What Parents Should Request Before the School Year Ends if They Have Concerns About Their Child’s IEP

As the school year comes to an end, many parents are simply trying to get through the final weeks.

There are projects, schedule changes, emotional exhaustion, and the transition into summer. For families of children with IEPs or support plans, this time of year can feel especially overwhelming.

At the same time, many parents are ending the year with lingering questions about whether their child’s supports actually worked. Maybe accommodations were inconsistent. Maybe the same concerns continued throughout the year. Maybe your child technically passed classes, but school still felt exhausting, stressful, or emotionally overwhelming. And often, by May or June, parents are told:

• “Let’s revisit this next year.”

• “We’ll monitor it.”

• “We’ll see how things go in the fall.”

  
  

While this may sound reasonable, waiting until next school year can sometimes make concerns harder to clearly address later.

Why the End of the School Year Matters

During the school year, families are often focused on immediate survival:

• homework

• emotional regulation

• communication with teachers

• transportation

• behavior concerns

• daily stress

  
  

As a result, parents may not have time to step back and fully process patterns that have been developing over months. But once the school year ends, important details can become harder to reconstruct. Teachers and staff may change. Memories fade. And by August, families are often immediately focused on adjusting to a completely new school year. That is why the end of the school year can be an important time for parents to gather information and reflect on what actually happened throughout the year.

1. Request Updated Progress Information

Parents should have a clear understanding of how their child progressed during the school year. This may include:

• progress reports

• updated data

• service information

• academic performance information

• behavioral documentation

• communication regarding accommodations or support services

Sometimes parents are told their child is “making progress” without receiving a clear explanation of what that actually means in practice. Having documentation can help parents better understand:

• which concerns improved

• which concerns continued

• whether supports appeared effective

• what patterns may still need attention

  
  

2. Clarify Which Accommodations Actually Helped

An accommodation being listed in an IEP does not automatically mean it was effective.

Many parents leave the school year still unsure:

• which supports were consistently implemented

• whether accommodations reduced stress

• whether interventions addressed the underlying concern

• whether their child was still struggling despite support

  
  

The end of the year can be an important opportunity to ask:

• What appeared to help my child most?

• What concerns continued despite support?

• Were there patterns that kept repeating?

3. Pay Attention to Repeated Patterns

Parents sometimes normalize ongoing struggles because they have been happening for so long. But repeated patterns can still provide important information. Examples may include:

• emotional exhaustion after school

• homework battles

• anxiety about school

• missing assignments

• shutdowns or avoidance

• behavioral escalation

• difficulty with organization or executive functioning

  
  

A child can technically make academic progress while still struggling significantly on a daily basis.

4. Request Documentation of Supports and Interventions That Were Attempted

It can also be helpful for parents to request clearer information about what interventions, strategies, or supports were attempted during the school year.

By the time summer ends, details about:

• what was tried

• what was adjusted

• what appeared effective

• what concerns persisted

Having documentation before the school year closes can help parents better understand what actually occurred throughout the year and avoid starting the next school year without a clear picture of previous supports and responses.

5. Request a Clearer Understanding of the Plan for Next School Year

Finally, many parents benefit from requesting a clearer understanding of what the transition into next school year is expected to look like. Families are often left uncertain about:

• whether supports will continue

• whether concerns still need monitoring

• whether additional follow-up may be needed

• what unresolved concerns may carry into next year

While schools cannot predict every detail about the future, having greater clarity before summer begins can help families feel more prepared entering the fall instead of immediately returning to crisis-management mode.

Final Thoughts

The end of the school year is not just a transition into summer. For many families, it is also an opportunity to reflect on whether their child’s supports were actually helping throughout the year.

Parents do not need to wait until another difficult school year begins to seek clarity about concerns that may already have been present for months. Summer can provide an important opportunity to step back, organize information, and prepare before next school year begins.

If you are entering summer with unresolved concerns about your child’s IEP, accommodations, or school support plan, this can be an important time to step back, identify patterns, and prepare before next school year begins.

👉 Contact our office today to schedule a consultation and get clarity on the next steps for your child’s educational needs.

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Disclaimer

This blog post is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading this content does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case is different, and laws may vary by state and individual circumstance. If you need legal advice regarding your child’s educational rights or a school evaluation issue, you should consult with a qualified attorney licensed in your jurisdiction.