Who pays for an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE) if a parent requests one?

• A. The district pays if the parent requests
• B. The private school pays
• C. The public funds the IEE if the parent disagrees with the district's evaluation
• D. The parent pays

Answer: (C)

When a parent disagrees with the district’s evaluation, the evaluation must be funded by the public agency. This arrangement ensures families have access to an independent, professional assessment without bearing the cost themselves, and it helps provide a fair basis for eligibility and services in the IEP. The independent evaluation must be conducted by a qualified examiner not employed by the district, and the results must be considered by the IEP team. The district can challenge whether the outside evaluation meets criteria, but the default is that public funds cover the IEE. The other options don’t reflect this automatic public funding requirement; the district isn’t automatically the payer, the private school isn’t typically responsible, and the parent would only pay out of pocket if they chose to obtain an IEE without public funding.