Is a triennial assessment mandatory? Can I skip the process?

No, a triennial assessment is not strictly mandatory, but part of a triennial is eligibility determination, which the school is required to do. The parent(s) and district can decide in a written agreement that triennial assessments are not needed, or to limit the scope of the review. Parents can request to skip all assessments or do less, but if the school insists, it's recommended to agree. There is rarely a good reason to not allow the school to assess. The school may agree to a records review or informal assessments for some of the areas.

Note that the triennial is not just about eligibility. It is also to show areas of need and can be compared year to year. For example, if a student made gains in the last three years in communication, the cognitive tests might look different. You can also requests dynamic assessments that are more qualitative than quantitative.

For more, see our article about triennials.