An Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE) provides an objective, independent perspective when a parent has questions or concerns about their child’s educational needs or school-based evaluation. Families may seek an IEE when they disagree with an evaluation, believe additional assessment is needed, or feel their child’s current special education programming is not effectively addressing their needs. Bethany Zoeller, LEP #4064, has provided expert Independent Educational Evaluations for more than five years, helping families and school teams better understand students’ strengths, needs, and appropriate educational supports.
An Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE) can bring clarity when you’re unsure your child’s needs have been fully understood or addressed. Parents often seek an IEE when they disagree with a school evaluation, feel a concern wasn’t fully assessed, or sense their child’s current program isn’t helping them progress. An IEE can also help when your child’s needs have changed, new concerns have come up, or you simply want a fuller picture of how your child learns. Each evaluation is tailored to your specific questions, giving you and your child’s school team clear information to guide decisions about eligibility, diagnoses when appropriate, and the supports, accommodations, and services your child needs.
Every IEE is tailored to your child and the specific questions that need to be answered. Rather than a one-size-fits-all battery, the evaluation draws on your child’s history, current concerns, and educational needs to determine what to assess.
IEPs, prior evaluations, and academic records
With parents, the student, and school staff
Cognitive, academic, processing, attention, or executive functioning
Completed by parents, teachers, and/or the student
For conditions like dyslexia, ADHD, or autism, when appropriate
Whether your child meets special education criteria
Bringing testing, interviews, and records together
Accommodations, interventions, and supports based on findings
The goal of an IEE is to answer the important educational questions surrounding your child and provide clear, meaningful information that can guide educational planning and support.
Bethany Zoeller, MA, LEP #4064, has 15 years of experience evaluating students for special education, including more than five years conducting Independent Educational Evaluations.She has also been retained as an expert witness in special education due process proceedings, reflecting the trust placed in her ability to interpret evaluation results and communicate complex educational and psychological information clearly and objectively.
As a Licensed Educational Psychologist, Bethany draws on both school-based special education evaluation and private practice diagnostic assessment. That dual perspective means she looks beyond eligibility alone, considering how a student’s strengths, challenges, and potential diagnoses show up across settings – giving families and school teams a fuller picture of the whole child and the support they need.
Above all, Bethany writes reports families can actually understand and school teams can put to use – translating complex findings into a clear picture of a student’s strengths, challenges, and needs.
Information about parent rights and special education procedures specific to Kern County.
Independent Educational Evaluations Information specifically addressing Independent Educational Evaluations and the rights of parents who disagree with a school district’s evaluation.
Information about parent rights and special education procedures specific to Kern County.
A statewide overview of procedural safeguards and parent rights in special education.
Independent Educational Evaluations Information specifically addressing Independent Educational Evaluations and the rights of parents who disagree with a school district’s evaluation.
Detailed information about Kern County’s special education procedures, including IEE procedures.
Information about options available to parents and school districts when disagreements regarding special education services or evaluations cannot be resolved informally.
An IEE is an evaluation conducted by a qualified professional who is not employed by your child's school district. It gives parents an outside, objective look at their child's needs - separate from the evaluation the school district conducted or offered.
Parents often request an IEE when they disagree with the results of a school evaluation, feel an area of concern wasn't fully assessed, or want a fresh, independent perspective on their child's needs. You don't need to prove the school's evaluation was wrong - disagreeing with it is enough to make the request.
An IEE must be conducted by a qualified, licensed professional who meets your school district's criteria for evaluators - things like certification, licensure, and training in the relevant areas of assessment. Districts typically maintain a list of criteria (sometimes a list of approved evaluators) that any independent evaluator must meet.
Yes. As long as the evaluator meets your district's criteria, you're free to choose who conducts the evaluation. This is one of the key benefits of an IEE - you get to select someone you trust to work with your child.
In most cases, yes. Under federal special education law (IDEA), when a parent disagrees with a school district's evaluation, they can request an IEE at public expense - meaning the district pays for it, provided the evaluator meets the district's criteria and cost guidelines. The district can either agree to fund it or take the matter to a due process hearing to defend its own evaluation instead. Because the specifics can vary by district and situation, it's a good idea to put your request in writing and ask your district about their process. Families who prefer more flexibility in choosing an evaluator or timeline can also choose to pay privately.
Every IEE is tailored to your child's specific needs and questions. It may include a review of school records, interviews with parents, the student, and school staff, standardized testing, rating scales, and - when appropriate - assessment related to a suspected diagnosis. The goal is a full, individualized picture of your child, not a one-size-fits-all test battery.
A school evaluation is conducted by district staff, using the district's own resources and, sometimes, its own conclusions about what to test. An IEE is conducted by an independent professional outside the district, which can offer a fresh set of eyes, additional testing not previously completed, or a different clinical perspective - especially helpful when questions remain unanswered.
This varies on a case-by-case basis and depends on several factors: my schedule, how quickly the district responds to requests for records and onsite observation, and the student's availability for testing. Typically, an IEE involves 2-4 testing sessions and 2-4 onsite observations, followed by time for scoring, analysis, and report writing. The completed report is shared with you and the school district at the same time, and an IEP meeting is then held to review the results and recommendations together.
An IEE can look at learning strengths and needs, cognitive and academic functioning, visual and auditory processing, adaptive functioning, attention and executive functioning, social-emotional and behavioral functioning, and - when appropriate - diagnostic clarification for conditions like learning disorders, ADHD, autism, intellectual disability, or other conditions affecting a child's educational or emotional functioning.
You'll receive a comprehensive written report explaining the findings, answering the referral questions, and offering individualized recommendations. The report is shared with both you and the school district at the same time, so everyone has the same information before it's discussed as a team.
Yes. After the report is complete, the results are typically reviewed at an IEP meeting with your child's educational team. Being there to present findings, answer questions, and help the team understand how the results relate to your child's needs is part of the process.
Start by submitting a written request to your school district identifying the evaluation you disagree with and stating that you're requesting an IEE. From there, you can reach out to schedule a consultation to talk through your child's needs and see if it's a good fit before moving forward.
As both a parent and a school psychologist, I believe Bethany Zoeller stands out as a highly qualified, knowledgeable, and compassionate professional. My husband and I are foster/adoptive parents of children with special needs, and Bethany has guided our family several times with honesty, care, and professionalism.
She demonstrates a strong understanding of students with autism-related characteristics, ADHD, seizure disorders, and complex academic, behavioral, and social-emotional needs. Her assessment reports are thorough, beautifully written, and easy for parents and school teams to understand. Bethany looks carefully at the data, addresses parent concerns with compassion, and provides meaningful recommendations that are practical and supportive in the school setting.
Her work helps families better understand the root causes of their child’s challenges and what supports may help them succeed academically, socially, and emotionally. We have recommended Bethany to others and have seen outstanding results. I highly recommend her to families seeking clear answers, thoughtful guidance, and a professional who truly takes the time to understand their child.
If you’re unsure whether an IEE is right for your child, we’re happy to talk through your concerns and help you understand your options.
