A MET, or multidisciplinary evaluation team, determines whether a child is eligible for special education in Arizona. The evaluation process starts before the eligibility determination meeting. The school reviews the information already available, decides whether more data are needed, and obtains parent consent before conducting new assessments.
Arizona schools may refer to parts of this process as a RED or MET 1, and MET or MET 2. Those labels can vary by district. The legal process is simpler: the evaluation begins with a review of existing data and ends with the MET eligibility determination.
Once the school receives written informed parent consent to evaluate, Arizona requires the evaluation to be completed within 60 calendar days. That 60 day period ends with the MET determination of eligibility.
Who is part of the MET?
Arizona defines the MET as the IEP team members and other qualified professionals who are needed to determine eligibility. The parent is part of that process. Depending on the areas being evaluated, the team may also include general and special education teachers, a school psychologist, speech language pathologist, occupational therapist, physical therapist, or other specialists.
The exact school team members present depends on the evaluation. One person can sometimes fill more than one role. Typically the school psychologist or the speech language pathologist serves as the MET case manager, depending on the areas being evaluated.
The MET process starts at the RED
During the Review of Existing Data (RED), sometimes referred to as MET 1, the team reviews existing information to determine whether additional data are needed or whether enough information is already available to support the evaluation. The team considers parent input, classroom information, observations, intervention data, and other relevant information. If additional assessment is needed, the school obtains informed written parent consent. The consent form identifies the areas in which additional assessment will be conducted.
What happens at the MET eligibility meeting?
By the eligibility (MET or MET 2) meeting, the testing is usually finished. The team reviews and discusses the evaluation results together. Federal rules require the team to draw from a variety of sources and carefully consider the information used to make the decision.
This is the time to ask about a score you do not understand, a conclusion that does not seem to fit what you see at home or what is reported at school, or an area of need that appears in the data but not in the summary or recommendations. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and seek clarification.
How does the team decide eligibility?
Eligibility takes more than a diagnosis. Arizona law requires the child to meet the criteria for a qualifying disability and, because of that disability, need special education and related services. The team discusses the evaluation results, how the disability affects the student’s educational performance, and whether the student needs special education and related services.
Arizona’s eligibility language does not line up one for one with the federal category list. Rather than turn this article into a category guide, I explain that separately in “What Qualifies a Child for an IEP in Arizona?”
If your child is eligible
The MET report identifies needs that should inform the IEP. The evaluation should carry forward into the conversation of developing the IEP. Needs identified in the MET should be reflected in the IEP through present levels, measurable goals, services, accommodations, supplementary aids/Assistive Technology/program modifications, and other parts of the plan as appropriate.
If your child is not eligible
An ineligible decision should be explained in detail through the MET results discussion. If the school refuses eligibility, the school must provide Prior Written Notice (PWN) documenting the decision and the basis for it. If you disagree with the evaluation itself, an Independent Educational Evaluation may also be an option.
I cover those next steps in “The MET Said My Child Is Not Eligible. What Now?”
A useful question to ask before you leave
If the reasoning is not clear, ask the team to show you which evaluation data support the decision and how those findings connect to your child’s educational needs. You should not have to leave the meeting understanding only the answer. You should understand how the team reached it.