What if the school isn't implementing the IEP?

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Start with the facts — not assumptions. IDEA requires the school to have an IEP in effect and make special education and related services available in accordance with that IEP. The teachers and providers responsible for implementation must also have access to the IEP and understand their specific responsibilities, including required accommodations, modifications, and supports.

How do I know — or why do I suspect — the IEP isn't being implemented?

Start by asking yourself:

• What does the IEP actually require?

• What am I seeing, hearing, or being told that concerns me?

• What information or documentation supports that concern?

• Is this a one-time occurrence or an ongoing pattern?

• Could there be a misunderstanding about how the IEP is supposed to be implemented?

Your concern might come from a missed service, an accommodation your child reports is not being provided, progress data, a conversation with a teacher, something your child is experiencing, or a pattern you are noticing. The goal is to bring what you know to the team and make sure everyone is working from the same understanding.

Bring the concern to the team. Rather than assuming someone is unwilling to follow the IEP, start with curiosity and the information you have:

> "I have a concern about how this part of my child's IEP is being implemented. The IEP states ____. I'm seeing/hearing ____. Can we review this together to make sure we have the same understanding of what is required and determine what needs to happen moving forward?"

If the concern continues, document the specific provision, what you are observing, and the information supporting your concern. Then ask the team to review whether the IEP is being implemented as written or whether the IEP needs to be clarified or revised based on your child's current needs. If the concern cannot be resolved through the team, understand the procedural safeguards and options available under IDEA — these can include requesting an IEP meeting and, depending on the circumstances, processes such as Prior Written Notice, mediation, a state complaint, or due process.

*Same Team approach:* Start with curiosity before conclusion, documentation before accusation, and problem-solving before conflict. The goal is not to find someone to blame. It is to make sure everyone understands what your child needs, what the IEP requires, and how the team can work together to ensure your child receives the support the team determined they need.

What if the school isn't implementing the IEP?

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