Your Child Has an IEP. But Is It Actually Working?

Jennifer Seney, Accommodations and Learning Support Specialist

Having an IEP in place can bring a sense of relief. There is a plan, accommodations are documented, and goals have been established. But having an IEP and having an IEP that is truly helping your child are not always the same thing.

After more than 25 years working in special education, I have written, reviewed, and revised many IEPs. I have also experienced the process as the parent of a son with dyslexia and a nonverbal daughter with significant needs. Sitting on both sides of the table has taught me how important it is to keep bringing the conversation back to the individual student.

Does this IEP reflect the child you see today, and is it helping them move forward?

Does the IEP Still Fit Your Child?

Children change. Academic expectations change. The support a student needed in sixth grade may look very different by ninth or tenth grade.

When reviewing an IEP, look at the entire plan. Do the goals address your child’s current needs? Are the accommodations useful? Can you understand how progress is being measured?

An IEP should change as the student changes.

Are the Accommodations Actually Helping?

Accommodations should give students access to the curriculum and help them become more successful and independent learners.

Ask your child which accommodations they actually use. Which ones help? Which ones don’t? Do they understand why they have them?

It is also important to know whether accommodations are being provided consistently across classes. An accommodation written into an IEP only helps if it makes its way into the classroom.

As students get older, understanding their own learning needs becomes increasingly important. Eventually, they need to be able to explain what helps them learn and advocate for themselves with teachers and, later, with professors in college.

Look Beyond the Grades

Good grades don't always mean that everything is going well.

A student may be earning strong grades while spending hours on homework, relying heavily on a parent to stay organized, or feeling overwhelmed by the effort required to keep up.

When thinking about progress, consider the whole student. Is your child becoming more independent? Are they developing strategies they can use on their own? Do they know when and how to ask for help?

These skills matter just as much as the grade on the report card.

Remember That You Are Part of the Team

You do not have to wait for the annual meeting if something isn't working. Parents are an important part of the IEP team and can ask questions, raise concerns, and request that the team reconvene when a child's needs have changed.

Before a meeting, review the IEP and write down your questions. What are you seeing at home? What does your child say is happening at school? Where are they making progress, and where are they still struggling?

You know your child in a way that no evaluation or document ever can. That perspective belongs in the conversation.

An effective IEP should do more than provide accommodations for today. It should help a student understand how they learn, develop greater independence, and build the skills to advocate for themselves as they move through high school, college, and beyond.