Your child's first IEP year, month by month

The first IEP is signed, and then it can go quiet. Many parents are not sure what should happen next or when to speak up. This page walks through a first year, month by month, so you know what to look for. It starts in October, but you can shift the months to match your own IEP date.

If you are not yet at the signing stage, the special education process steps page covers how you get there.

The year at a glance

Month 1: Services start

The school must put the IEP into effect as soon as possible after the meeting. Each teacher and provider who works with your child must be able to see the IEP and know their part in it.^[1]

Check in the first two weeks:

• Does your child's schedule show the service times in the IEP?
• Do the classroom teachers know the accommodations?
• Who is your main contact? It is usually the case manager.

A short email is enough. The guide to emailing your child's case manager has a "start of services" template.

Month 2: The first data

Teachers and therapists start collecting data on each goal. You will not get a formal report yet, but you can ask what it looks like. Ask for one work sample per goal, or a quick note like "Ava read 41 words a minute this week, up from 36." If you want to watch progress at home too, try tracking IEP progress at home.

Month 3: The first progress report

The IEP says when you will get reports on each goal, often with report cards.^[2] Here is a fictional first report line and what it tells you.

How to read it:

• The goal has a number to reach: 80 words a minute by next October.
• "Making progress" is a code. Codes differ by school. The progress report codes guide explains common ones.
• The current number is 54, up 6 from the starting point of 48. To reach 80 in a year, Maya needs about 32 more words over the year, or close to 1 word a week. Six words in about 8 weeks is a little behind that pace, but it is early.
• "Median of 3 probes" means three short checks, with the middle score reported. That is better than a single score.

Ask to see the graph. The parent guide to progress reports shows what to look for.

Month 4: New semester

Schedules change in January. Classes move, and sometimes service times get lost. Check that every service in the IEP is still on your child's schedule. If something is missing, ask the case manager in writing.

Month 5: The mid-year check

Halfway through the year is a good time to ask three questions. Is each goal on track? Is any accommodation not being used, or not helping? Does anything need to change now, rather than at the annual review?

You can ask for an IEP meeting at any time. Small changes can sometimes be made without a meeting if you and the school agree in writing.^[3] If a goal is clearly off track, see what to do when a student is not making progress.

Month 6: Summer planning

The second report comes. Teams often start talking about extended school year services around now. ESY is not summer school. It is for children who need services over the summer to keep their skills or progress. The page on ESY eligibility criteria explains how teams decide.

Months 7 to 9: Spring and the end of the year

The third report comes. Notice what has changed at home. Does your child read signs in the car, pack their own bag, or talk more about school? Write it down with the date. These notes matter at the annual review.

Over the summer, keep a short note of what your child kept and what slipped.

Months 10 to 12: The annual review

The team must review the IEP at least once a year.^[3] You should get a meeting notice ahead of time. Bring:

• your home notes from the year;
• the progress reports, with your questions marked;
• what you want your child to work on next.

The IEP meeting checklist for parents helps you prepare, and the parent input form shows how to put your thoughts on paper.

Questions to ask during the first year

• "Can you send me the dates when services happen each week?"
• "What does the data look like on each goal so far?"
• "Is my child using the accommodations, or turning them down?"
• "If a goal is behind, what will change, and when will we check again?"
• "Is extended school year being considered this year?"
• "When will the annual review be, and can I see a draft first?"

If something is not happening

If services in the IEP are not being given, write down the dates and email the case manager. If it is not fixed, the guide on an IEP not being implemented explains your options.

What to do next

1. Put the annual review date and the progress report months on your calendar now.
2. Start a simple home log: date, what you saw, and any question.
3. Read what an IEP is once more with your child's IEP in hand. It makes more sense after a few months.
4. Contact your state's Parent Training and Information Center if you have questions at any point. Help is free, and you can find your center through the Center for Parent Information and Resources.^[4]

Frequently asked questions

Use it in IEP Atlas

• IEP in the IEP glossary
• Progress report in the IEP glossary
• Annual review in the IEP glossary
• ESY in the IEP glossary

Related guides

• What is an IEP? A plain guide to the plan and what is in it
• How to get a 504 plan for your child
• Emailing your child's case manager: templates
• IEP vs 504 plan: differences, examples and how to choose
• Tracking IEP progress at home

Sources

1. 34 CFR §300.323: When IEPs must be in effect, U.S. Department of Education (IDEA website)
2. 34 CFR §300.320: Definition of individualized education program, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
3. 34 CFR §300.324: Development, review, and revision of IEP, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
4. Center for Parent Information and Resources, CPIR

Written and checked by the IEP Atlas editorial team under our editorial policy. This guide describes general practice and federal rules. It is not legal advice; your state may add requirements, and the IEP team makes the decisions for each student.