FAQs - ARD/504 Annual Meetings & Re-Evaluations

A special programs clerk will contact you to set up the initial meeting. The meeting will be scheduled at a mutually agreeable date and time so you can participate fully.

You will receive a Prior Written Notice that includes the meeting’s date, time, location, purpose, and who will attend. For ARD meetings, you may also receive a draft present levels of academic achievement and functional performance statement with proposed IEP goals.

Best practice is that your student liaison will contact you before the meeting to discuss proposed changes, though this may vary. Ideally, this happens 5 school days before the meeting. Schools often prepare a draft, but the final plan is developed together during the meeting. You have the right to provide input and help shape the plan. Your input is very important as you know your child best. 

Meetings are usually scheduled virtually, but parents can request an in-person meeting if preferred. They typically last 30 to 50 minutes, depending on the topics to be covered.

Yes. The team still meets to review the evaluation results and formally document the eligibility decision, even if your student does not meet the criteria for services.

The purpose of the initial meeting is to review the evaluation results, determine your child’s eligibility for services, and, if eligible, develop an IEP or 504 plan to support your child’s needs.

The meeting will include parents, your child’s general and special education teachers, an administrator, and evaluators. You are welcome to bring a guest, such as an advocate or family member, but please notify the campus diagnostician in advance so consent for the disclosure of confidential information can be obtained. Students may attend when appropriate, especially those age 14 and older for transition planning.

A required member can ask to be excused if their area isn’t being discussed or if input is provided in writing. The parent must agree in writing to excuse the staff member.

The meeting agenda typically includes introductions, a confidentiality statement, and a review of the purpose of the meeting. The team will review the evaluation results, determine any disability condition, and decide on eligibility. If your child is eligible, the team will review present levels of academic achievement and functional performance, discuss goals and objectives, determine the services to be provided, consider the least restrictive environment, and plan transition services if applicable. The meeting concludes with assurances and endorsements.

Services are determined by the ARD committee based on your child’s individual needs as described in the present levels of academic achievement and functional performance statements. The committee reviews this information to decide what specially designed instruction, related services, and supports will best help your child access the curriculum and make progress toward their goals. For ARD meetings, you should receive a draft present levels of academic achievement and functional performance statement with proposed IEP goals. The parent is a key member of the committee that develops the IEP and 504 plan.

Yes. Reviewing progress on IEP goals from the previous year is an important part of the ARD meeting.

Some common acronyms are:

• IEP – Individualized Education Program
• ARD – Admission, Review, Dismissal committee
• LRE – Least Restrictive Environment
• FAPE – Free Appropriate Public Education
• IDEA – Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
• BIP – Behavior Intervention Plan
• FIIE – Full Individual and Initial Evaluation

The Texas Education Agency has a Special Education Acronym Quick Reference Guide that you may find helpful.

If you disagree with the IEP recommendations, the district will offer to reconvene the ARD meeting within 10 school business days to review the concerns. You may choose to attend or decline the reconvene meeting. You are also encouraged to consult the Notice of Procedural Safeguards, which explain your rights and the available options for dispute resolution.

For an IEP, you are signing to indicate that you participated in the meeting and whether you agree or disagree with the plan that was developed. For a 504 plan, you are signing to acknowledge your participation in the meeting.

Parents are entitled to a 5-school-day waiting period to review the IEP before it is implemented. If you choose to waive this waiting period, the IEP services can begin sooner, as agreed during the ARD meeting. Otherwise, the IEP will be implemented after the 5 school day waiting period.

Most ARD meetings develop a schedule of services for the current school year and commonly propose a plan for the following year. This ensures continuity of support and helps the team plan for your child’s needs in advance. IEPs and 504 plans are reviewed at least annually and follow your child from school to school, even if your child moves to a different school within the district or to another district or state.

The ARD committee decides on a student’s services, accommodations, and goals. The committee does not decide on staff or teacher assignments.

The ARD or 504 meeting is held at least once annually, but you can request additional meetings at any time if you have concerns or feel changes are needed for your child’s plan.

You will receive a copy of the IEP or 504 plan at the meeting or shortly afterward, typically through Adobe Sign.

Notify the school and ask for clarification and/or corrections. If you do not agree with a statement in the deliberations, you can write your own statement and ask for it to be attached to the IEP or 504 plan. 

Parents are entitled to a 5-school-day waiting period to review the IEP before it is implemented. If you choose to waive this waiting period, the IEP services can begin sooner, as agreed during the ARD meeting. Otherwise, the IEP will be implemented after the 5 school day waiting period.

Your student liaison or 504 coordinator is typically your point of contact. You can also contact the campus assistant principal or principal. In addition, you can always contact the special programs department at the district administration building.

Progress updates are provided at the same time as your child’s report cards and include information about their progress toward each IEP goal.

If your child isn’t making progress, you can request a meeting from the student liaison, 504 coordinator, or campus administration to review and adjust services or goals. This can also be addressed through a progress monitoring ARD meeting if appropriate.

The team may revise or add new goals at an ARD meeting or through an amendment with your input.

Contact your student liaison to request a review and possible change. If needed, contact your campus administration and request a meeting to discuss your concerns.

Medical disabilities are diagnosed by healthcare providers based on health or medical criteria. Educational disabilities are determined by the school’s multidisciplinary evaluation team and must demonstrate an impact on learning that creates a need for specialized instruction in order for a student to be eligible for an IEP.

A 3-year re-evaluation is a required review conducted at least every three years to determine whether your child continues to meet eligibility criteria and whether their needs have changed. During this process, the team decides if new evaluations are necessary or if the existing evaluation remains relevant and accurately reflects your child’s current condition.

Yes, you can request a re-evaluation before the 3-year timeline if you or the school suspect additional needs or if your child experiences changes that should be addressed.

It’s usually a review of records, not formal testing unless that is determined to be a need.

The process includes participation in a Review of Existing Evaluation Data (REED) to determine whether any new testing is necessary. This review may or may not take place during an ARD meeting.

The Review of Existing Evaluation Data (REED) summarizes current and previous evaluation information. Input is provided during the review, and consent is given if additional testing is proposed and approved to be completed.

For re-evaluations, the members of the ARD committee can determine a due date; however, the evaluation must be completed by the 3 year timeline of the previous evaluation.

The evaluation occurs and a copy of the evaluation is provided when it is completed. Then, the ARD/504 meeting is held to review the evaluation.

The Notice of Procedural Safeguards explains your rights as a parent of a child with a disability.

The re-evaluation process involves parents, educators, evaluators, and other team members as needed to review the student’s progress and current needs.

You will receive the evaluation report and invitation to meet to discuss results and next steps.

If there is disagreement with the re-evaluation results, parents can request a meeting with the ARD or 504 team to discuss concerns. The district may offer to reconvene the meeting to review the findings. Parents can also consult the Procedural Safeguards, which outline their rights and the available options for dispute resolution.