The Road From Birth to 26: Dates to Put on Your Calendar
In short: The dates that matter: Early Intervention within 45 days of referral, the school handoff at three, IEP review every year and re-evaluation every three, transition planning by 16, the SSI review at 18, and the end of dependent health coverage at 26.
You get a diagnosis and nobody hands you a roadmap. Here are the stops from Early Intervention to age 26, what happens at each one, the dates that go on your calendar, and where to read the details. Roy walked this road with his son. The federal rules stay the same in every state; the details are different in each one.
Birth to 3: Early Intervention
This is where it starts. Anyone can make the referral, including you. No diagnosis needed. The program gets 45 days from the referral to finish the evaluation and write the first plan.
Put on your calendar: the date you made the referral, and 45 days after it.
Read next: Birth to Three, Early Intervention fine print, Ready-to-Send Letters.
Before 3: The Handoff to School
Early Intervention doesn't just become school. The program has to tell the school district about your child, and a transition meeting should happen well before the third birthday. Some states will keep Early Intervention going past three. Check yours.
Put on your calendar: your child's third birthday, and the date 90 days before it. Ask for the transition meeting as early as 9 months before.
Read next: Early Intervention fine print, School Years.
School Years: Every Year and Every Three Years
Once your child has an IEP, the team reviews it at least once a year. Your child gets re-evaluated at least every three years, unless you and the school agree it's not needed. You're on the team the whole time.
Put on your calendar: the IEP anniversary every year, and the three year re-evaluation date.
Read next: School Years, The IEP Meeting, Decoded, school fine print, behavior fine print.
By 16 (or Sooner): The Plan for After School
By the first IEP that happens after your child turns 16, the plan has to include goals for after school and the services to reach them. Your child gets invited to that meeting.
Put on your calendar: the IEP meeting closest to your child's 16th birthday, and ask whether it can happen earlier.
Read next: Turning 18 and 26 fine print, Ages 14 to 26.
One Year Before the Age of Majority: Rights May Move
Some states transfer school decision-making rights to your child at the age of majority. The IEP has to tell your child about this at least a year ahead of time. Ask your state when its age of majority is and what the rights transfer actually means.
Put on your calendar: one year before your state's age of majority.
Read next: Turning 18 and 26 fine print.
18: SSI Looks Again, and Parent Income Stops Counting
Two things happen at 18 with SSI. Social Security reviews eligibility under adult disability rules within a year of the birthday. And parent income deeming stops. Families rejected because of parent income can reapply.
Put on your calendar: the 18th birthday. Gather medical records in the months before it.
Read next: SSI fine print, SSI Deeming, ABLE accounts, Protecting Benefits.
26: Health Coverage on a Parent's Plan Ends
A health plan with dependent coverage has to keep covering your child until 26. After that, you need a different plan. Some plans or state laws have exceptions for adult children with disabilities, so ask before the deadline.
Put on your calendar: six months before the 26th birthday: write to the plan.
Read next: Turning 18 and 26 fine print, Ready-to-Send Letters, Ages 14 to 26.
Anytime: When Somebody Says No
A no can come anywhere on this road: the school, Early Intervention, Medicaid, Social Security. Almost every no has to come with a written reason and a way to ask again, and almost every appeal has a deadline.
Start with the disagree-in-writing guide, then use the letters on Ready-to-Send Letters. Your state's parent rights office and parent center are on the Your State page.
See also: fine-print-school, fine-print-18-26, request-letters, ask-this, All Explainers.
Sources: www.ecfr.gov, www.ecfr.gov.
Last checked: October 2026. Each rule behind a stop on this timeline was checked against the text of the regulation (34 CFR 300.303, 300.320, 300.324, 303.209, 303.303 and 303.310; 20 CFR 416.987 and 416.1165; 45 CFR 147.120) at ecfr.gov. Your state may add rules and dates of its own. This is not legal advice; see the full disclaimer.