Many school districts schedule annual Individualized Education Program (IEP) and 504 Plan reviews in the spring. This timing allows teams to review more data and helps ease transitions into the next school year. But even when you’re on great terms with your child’s team, these meetings can be stressful. Use these tips to feel prepared and advocate confidently for your child.

Know the Process

Special education is governed by federal law – that means there are steps that must happen, no matter which public school your child attends.

There are many great resources to help you learn those steps, including this podcast. In it, you’ll see how the process moves from identification to evaluation, and ultimately, to an IEP or 504 Plan. Ohio’s Evaluation Roadmap is another great resource for families.

Ask for a Draft

Having a draft of your child’s IEP or 504 Plan before the meeting can make a big difference. It’s a good idea to ask for the draft several school days ahead of time. This gives the school time to prepare it and gives you time to review it.

For more tips on working with a draft, check out this information sheet from the Ohio Coalition for the Education of Children with Disabilities.

Prepare Your Data

Asking the team for changes to your child’s IEP or 504 Plan is easier when you have data to support your request. For example, if homework takes hours each night, you might track:

• Total time spent
• Time on task
• Amount of help you had to give
• Whether your child understood the work

Our Guide to Communicating Concerns with School gives practical examples for tracking problems and suggestions for sharing that information with your school team.

Connect with Your Parent Mentor

Many school districts have free parent mentors who can help you with special education questions. Parent mentors are not advocates, but they can review IEPs or 504 Plans, explain your rights and attend meetings with you.

Parent mentors are trained to support families and can be a helpful, neutral presence in meetings. You can find your parent mentor using the map from Ohio’s Parent Mentor Project.

Ask Us

Special education can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to do it alone. With an Ask Us call or quick request, our Family Resource Specialist (FRS) team can help you find resources, understand next steps and feel more confident going into your meeting.