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Can they be changed by the school? Does the school need my consent to change them? Can a teacher modify them in the classroom setting? Do they have to be listed in the IEP document?
Like most things involving special education, there is a process to be followed when changing an accommodation that is written into your child’s IEP. The school must first call an IEP team meeting to discuss any proposed changes to the IEP accommodations. The IEP team, of which you are a member, must discuss, justify, and agree upon any proposed changes.
Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), parents have legal rights called procedural safeguards. One of these safeguards is called prior written notice. This provision says the school must give a parent written notice any time they add, change, or deny educational services to their child.
The notice must include a description of what the school intends to change, and why. In the category of “why”, the school should provide an explanation of what is driving the changes, and should give a description of tests, behaviors, or records that support their actions. This document should be provided to the parent after the meeting.
First remember that the discussion surrounding changes must happen in an IEP team meeting, to which you must be invited. In the meeting, you should be prepared to ask questions and insist on evidence surrounding the indicated changes. There are any number of valid reasons that the school may be indicating a change. Listen to them, and work as a team to arrive at the best result for your child.
If you give your consent to add, drop, or change an accommodation at the meeting, it is key to work further with the team to ensure your child is instructed on any adjustments to be made.
If you believe that the indicated changes are not in your child’s best interests, and/or the changes are not supported by sufficient information (data, evaluation scores, etc.) you should indicate this in the IEP team meeting. Negotiation and collaboration within the team usually gets results. However, if you are met with a challenge, you still have further recourse. You can formally state your concerns, and request another meeting, in an email to the school principal and the district special education director. A next step might be to request a state mediated IEP meeting.
Keep in mind that students often receive accommodation that are not written into an IEP document. It may simply seem like a nice gesture when a teacher recognizes a challenge that your child is having, and provides a classroom accommodation on their own. However, if an accommodation is NOT expressly written in the IEP document, the school can change it without giving notice or getting your consent. Make sure all accommodations are written into your student’s IEP. Even so, you can still call an IEP meeting to discuss why the change is happening.
When you are made aware of intended changes to your child’s IEP accommodations, make sure an IEP meeting is called to discuss them. Prepare questions for the meeting, and let the team know that you expect a detailed description of their reasoning and all evaluative documentation.
I am here to support you through the process, and to discuss and explain your options should you feel overwhelmed.
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