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The school is ignoring my child’s IEP

If your child’s IEP lists supports that are not actually happening, the problem is not just paperwork. It may be an access issue.

An IEP is not the accommodation itself. It is the written record of the supports the school has agreed are needed so your child can access education. If those supports are not implemented, monitored, or updated when they stop working, your child may be losing meaningful access.

What non-implementation can look like

IEP non-implementation can include:

  • accommodations happening in one class but not another;
  • supports listed on paper but not provided in practice;
  • education assistant support being redirected without revisiting the plan;
  • safety plans replacing actual learning support;
  • goals that are never worked on;
  • external recommendations being ignored;
  • the IEP staying the same after your child’s needs change;
  • progress being described vaguely, with no evidence;
  • parents being left out of review or revision.

A goal that appears in the IEP year after year, but is never actively supported or measured, is not meaningfully implemented.

What to ask first

Start by asking for clarity in writing.

You can ask:

  • Is this support currently being provided?
  • Who is responsible for providing it?
  • When is it provided during the school day?
  • How is implementation tracked?
  • What evidence shows progress?
  • If the support is not happening, when will it start?
  • If the school believes the support should change, when will the IEP be reviewed?

Try to keep the first email short. The goal is to create a clear record of the gap between the plan and daily practice.

Sample email

Subject: IEP implementation concern

Dear [name],

I am writing about the implementation of [child’s name]’s IEP.

The IEP says that [specific accommodation/support] will be provided. My understanding is that this support has not been happening consistently, particularly [brief example if available].

Please confirm:

  1. whether this support is currently being provided;
  2. who is responsible for providing it;
  3. how implementation is being tracked; and
  4. what will change so this support is provided consistently going forward.

If the school believes this support is no longer appropriate, I am requesting an IEP review so we can discuss the barrier, the support needed, and how my child’s access will be protected.

Please respond by [date].

Sincerely,
[name]

If the school says your child is “making progress”

Ask what evidence supports that statement.

You can write:

Thank you. Please clarify what evidence shows progress on this goal, how progress was measured, and whether the support listed in the IEP was provided consistently.

Vague phrases like “making progress,” “working toward,” or “continuing to develop” may be true, but they are not enough if no one can show what was provided, what changed, or what evidence was used.

If the IEP wording is too vague

Sometimes the IEP is hard to enforce because the wording is too broad.

For example, “visual supports” may be less useful than “explicit visuals provided during numeracy instruction.” “Support with regulation” may be less useful than “staff will offer proactive regulation support before escalation.”

If the wording does not identify the barrier or the support clearly, ask for it to be revised.

You can write:

I am concerned that the current wording is too broad to ensure consistent implementation. Please update the IEP to name the specific support required and how staff will know it has been provided.

When to escalate

It may be time to escalate if:

  • the same support keeps being missed;
  • the school does not respond in writing;
  • the IEP is not reviewed when needs change;
  • the plan lists supports that are not happening;
  • progress is reported without evidence;
  • your child is losing access, becoming distressed, or falling behind;
  • the school refuses to clarify who is responsible;
  • the school treats the problem as your child’s failure rather than an implementation issue.

Escalation does not mean you are refusing to work with the school. It means the current process has not restored access.

You may also find these pages helpful:

These guides walk through each complaint pathway in more detail.

Final note

An IEP is not just a document. It is supposed to guide what happens during the school day.

If the IEP says support will be provided, families have the right to ask whether it is happening, how it is being tracked, and what will change when it is not working.

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