIII (Bulletin 1706); pt. CI (Bulletin 1508, Pupil Appraisal Handbook). State education agency: Louisiana Department of Education.
- Initial evaluation
- 60 business days from the LEA's receipt of parental consent; days between June 1 and September 1 are not counted.
- Initial IEP meeting
- A meeting to develop the initial IEP within 30 days of the eligibility determination. (La. Admin. Code tit. 28, pt. XLIII, § 323)
- Annual review
- At least once every 365 days (34 CFR § 300.324(b)(1)).
- Reevaluation
- At least every 3 years unless the parent and LEA agree it is unnecessary, and not more than once a year without agreement (34 CFR § 300.303).
- Transition planning
- Must be in effect by age 16.
- Academic standards
- Louisiana Student Standards
- IEP forms & systems
- The state Special Education Reporting (SER) system is used by Louisiana LEAs for IEPs and state reporting.
Where Louisiana differs from the federal baseline
- Louisiana counts the evaluation window in business days and excludes the summer period.
- The LEA must request consent or give written notice of refusal within 15 business days of a written parent request to evaluate.
- Bulletin 1508 sets detailed pupil appraisal standards for each exceptionality, including gifted and talented.
- No extensions are allowed for expedited evaluations tied to disciplinary removals.
Current monitoring priorities
- Indicator 11 timely evaluations under the business day rule
- SER data accuracy and IEP implementation
- Indicator 13 secondary transition IEP content
LA IEP compliance checklist
- 01Signed consent date recorded; evaluation due within 60 business days.
- 02Eligibility determined and initial IEP meeting scheduled: A meeting to develop the initial IEP within 30 days of the eligibility determination.
- 03PLAAFP includes measurable baselines and a statement of how the disability affects involvement in the general curriculum (34 CFR § 300.320(a)(1)).
- 04Each annual goal is measurable, with condition, behavior, criterion and measurement method (§ 300.320(a)(2)).
- 05Progress reporting schedule stated for each goal (§ 300.320(a)(3)).
- 06Transition goals and services in effect by age 16 where applicable.
- 07Prior Written Notice issued for every proposal or refusal, with all seven § 300.503(b) elements.
- 08Annual review scheduled within 365 days; reevaluation within 3 years.
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