When the IEP Isn’t Working: What Parents Can Do

 No matter how thorough your evaluations were…

No matter how well-written the goals seemed…

No matter how good the plan looked on paper…


Sometimes, it just doesn’t feel like things are moving forward.


And when you’re the parent, watching your child stall despite everything being in place—it can feel frustrating, confusing, and even a little defeating.


We’ve been there.


After our son started his preschool program, he made great progress—learning his letters, identifying shapes, starting to write his name. We were encouraged. We felt like we were finally on the right track.


But then… things slowed down.


He wasn’t meeting certain goals as quickly. Some skills just weren’t sticking. As much as we wanted to believe it was just a phase, we started asking ourselves:

As both an educator and a parent, I knew this wasn’t unusual. Growth isn’t linear. But when it’s your child, and you’re watching them struggle, it can still feel heavy.


Here’s What We Did—and What You Can Do Too:

1. Start Observing Closely

We began keeping notes—what we were seeing at home, areas where our son seemed stuck, moments where he struggled more than usual. These observations helped guide our next steps.

2. Communicate with the Team

We reached out to his teacher and related service providers—not because we were concerned the services weren’t helping, but because we wanted to better understand how to support continued growth. The services were working—but sometimes goals need to grow too.

3. Practice at Home

The team encouraged us to work with him at home as well—to reinforce what he was learning and build consistency.

So we did.


We started practicing letters, numbers, and early reading skills together whenever we could. It wasn’t easy. Some days he resisted. Some days we felt defeated. But if we wanted to help our son succeed, we knew this was part of the work.

It wasn’t about being perfect—it was about being present.


4. Ask for a Meeting

You don’t have to wait for the annual review. If progress stalls or you have questions, you can request an IEP meeting anytime. That’s what we did.


5. Revisit the Goals

Together with the team, we asked:


  • Are the current goals still the right fit?
  • Do they need to be broken into smaller steps?
  • Is there something else we should be working on?

What Helped Us Most

The team took our concerns seriously. They helped us reframe some goals, shared new strategies, and gave us ways to support learning at home.

It reminded us that an IEP is a living document—meant to evolve with the child.

A Word for Other Parents

If your gut is telling you something’s off, trust it.

Even if everything is “in place,” you still have a voice—and the right to use it.


Progress takes time. Setbacks are normal. And adjusting a plan doesn’t mean it failed.

It means you’re still showing up—and so is your child.


Have you ever had to revisit your child’s IEP?

What helped you move forward? Share your experience in the comments—you never know who it might help.


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