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Tennessee special education IEP compliance and timelines

Governing regulations: Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. Chapter 0520-01-09 (Special Education Programs and Services); Tenn. Code Ann. Title 49, Chapter 10. State education agency: Tennessee Department of Education.

Initial evaluation
Eligibility determinations must be completed within 60 calendar days of receipt of parental consent for an initial evaluation. Tennessee replaced its former 40 school day timeline with the federal 60 calendar day standard in 2013.
Initial IEP meeting
The initial IEP meeting must be conducted within 30 calendar days of the determination of eligibility. (34 CFR § 300.323(c)(1); Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0520-01-09-.12)
Annual review
At least once every 365 days (34 CFR § 300.324(b)(1)).
Reevaluation
At least every 3 years, and not more than once a year unless the parent and district agree (34 CFR § 300.303).
Transition planning
Must be in effect by age 14, earlier than the federal age of 16.
Academic standards
Tennessee Academic Standards
IEP forms & systems
Tennessee provides a statewide special education data management system (EasyIEP) that districts use to write and track IEPs.

Where Tennessee differs from the federal baseline

  • The 60 calendar day clock runs to the eligibility determination, not only to completion of testing (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0520-01-09-.05).
  • Transition planning, including age-appropriate transition assessments, must be in the IEP for students age 14 and older (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0520-01-09-.12).
  • Eligibility decisions use the state's disability-specific eligibility standards, and specific learning disability identification relies on data from Tennessee's tiered intervention framework.

Current monitoring priorities

  • Initial evaluation timeline compliance (Indicator 11)
  • Secondary transition IEP content beginning at age 14 (Indicator 13)
  • IEP data quality in the statewide data management system
Tennessee Department of Education

TN IEP compliance checklist

  1. 01Signed consent date recorded; evaluation due within 60 calendar days.
  2. 02Eligibility determined and initial IEP meeting scheduled: The initial IEP meeting must be conducted within 30 calendar days of the determination of eligibility.
  3. 03PLAAFP includes measurable baselines and a statement of how the disability affects involvement in the general curriculum (34 CFR § 300.320(a)(1)).
  4. 04Each annual goal is measurable, with condition, behavior, criterion and measurement method (§ 300.320(a)(2)).
  5. 05Progress reporting schedule stated for each goal (§ 300.320(a)(3)).
  6. 06Transition goals and services in effect by age 14 where applicable.
  7. 07Prior Written Notice issued for every proposal or refusal, with all seven § 300.503(b) elements.
  8. 08Annual review scheduled within 365 days; reevaluation within 3 years.
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