IEPs and special education
When the plan and the school stop agreeing
An IEP is a promise in writing. These are the six places I see it come apart most often.
The evaluation was turned down
You asked for testing and the school said your child doesn’t need it. You can ask again in writing, request an independent evaluation, or challenge the refusal.
Services were cut, or never started
Minutes of reading help, speech or counseling are on the plan but not in the schedule. I compare what the plan says with what actually happened.
The placement is changing
A move to another classroom or school is a big decision. It belongs in a meeting where you’ve had time to prepare.
Eligibility ended, or was denied
Schools can decide a child no longer qualifies. That decision rests on evaluations, and you can look at them.
The goals don’t mean anything
The same goals repeated from last year, or goals nobody can measure. A better goal says what your child will do, by when.
We’re moving to another district
The new school will decide what comes next. I help you ask for comparable services and a date.
Before the next meeting
A folder, a page of notes and one question
The best meetings I’ve been to had one thing in common: the parent knew the one question they needed answered before they left the room.
We pick that question together. Then we gather what supports it, and I tell you who will be at the table and what each of them is likely to say.
The current plan and the last two progress reports
Any evaluation, including a private one
A page on what’s working and what isn’t
Questions about IEP disagreements
What is a due process hearing?
It’s a formal hearing in front of an independent officer, where you and the school each present your side of a disagreement about your child’s plan. Most disagreements are settled before one is needed.
Can I ask for an independent evaluation?
If you disagree with the school’s evaluation, you can ask for an outside evaluation, and in many cases the school has to pay for it or go to a hearing to defend its own. Put the request in writing.
How long does the school have to respond to a written request?
Federal and state rules set the deadlines, and they depend on what you asked for. I check the calendar the day your letter goes out.
Can I record an IEP meeting?
Some districts allow it and some have rules about it. Ask in writing before the meeting, and bring a note-taker either way.
Stuck after the last meeting?
Send me the plan and the notes from the meeting. I’ll tell you what I see.