IEP guide: how to prepare, read, and push back

Understand the IDEA timeline

• Referral: anyone (including you) can refer your child for evaluation.
• Consent: the district must obtain your written consent before evaluating.
• Evaluation: generally completed within 60 calendar days of consent (states vary).
• Eligibility meeting: the team decides whether your child qualifies under one of 13 IDEA categories.
• IEP meeting: if eligible, the IEP must be developed within 30 days of eligibility.
• Annual review: at least once a year. Full re-evaluation every 3 years.

Request an initial evaluation in writing

Verbal requests to teachers don't start the timeline. Email the principal and special education coordinator with a written request; see the exact template in our Parent Tools. Save the sent email — that date is your legal anchor.

How to prepare for the meeting

• Ask for the draft IEP at least 3 school days before the meeting so you have time to read it.
• Bring one page of "parent input": strengths, concerns, and 2–3 measurable goals you want to see.
• Bring outside evaluation reports — the team must consider them, even if they weren't done by the district.
• Ask who will be at the meeting and their role. You can invite anyone you want, including an advocate.
• Ask to record the meeting if your state allows it. Some districts require 24-hour notice.

Reading a draft IEP

Focus on four sections:

1. Present Levels (PLAAFP): should describe your child's current performance in specifics — grade level, percentiles, observed behavior. Vague language ("makes progress") is a red flag.
2. Goals: each goal must be measurable and have a baseline, a target, and a way to measure progress. "Will improve behavior" is not a goal.
3. Services: look for exact minutes per week, group size, and provider (SLP, OT, special ed teacher). Watch for reductions from last year without explanation.
4. Accommodations & LRE: Least Restrictive Environment means your child is educated with non-disabled peers to the maximum extent appropriate. If the placement changes, ask why in writing.

What to do when you disagree

1. Don't sign in the room. You can take the draft home, sign for "attendance only," or sign only the parts you agree with.
2. Write a Prior Written Notice (PWN) request asking the district to explain in writing why they refused what you asked for.
3. Request an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE) at public expense if you disagree with the district's evaluation. They must either pay for one or file due process.
4. Try mediation before due process. It's free, confidential, and often resolves things in one session.
5. File a state complaint for procedural violations (missed timelines, denied records). The state must investigate within 60 days.

Red flags to watch for

• Goals copied word-for-word from last year with no baseline update.
• Services described as "as needed" or "consult" instead of direct minutes.
• Placement change proposed without new data.
• "We don't do that here" — IDEA is federal; every district must comply.
• Being told you can't record, when your state allows it.

Frequently asked questions