When IEP Progress Leads to Reduced Support: What Families Need to Know
When IEP Progress Leads to Reduced Support:
What Families Need to Know
They started to pull back on his 1:1 aide… and then he pulled the Fire Alarm
The IEP team saw progress, and pulled back dedicated 1:1 support.
Honestly – it felt like a moment to celebrate.
Until it wasn’t…
Because he didn’t have someone dedicated to supporting him…
When he pulled the fire alarm to get out of an assembly he didn’t want to go to.
Progress isn’t linear, and...
accommodations and supports are what make progress possible.
When I asked for an IEP meeting, I was met with, “Let’s see what happens…”
Even though the fire alarm incident caused complete chaos…
The fire department and sheriff’s office arrived on scene. The entire school evacuated. I had to pick C up – and he was completely traumatized.
To this day he randomly says, “Remember when I pulled the fire alarm. It is not for fun, it is for emergencies. It was bad that I pulled the alarm.”
Even with the trauma and chaos, the school didn’t think the lack of a dedicated aide at the time of transition between activities was the trigger point.
They wanted to see if he continued to struggle with transitions.
Friends… He did.
Not only because he tied the transition to a traumatic event, but because he struggles with transitions – and it was always a part of his IEP – until it wasn’t.
And, in the middle of the school year – when the admin and teachers felt like so much progress had been made – we held an IEP meeting to revisit “pulling back on the 1:1 support during transitions.“
To be clear - progress was made.
Progress doesn’t mean support needs vanish.
It means the support is working.
And that was the basis of my argument for the IEP meeting and continued 1:1 dedicated aide for the entire school day.
As a parent and member of the IEP team, you are allowed to push back on changes to the IEP you don’t agree with.
You are allowed to call an IEP meeting as often as necessary to make sure that the goals, accommodations, services, and supports align with your child’s educational needs.
Knowing you can call an IEP meeting at any time and doing it are not the same…
Raising neurodivergent kids means that there are a LOT of professionals, experts if you will, giving you their advice, recommendations, and creating plans for your child.
And it can be intimidating as hell.
VALID – feeling the need to say something, but not knowing what or how to say it to people who spent a crap ton of money and time to become the experts they are is intimidating.
AND…
You are also an expert.
You’ve heard it before, but it’s worth repeating…
You know your child best.
So when:
→ Data doesn’t match what you see at home
→ Supports were added informally but not written in
→ You’re told “it’s too soon” more than once
→ You leave meetings confused or dismissed
It is valid to call an IEP meeting – even if it isn’t time for the annual meeting… maybe because it isn’t time.
So you call the mid-year IEP meeting… but then what?
Families want to know that when they walk into the IEP meeting their concerns will be validated, their suggestions met with respect, and a plan that will support their child’s educational goals.
You want to advocate confidently and ensure your child’s educational plan truly fits their needs.
That’s why we invited Mallory Legg, Director of Project HEAL at Kennedy Krieger Institute, to share expert strategies to evaluate progress, adjust goals, and navigate disputes with the school team.
And you’re invited.
Join us on January 22, 2026 at 12pm EST…
If your child’s IEP goals haven’t been hitting the mark after the first few months of school, it’s time for a reset.
Mallory will share expert strategies to:
✔️ evaluate progress,
✔️ adjust goals, and
✔️ navigate disputes with the school team.
This conversation will give you the tools to advocate confidently and ensure your child’s educational plan truly fits their needs.
PSSST – it’s FREE to attend…
But we do require registration so you can get the link to join us.
Just click the button below ⬇️
If you’re not able to attend live, the replay lives inside the Experiential Life app.
You can learn more here: https://experiential-life.com/experiential-life-app/
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