Navigating the IEP Process

For families with children who have intellectual or developmental disabilities (I/DD), the Individualized Education Program (IEP) is a crucial component of their educational journey. The IEP process can be complex and overwhelming, but understanding its basics and knowing how to effectively advocate for your child can make a significant difference in your child’s educational experience.

An IEP is a legal document developed for students with I/DD that outlines specific educational goals, services and accommodations designed to meet their unique needs in school settings. The IEP is tailored to each child, ensuring that they receive the support necessary to succeed in school. It also allows all students to access their right to a free and appropriate education (FAPE).

The process begins when a child is referred for an evaluation, usually by a teacher or parent who notices “a level of deficiency in the classroom,” explained Beth Boyle, Director of Behavioral Health at Boundless and a parent of a child with an IEP. Once a referral is made, the school district will conduct an evaluation to assess the child’s educational needs. Parents or guardians must consent to this evaluation before it is done.

If the child is found eligible, an IEP meeting is scheduled. This meeting includes parents, teachers, special education staff, and other relevant professionals. During this meeting, the team discusses the child’s strengths, needs and goals. They will develop an IEP that includes specific educational goals, the special education services and supports the child will receive, and any accommodations or modifications needed to support their learning.

Once the IEP is finalized, it is implemented by the school. Teachers and staff work to provide the services and accommodations outlined in the plan. The IEP is a working document that can and should be adjusted as needed, based on the child’s progress and any changes in their needs. To that end, the IEP is reviewed at least once a year to assess the child’s progress and make any necessary adjustments. Parents can, however, request meetings more frequently if they have concerns about their child’s progress or changes in their needs.

“From a parent perspective, it is extremely overwhelming. It is intimidating. It can be confusing, it can be just a place to go where you feel like you’re the only one in the room,” Boyle said but urged parents to remember, “Schools want to give you all of these things, but within their abilities or set of resources, like with the number of staff they have.”

Boyle had some tips to share with parents going into this process for the first time. She said, “Always come prepared.” Parents to be open to suggestions, but also ready to advocate for their child. She said, “Come with a list. Know your non-negotiables for your child, but know your negotiables, too. You really can’t have everything on your list, like if something isn’t reasonable or something just can’t happen. But what are those non-negotiables?”

Before the IEP meeting, it can be helpful to gather all relevant information about your child:

Medical records (if they have a diagnosis)
Previous school reports (if they are older when starting the IEP process)
Observations of their behavior and learning style

Being well-prepared helps ensure that you can provide a comprehensive picture of your child’s needs. Your insights about your child’s needs are invaluable in creating an effective plan.

Boyle explained that it’s also important to include your child in the process, especially as they get older. She said, “My advice to parents is to first, pick your battle and understand what it is that you want. What is it that your child is saying they need? And maybe, what your child is saying they need isn’t necessarily what you want, and you need to help them have that voice and choice at the table.”

Boyle also advised, “Be sure to consider the social and emotional piece to it, not just the educational piece.” In some cases, especially with slightly older kids, they might feel that it’s embarrassing to be pulled out of the classroom to receive help and would prefer to have someone in the classroom that they can ask. For some, this might work, and for others it might not, but considering the social aspect of their embarrassment is important.

A big concern parents usually have is that they don’t want their child to be singled out or viewed differently by their peers. Creative solutions are often available, especially if their teacher has a lot of experience with IEPs and with open communication with the school. Boyle told the story of her son’s kindergarten year. He needed a physical outlet to wiggle, fidget and move around, but he still had to be able to sit at his desk and get his work done. The solution was for him to sit on a seat that had a ball in the middle of it so he could bounce and wiggle while sitting. Boyle said, “I didn’t want him to be singled out in the classroom, to be looked at as different. The teacher said, ‘Don’t worry, I wrote a grant and got seven other chairs just like that, at each table, so the kids just rotate, but your kid will always be at one.’ Most kids have sensory needs at that age, and that teacher was super creative to not make it specialized and made it almost a privilege to sit in the wiggle seat.” She stressed that this creative solution came from clear and open communication with that teacher as well as the teacher’s creative thinking.

However, Boyle also warned that sometimes IEP meetings can feel adversarial. Many times, these meetings address only what is not going well for the student or what the school staff isn’t doing to help, so it can put people on the defensive. It’s important to remember that everyone at the table has a shared goal of helping your loved one and that each person is just looking at it from a different perspective. “It’s hard to hear all the things your kid can’t do for two hours,” Boyle admitted. She suggests the approach that she has taken with her own child, which is to start the meeting by going around the table and having each person say one thing they liked about her son. “It immediately changed the room,” she said.

Navigating the IEP process can be challenging for even the most experienced parents, but with preparation, open communication and the right attitude, families and schools can come together to create the best educational experience for every child.