COVID-19   Law    Advocacy    Topics A-Z     Training    Wrights' Blog   Wrightslaw Store    Yellow Pages for Kids 

 Home > Advocacy   > >


The Special Ed Advocate newsletter
It's Unique ... and Free!

Enter your email address below:

2025
Training Programs


Mar. 18-19 - VA via ZOOM

Sept. 18 - MD via ZOOM

Full Schedule


Wrightslaw

Home
Topics from A-Z
Free Newsletter
Seminars & Training
Yellow Pages for Kids
Press Room
FAQs
Sitemap

Books & Training

Wrightslaw Storesecure store lock
  Advocate's Store
  Student Bookstore
  Exam Copies
Training Center
Mail & Fax Orders

Advocacy Library

Articles
Cool Tools
Doing Your Homework
Ask the Advocate
FAQs
Newsletter Archives
Short Course Series
Success Stories
Tips

Law Library

Articles
Caselaw
Fed Court Complaints
IDEA 2004
McKinney-Vento Homeless
FERPA
Section 504

Topics

Advocacy
ADD/ADHD
Allergy/Anaphylaxis
American Indian
Assistive Technology
Autism Spectrum
Behavior & Discipline
Bullying
College/Continuing Ed
Damages
Discrimination
Due Process
Early Intervention
  (Part C)

Eligibility
Episodic, such as
   Allergies, Asthma,
   Diabetes, Epilepsy, etc

ESSA
ESY
Evaluations
FAPE
Flyers
Future Planning
Harassment
High-Stakes Tests
Homeless Children
IDEA 2004
Identification & Child Find
IEPs
Juvenile Justice
Law School & Clinics
Letters & Paper Trails
LRE / Inclusion
Mediation
Military / DOD
Parental Protections
PE and Adapted PE
Privacy & Records
Procedural Safeguards
Progress Monitoring
Reading
Related Services
Research Based
  Instruction

Response to Intervention
  (RTI)

Restraints / Seclusion
   and Abuse

Retention
Retaliation
School Report Cards
Section 504
Self-Advocacy
Teachers & Principals
Transition
Twice Exceptional (2e)
VA Special Education

Resources & Directories

Advocate's Bookstore
Advocacy Resources
Directories
  Disability Groups
  International
  State DOEs
  State PTIs
Free Flyers
Free Pubs
Free Newsletters
Legal & Advocacy
Glossaries
   Legal Terms
   Assessment Terms
Best School Websites

 

Print this page

My Child Needs an Updated IEP but the School is Stalling. What Can I Do?

My child isn't making progress under the current IEP - the IEP for the last school year. I asked the school to schedule a meeting to create a new IEP. They say they are waiting until school resumes on a normal schedule before they schedule IEP meetings. No one knows when that will happen! What can I do?

Wrightslaw Answers

We don't expect a child to wear the same shoes for a full year. We know that a child's ’needs change as they grow. The IEP is not cast in stone. It is a dynamic document that should be revised when necessary.

You need to write a letter to request an IEP meeting. Try to schedule a Virtual IEP meeting - from what I hear, these are working better than face-to-face meetings. The fact that you consented to the old IEP does not mean that it is appropriate for this school year.

Here are a few problems that should trigger an IEP meeting to review and revise your child's IEP:

  • Any lack of expected progress toward the annual goals and in the general education curriculum
  • Information from any new evaluation or reevaluation
  • Information or concerns shared by the parent or teacher
  • Your child's anticipated needs
  • Other matters, issues, or concerns 

Put your request for a meeting to revise the IEP in writing. In the letter, describe your concerns and the reasons you are requesting the meeting.

Use the links to the IDEA statute and Commentary below to understand the process of reviewing and revising your child's IEP.

If you are a longtime subscriber to The Special Ed Advocate, you know we advise parents to learn about their rights and responsibilities. You know we also advise parents to use Tactics & Strategies when they make requests. Sometimes, this is more difficult! We will get to this in a minute. 

