Welcome to the third installment of our “Spring Into IEP Season” series! In our third part, we will be sharing some of the most common responses you may hear from your chronically short‑staffed IEP team during the chaotic and overwhelming time that is The Notorious Spring IEP Season.
Punxsutawney Phil predicted 6 more weeks of winter, but can he predict and translate the lame, tried and true excuses you’ll hear if your IEP is taking longer than the team expected like, me, A2Z Alexandria?
Here are some things you may hear:
🦫“We don’t have time to assess/collect new data”
🪷Translation: We’re so busy, please don’t make us assess.
All IEP decisions should be based on not only accurate data, but also current information. If you think your child needs an assessment, ask for one. Request assessments in writing so the District is obligated to reply to your request in 15 days.
🦫“We can always just update the goals at a later date”
🪷Translation: We’re trying to recycle old goals and we’re hoping you haven’t noticed.
An Individualized Education Plan — or IEP as the kids are saying these days — should come with individualized goals.
🦫“Let’s just get this signed so we can start services ASAP and we can meet later if anything needs to be changed.”
🪷Translation: We’ve got a jam-packed calendar, and we’re hoping you’ll leave us alone until it’s not.
While we all love a team that can get services started ASAP, the services should accurately reflect the needs of your student. Rushing through IEPs doesn’t always yield an accurate and comprehensive view of your student’s needs.
🦫“We’re short staffed right now, we can’t offer more services/data.”
🪷Translation: We’re not basing services on your student’s needs — we’re basing them on our staff.
Staffing is crucial for ensuring services are being provided. But it should not dictate what services your student will receive. Your student’s needs should be dictating their services.
🦫 “We don’t want to overwhelm your student with too many changes right now.”
🪷Translation: Are we pulling at your heart strings enough to get away with you just signing this paper for now, so we meet the timeline?
This is an impressive one, thus typically effective. But don’t feel bad! No one understands your student’s needs better than you. The same way IEPs can be edited later to meet your concerns, they can be edited if the changes prove to not quite fit for your child.
If you are prepared for these excuses, I predict 38 weeks of a successful school year!
*This is the third of four blogs to come in the next few weeks, to help you better prepare for the whirlwind that is Spring IEP Season!
