Most schools have good reasons for changing a child's accommodations. But what happens when you don't agree with those changes? Learn about your rights and get expert advice on how to respond.
Q. The school wants to take away some of my child’s accommodations. What can I do?
A. It can be difficult when a school decides to change a student’s accommodations . There is no right way to respond when this happens. But there are things you can do to best advocate for your child’s needs.
If the school wants to change an accommodation that’s written in your child’s IEP , it must follow a process. The school must first give you notice of the change. Then they need to hold an IEP meeting to discuss the change with you.
At the meeting, if you’re OK with the changes and give consent, the change will go into effect. If you disagree, the school must listen to your concerns. But it can still move ahead with the change. If it does, you can try using different ways to resolve the dispute. And you can delay the change temporarily by using your “stay put” rights.
Keep in mind that sometimes students receive accommodations that aren’t included in their IEPs. Re-read your child’s IEP. If the accommodation is not written in there, the school can change it without giving notice or getting your consent. Even so, you can still call an IEP team meeting and talk about why the change is happening.
If your child has a 504 plan, the school doesn’t have to get your consent to make changes. And it doesn’t have to include you in meetings. But you can still ask to attend them. And if you disagree with a change the school makes to your child’s 504 plan, you can request an impartial hearing.
Most schools have very good reasons for wanting to change accommodations. But sometimes schools offer reasons that don’t make as much sense.
Kids are most successful when schools and parents form a partnership. Working together and keeping the lines of communication open is key when changes are being considered for IEPs and 504 plans.
Ask questions and insist on evidence before you decide whether or not to agree with a change. That way you can be a good advocate for your child.
