34 CFR § 300.301 - Initial evaluations.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t34/s300.301"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "34 CFR § 300.301 - Initial evaluations."
title_number: 34
title_name: "Education"
section_number: "300.301"
section_name: "Initial evaluations."
chapter_name: "OFFICE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION AND REHABILITATIVE SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION"
part_number: "300"
part_name: "ASSISTANCE TO STATES FOR THE EDUCATION OF CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-03-24"
last_updated: "2026-03-24"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "20 U.S.C. 1221e-3, 1406, 1411-1419, and 3474; Pub. L. 111-256, 124 Stat. 2643; unless otherwise noted."
regulatory_source: "71 FR 46753, Aug. 14, 2006, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "300"
---


# 300.301 Initial evaluations.

(a) *General.* Each public agency must conduct a full and individual initial evaluation, in accordance with §§ 300.304 through 300.306, before the initial provision of special education and related services to a child with a disability under this part.

(b) *Request for initial evaluation.* Consistent with the consent requirements in § 300.300, either a parent of a child or a public agency may initiate a request for an initial evaluation to determine if the child is a child with a disability.

(c) *Procedures for initial evaluation.* The initial evaluation—

(1)(i) Must be conducted within 60 days of receiving parental consent for the evaluation; or

(ii) If the State establishes a timeframe within which the evaluation must be conducted, within that timeframe; and

(2) Must consist of procedures—

(i) To determine if the child is a child with a disability under § 300.8; and

(ii) To determine the educational needs of the child.

(d) *Exception.* The timeframe described in paragraph (c)(1) of this section does not apply to a public agency if—

(1) The parent of a child repeatedly fails or refuses to produce the child for the evaluation; or

(2) A child enrolls in a school of another public agency after the relevant timeframe in paragraph (c)(1) of this section has begun, and prior to a determination by the child's previous public agency as to whether the child is a child with a disability under § 300.8.

(e) The exception in paragraph (d)(2) of this section applies only if the subsequent public agency is making sufficient progress to ensure a prompt completion of the evaluation, and the parent and subsequent public agency agree to a specific time when the evaluation will be completed.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1414(a))

[71 FR 46753, Aug. 14, 2006, as amended at 72 FR 61307, Oct. 30, 2007]