How to request a 1:1 aide and what data teams look for

By the IEP Atlas editorial teamLast updated November 1, 2026

Short answer

To get a 1:1 aide, write down the exact times your child is unsafe or cannot take part without an adult, then ask the school in writing for an IEP meeting to discuss adult support. Bring data, ask what the school has tried, and ask for the aide's tasks, times and fading plan in the IEP. If the team says no, ask for the reasons in writing.

A 1:1 aide is a paraprofessional assigned to support one student. Teams agree to one when a child needs an adult close by for safety, health care, physical access or intense behavior needs. They are less likely to agree when the main need is reminders or help with schoolwork, which other supports can often meet.

This page walks through the request. If you are not sure a 1:1 aide is what your child needs, read 1:1 aide vs shared para support first. The IEP has to list every support your child gets, including adult support, with how often, where and how long.^[1] For the services page as a whole, see IEP services and minutes.

What you need before you start

A copy of your child's current IEP and the last two progress reports.
Any notes, emails or incident reports from school about safety or behavior.
Notes from doctors or therapists if the need is medical or physical.
A simple log of what you have seen or heard, with dates.

The steps and how long each takes

Step	What you do	Typical time
1. Name the need	Write the times and places your child needs an adult	1 evening
2. Gather data	Collect school reports and ask the teacher for counts	1 to 3 weeks
3. Request a meeting in writing	Email the case manager asking to discuss adult support	15 minutes; meeting often within a few weeks
4. Ask what has been tried	Ask the school what supports it tried and the results	At the meeting
5. Ask for an evaluation if needed	Request an FBA or other evaluation in writing	Up to 60 days, or your state's timeline, after consent^[2]
6. Agree on the details	Tasks, times, settings, data and fading plan	At the meeting
7. Check it in the IEP	Read the final IEP and the written notice	1 to 2 weeks after the meeting

Times vary by state and school. Federal law does not set a deadline for holding a meeting you request, but many states do.

Step-by-step

Step 1: Name the need

Be specific about when and where. "My child needs a 1:1 aide" is hard for a team to act on. "My child leaves the classroom without telling anyone, mostly during transitions and recess" gives the team a problem to solve. List each time of day and what goes wrong.

Step 2: Gather data

Teams look for numbers. Ask the teacher, "How many times this month has my child left the room?" or "How many assignments did my child finish last week?" Ask for copies of incident reports. If your child has a behavior plan, ask for its data. Two or three weeks of counts is far more useful than a general worry.

Step 3: Request a meeting in writing

Email the case manager. Keep it short. For example: "I would like to request an IEP meeting to discuss adult support for my child during transitions and recess. I am worried about safety. Please let me know some dates." Save a copy.

Step 4: Ask what has been tried

Before adding an aide, teams usually look at other supports: a visual schedule, a seat near the door with a teacher, a check-in routine, a behavior plan. Ask what was tried, for how long, and what the data showed. If nothing was tried, ask the team to try supports and collect data for a set number of weeks, and to meet again on a set date.

Step 5: Ask for an evaluation if needed

If behavior is the issue, ask for a functional behavior assessment (FBA). It looks at why the behavior happens. The school needs your written consent to evaluate. Once you give it, the evaluation must be done within 60 days, or within your state's timeline if it is different.^[2] Read more about how an FBA works.

Step 6: Agree on the details

If the team agrees, the IEP should say what the aide does, when, where and how the team will measure whether your child still needs the aide. Ask for a fading plan, which describes how support will be reduced as your child builds skills. A good plan protects your child from losing the aide too fast and from depending on it too long.

Step 7: Check it in the IEP

When you get the final IEP, find the line for adult support. Check the times and settings. If the team said no to your request, the school must give you prior written notice explaining what it refused and why.^[3]

Worked example

This is a made-up example.

Child: Mia, 1st grade. Mia's parent hears from the teacher that Mia has "wandered off" a few times.

Step 1. Mia's parent writes: "Mia leaves the classroom or the line without an adult, mostly during transitions, arrival and recess."

Step 2. The parent asks the teacher to count. Over 10 school days, Mia leaves without an adult 9 times: 5 during transitions, 3 at recess, 1 at arrival. Twice she reaches the side door.

Step 3. The parent emails the case manager on October 2. The meeting is set for October 16.

Step 4. At the meeting, the school shares that it moved Mia's line spot to the front next to the teacher in September. Data before the change: 11 events in 10 days. After: 9 events in 10 days. Little change.

Step 5. The parent asks for an FBA and signs consent on October 16.

Step 6. The team agrees to a dedicated aide during transitions, arrival and recess, about 70 minutes a day, as a supplementary service while the FBA is done. The aide marks each transition as "stayed with group" or "left group." The team will meet again within 2 weeks of the FBA being finished.

Step 7. The IEP arrives October 24 with the aide written in: "Adult support within arm's reach during transitions, arrival and recess, daily, approximately 70 minutes, paraprofessional, under the direction of the special education teacher. Reviewed after the FBA."

By January, with a behavior plan in place, Mia stays with her group in 18 of 20 transitions. The team moves to phase 2 of the fading plan: the aide stays within 10 feet.

Common mistakes

Weak: "My child needs a 1:1 aide all day." Better: "My child needs an adult nearby during transitions and recess, when these 9 events happened."

Weak: Asking only by phone. Better: Asking by email, so there is a record and a date.

Weak: Accepting "we don't have staff for that." Better: Asking, "Is that a decision about my child's needs? If the team agrees my child needs it, how will the district provide it?"

Weak: An aide with no tasks listed. Better: An aide with tasks, times and settings written into the IEP.

Weak: No plan to reduce the support. Better: A fading plan tied to data, with a date to review it.

Next steps and help

For free, one-on-one help with a request like this, contact your state's Parent Training and Information Center. You can find yours through the Center for Parent Information and Resources.^[4] Bring your counts, the IEP and the school's written notice. For questions to bring to any IEP meeting, see the questions to ask at the IEP meeting.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a doctor's note to get a 1:1 aide?

No. A doctor's note can help when the need is medical, such as seizures or feeding. But the IEP team decides based on your child's educational needs and data. A note alone does not require the school to add an aide.

What if the school says there is no money for an aide?

The team should decide services from your child's needs, not from the budget. If the team agrees your child needs adult support, the district has to provide it. If it refuses, ask for prior written notice explaining why.

How long does it take to get a 1:1 aide?

It depends on how quickly a meeting is held and whether an evaluation is needed. Some teams agree at the first meeting. If the team asks for an evaluation first, it can take up to 60 days or your state's timeline after consent.

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Sources

34 CFR §300.320: Definition of individualized education program, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
34 CFR §300.301: Initial evaluations, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
34 CFR §300.503: Prior notice by the public agency; content of notice, U.S. Department of Education (IDEA website)
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.