Which scenario requires a Prior Written Notice to be provided to parents?

• A. The School Refuses a Parental Request for an Evaluation
• B. The School Grades a Student’s Assignment
• C. The School Schedules a Field Trip
• D. The School Updates the Lunch Menu

Answer: (A)

Prior Written Notice is used to inform parents about actions the school proposes or refuses that affect a student’s identification, evaluation, or educational placement or the related services. When the school refuses a parental request for an evaluation, that is a decision about whether to identify or assess a student, so a Prior Written Notice must be provided. The notice explains what action is being considered or not, the reasons for the decision, data used to make the decision, and the parents’ rights.

Routine activities like grading an assignment, scheduling a field trip, or updating a lunch menu involve day-to-day operations and do not change identification, evaluation, placement, or services, so they don’t require a Prior Written Notice.