If at anytime you feel your child’s educational needs are not being met due to not following the IEP, you can request a new IEP. Make the request verbally and in writing (documentation is essential in these cases). In writing request who you need to be present and what your concerns are. At the IEP if you feel you are not being heard or your child’s needs are still not going to be met, ask for a mediator. The school system legally must provide a professional, unbiased (cannot be employed by the school system), mediator to help both sides reach an agreement. This legally must be paid for by the school. Most schools cringe when the “M” word comes up..it is costly! Often times they will shape up before a mediator is brought to the table.

I know how frustrating it is. I have a 3.5 yro autistic son. Keep in mind, the school system only has to adhere to the best education for your child and is not obligated to follow any medical recommendations.

Best wishes!

They think parent won’t notice it is not being followed. Even if parent finds out it is not being followed, the principal, superintendent, whoever won’t care, because schools do not want to help children in special ed anyway.

Whenever IEP plan is not being followed, tell your parents to write a letter to the district special ed director and send a copy to the superintendent.

In the letter, say that their child’s IEP plan is not being followed and this is a direct violation of federal IDEA law and that they are requesting ‘prior written notice’ for the refusal of following IEP plan.

Parents can also file formal state complaints for school not following IEP plan.

All of this is allowed by federal special ed law IDEA for parents to do as their ‘procedural safeguards’.

I guess what I am saying is, don’t get mad but ask the right questions. Start out a little naive and slowly put your inquiries

onto the important issues.

at one IEP I told them my son should be held back a year.(he was the youngest in class) The principle told me that only helps 10 % of those held back.. so my next question was…so who are you to decide that he isn’t in that 10%? He was held back …and he is in 2nd grade now and doing great.

You are the only one that knows what your child needs and stand your ground and tell these teachers what you expect of them and if they aren’t going to accomodate you, you will be contacting the principal and special ed director to see what else needs to be done. They need to see you are fighting for your child and won’t back down.. Once they see this… they will come around.

The factors why it is not used in a classroom may be.

Lack of knowledge of what the IEP states.

Impracticality of implementing certain provisions.

Lack of teacher training.

Lack of time.

Disagreement with the provisions.

Lack of equipment or materials.

Makes me upset, too.

God bless.

You can call an IEP and ask questions like that right to the teacher’s face. I did to a speech pathologist once, “So, why hasn’t Johnny met his goals in 3 years?” OOOH it made her angry and the parents moved him to another slp and he improved. Keep fighting for what is right!