Is a child required to have an SST before they can get an IEP?

If your child does not currently have an IEP and you request an assessment, it's possible that the school will tell you they want to hold a Student Study Team (SST) meeting first. We have heard from parents whose schools insist they must exhaust all tiers of support before proceeding to an IEP. Attending these meetings can be helpful to discuss supports for the student, but parents need to be wary of schools postponing or informally denying IEP assessments in this way.

The Department of Education has issued instruction that multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) or response to intervention (RTI) measures cannot be used as a reason to delay assessing for an IEP.

SST is not an official part of the IEP process. Districts like to have them to decide if assessment is really needed. Undivided Non-Attorney Education Advocate Lisa Carey recommends that you submit a request for an IEP assessment in writing. If the parent requests an assessment in writing, the school must provide an assessment plan or prior written notice (PWN) denying the assessment within 15 days.

For parents who receive an invite to an SST meeting instead of an assessment plan or PWN, here is a sample response: "Thank you for inviting me to the SST meeting on DATE / TIME. I am happy to attend. I requested my child be assessed for special education on DATE and never received an assessment plan or denial. Can you please advise when I can expect the assessment plan for my signature?"

The parent can always decide to withdraw their request for assessment after the SST meeting.

For more information, see our full article about IEP assessments.