Learn IDEA Rights & Responsibilities 

What happens when the IEP team reviews and revises an IEP?

Don't rely on school people to tell you about the law. School personnel's knowledge of the law is often dependent on what they were told in an in-service training session or by "word of mouth." Few school staff read the law.

As the parent of a child with a disability, you need to know what the law actually says. You need to know how to find answers to your questions in the IDEA statute and regulations. 

Parents, teachers, and other special education service providers should have a copy of the IDEA statute, special education regulations, and Appendix A. You can download most of these documents from the Wrightslaw site. Here are the links:

For an overview of the IDEA statute, go to 

https://www.wrightslaw.com/idea/index.htm

Download and Read the Commentary!

The Commentary is an invaluable tool for parents who have read the IEP statute in Section 1414(d), the IEP Regulations at 34 CFR 300.320 - 200.328 and want to learn more. To learn more, read the part of the Commentary in the Federal Register between pages 46661 - 46688 related to the regulations. It is an adobe pdf fie.

https://www.wrightslaw.com/idea/comment/46661-46688.reg.320-328.ieps.pdf

You'll find answers to your questions in the Commentary.

Tactics & Strategies 

Your goal is to get the services your child needs. When you use tactics & strategies, it's more likely that you will succeed. 

T & S include knowing how to organize your child’s file, maintain a contact log, write effective follow-up letters, write a “Letter to the Stranger,” handle meetings – and how NOT to shoot yourself in the foot!

Here’s one thing to consider: In most of Pete's consultations, the questions being asked are not the most important questions that need to be answered.

Often, no one is asking the important questions! For example, a parent wants to force the school to provide modifications and/or accommodations when the real issue is that the child doesn’t know how to read, write, spell, or do arithmetic. 

From Emotions to Advocacy Teaches Tactics & Strategies

Wrightslaw: From Emotions to Advocacy 2nd EditionYou can learn about Tactics and Strategy by reading dozens of articles, letters and newsletters on the Wrightslaw site.

A more efficient strategy may be to order our book, From Emotions to Advocacy - The Special Education Survival Guide.

Learn more about Wrightslaw: From Emotions to Advocacy - The Special Education Survival Guide - read reviews, download the Table of Contents, Index and free chapters.

Add to Cart
Print Book

Add to Cart
Print Book + PDF

Add to Cart
Kindle

Add to Cart
ePub

All About IEPs Answers Your Frequently Asked Questions

You will find clear, concise answers to over 200 frequently asked questions about IEPs in our comprehensive, easy-to-read book Wrightslaw: All About IEPs. Learn what the law says about:

  • Wrightslaw: All About IEPs
    IEP Teams & Meetings
  • Parental Rights & Consent
  • Steps in Developing and Revising the IEP
  • Placement, Transition, Assistive Technology
  • Strategies to Resolve Disagreements

Read reviews, download the Table of Contents, Index and free chapters here.

Don't miss Chapter 11: Reviewing and Revising the IEP.

Add to Cart
Print Book

Buy Now!
Print Book
+ PDF

Add to Cart
Kindle

Add to Cart
e-Pub

Email Newsletter icon, E-mail Newsletter icon, Email List icon, E-mail List icon The Special Ed Advocate: It's Free!

Order Wrightslaw
Products Today
and Save 25%
Apply Coupon Code
DEC2024



Check Out
The Advocate's Store!

Wrightslaw on FacebookWrightslaw on TwitterWrightslaw YouTube Channel 

Wrightslaw Books
Wrightslaw: Special Education Law, 3rd Edition, by Pam and Pete Wright
About the Book

Wrightslaw: From Emotions to Advocacy, 2nd Edition
About the Book

Wrightslaw: All About IEPs
About the Book

Wrightslaw: All About Tests and Assessments
About the Book

Wrightslaw: Special Education Legal Developments and Cases 2019
About the Book

Surviving Due Process: Stephen Jeffers v. School Board
About the DVD Video


The Advocate's Store


Understanding Your Child's
Test Scores (1.5 hrs)

Wrightslaw Special: $14.95