General information and document preparation — not legal advice.
Special education by state
Special Education & IEP Help in Texas
If your child has — or might need — an IEP in Texas, this page puts the Texas-specific rules into plain English: how long an evaluation can take, how Texas rates on federal special-education oversight, the people who help for free, and exactly how to push back when something is wrong. Federal law (IDEA) is the floor everywhere; Texas adds the details below.
How long does an IEP evaluation take in Texas?
Texas gives schools 45 school days (not 60 calendar days) after you sign consent to finish your child's first evaluation report.
That differs from the federal default of 60 calendar days, so Texas sets its own clock.
Source: Texas Education Code §29.004
Texas's federal IDEA rating
Texas is currently rated “Meets requirements” — the U.S. Department of Education found that the state met federal special-education requirements in its most recent annual review. That is the top of four ratings — but it does not guarantee your own district is following the law.
Where to get free help in Texas
Two places help Texas families at no cost:
Parent Training & Information Center (free, federally funded)
Partners Resource Network (Texas statewide PTI: PACT, PATH, PEN & TEAM Projects)
Texas special-education agency
How to file a special-education complaint in Texas
Write and sign a complaint describing the IDEA violation, send a copy to your school, and email it to TEA at spedcomplaints@tea.texas.gov within one year.
Your rights everywhere (federal law)
These IDEA rights apply in Texas and every state. Start here:
Understand your child's IEP — line by line
IEP Path decodes the plan into plain language, flags what's weak or missing, and writes the letters — in English and Spanish.