Understanding IEPs
An IEP can feel confusing at first. This page breaks it down in simple terms so you know what to expect.
What is an IEP?
An Individualized Education Program (IEP) is a plan created to support your child’s learning needs in school.
Think of it as a roadmap for how the school will support your child.
How does a child get an IEP?
📌 First Steps: Meeting vs. Records (Important)
Step 1: Request a Meeting
Ask for an initial meeting with the principal to share your concerns.
You can also request that notes are taken during the meeting.
Step 2: Request Records (FERPA)
Submit a FERPA request to obtain your child’s educational records.
⚠️ These are two separate steps.
You can do both—and you don’t have to wait for one to do the other.
Ferpa Request Template - The school conducts assessments to better understand your child’s needs. This may include academic, behavioral, speech/language, psychological, or other evaluations depending on the concern.
You must give consent before evaluations begin.
You can ask the school to explain each evaluation and why it’s being recommended.
If something feels missing (e.g., speech, OT, behavior), you can ask for it in writing.
Looks at learning, thinking, attention, and emotional functioning.
- Some families may pursue a neuropsychological or comprehensive psychological evaluation outside of school for a more in-depth understanding.
Assessment Services (including developmental and autism assessments, neuropsychological assessments, and psychological assessments) | 1-844-362-9272 |
Measures reading, writing, and math skills.
Assesses communication, understanding, and expression.
Focuses on fine motor skills, sensory processing, and daily tasks.
- Handwriting or using tools (scissors, pencils)
- Sensory sensitivities (noise, textures, movement)
- Attention, organization, or completing tasks
- Everyday school routines
🔗 Example (ADHD-focused — helpful for understanding real-life impact):
https://www.usa.edu/blog/occupational-therapy-for-adhd-how-can-ot-help-adhd/
Looks at behaviors and what may be causing them.
Used more often for younger children; looks at overall development.
- An outside evaluation requested when you disagree with the school’s results
- Can be requested at public expense
- Helps get a second opinion
An IEE (Independent Educational Evaluation) is used when:
- a parent disagrees with the school’s evaluation
- often before eligibility is finalized or right after a denial
✏️ Tip: If something feels missing, you can request additional evaluations in writing.
You can provide reports from doctors, therapists, or other providers.
You can ask to receive reports before the meeting where results are discussed.
- It’s common for children to be denied at first. This does not always mean your child doesn’t need support.
- Ask questions and request clarification
- You can ask the team to explain how they made their decision.
- Request copies of all evaluation reports
- You have the right to review everything used to make the decision.
- Put concerns in writing
- You can follow up with an email summarizing your concerns or disagreements.
- Request further evaluation if needed
- If something feels missing, you can ask for additional testing.
- You can disagree with the decision
- Families have the right to pursue other options, including outside evaluations.
If your child is bilingual, or something feels missed in the evaluation, speak up. You can point to specific parts of the school’s evaluation that feel incomplete or overlooked. Using their own data, along with any outside information, can help increase the chances of getting additional testing.
All about PPT Meetings
- This is the meeting where the team reviews evaluations
- Parents are part of the decision-making team
- This is where eligibility is determined
- Google meet (paid verison) allows recording
- Loom
- otter.ai
Parent Concerns are a section of the IEP where your thoughts, worries, and priorities about your child are documented.
This may include:
- Academic concerns
- Behavior or social-emotional concerns
- Communication or developmental concerns
- Anything you feel is impacting your child at school
This section becomes part of the official IEP document.
You can write out your Parent Concerns before the PPT meeting and send them to the team ahead of time.
This helps:
- Ensure your concerns are clearly included
- Give the team time to review them
- Reduce pressure during the meeting
- You can email your concerns to the PPT team and ask that they be included in the IEP.
- ⚠️ If it’s not written in the IEP, it’s much harder to hold the school accountable.
- You can request a PPT meeting at any time, especially if you notice concerns.
- You can also request a date and time that works for you. Schools are expected to make reasonable efforts to schedule meetings at a mutually agreed-upon time.
Save documents, create a Google Drive folder, and keep a simple timeline. This can be especially helpful if you work with a special education advocate.
They can help ask questions, take notes, and support you during the meeting.
- PPT meetings are meant to be collaborative and supportive. However, at times they can feel tense, especially when there are differing perspectives or limited resources.
- Services are not typically provided based on a request alone—you may need to share clear concerns and supporting information.
- It’s important to listen carefully and ask questions if something is unclear or doesn’t feel accurate.
- You know your child best—trust your instincts and feel confident sharing your perspective.
- You are not alone in this process. The Danbury Families Special Education Network is here to support you.
- If the meeting feels confusing or overwhelming at times, that is a common experience for many families.
- You can request edits to the IEP after the meeting, especially if changes were discussed but not fully reflected in the document. You can also follow up with the team if something needs clarification.
If there wasn’t enough time to fully address your concerns, you can request another PPT meeting.
- “Can you explain that in a different way?”
- “Can we take a moment to review that?”
- “I’d like that noted in the meeting notes.”
- “I’m not sure I agree—can we look at the data together?”
- “Can you show me where that is in the evaluation?”
- “I need some time to think about this before making a decision.”
- “What are the options if we don’t agree?”
- “Can we follow up on this after the meeting?”
It’s okay to pause, ask questions, and take your time. You do not have to decide everything in the moment.
- “They’re doing fine.” → This may mean your child is meeting minimum expectations, but still struggling in ways not fully captured.
- “Let’s wait and see.” → The team may want more time or data. You can ask what specific data they’re looking for and set a follow-up timeline.
- “They don’t qualify.” → This means the team did not find eligibility based on current criteria—not necessarily that your child doesn’t need support.
- “We don’t see that at school.” → Your child may present differently in different settings. Sharing examples from home or outside providers can help.
- “They’re making progress.” → Ask: What kind of progress? Is it enough to meet expectations?
- “We can try general education supports first.” → This may be a step before special education. You can ask how progress will be monitored and when it will be reviewed.
It’s okay to ask follow-up questions and request clarification. You are part of the team.
After the meeting, the school will finalize and send you the IEP (or a summary of decisions).
- Take time to review the document carefully
- Make sure it reflects what was discussed during the meeting
- Check that your Parent Concerns are included
You do not have to rush—take the time you need to review.
If something is missing, unclear, or doesn’t feel accurate:
- You can email the team to request edits or clarification
- You can reference what was discussed during the meeting
If there wasn’t enough time to go over your concerns, or new concerns come up:
- You can request another PPT meeting at any time
Continue saving:
- Emails
- Evaluations
- IEP documents
💡 Keeping everything organized (Google Drive folder + simple timeline) can be very helpful over time—especially if you work with a special education advocate.
- You are part of the team. It’s okay to ask questions, take your time, and follow up.
Do I have to sign the IEP right away?
No—you do not have to sign the IEP immediately.
It’s okay to take time to review the document before making a decision.