Before the Questions: Two Rules for Every IEP Meeting
Before listing the questions, two principles that make them work. First: write your questions down before the meeting and bring them on paper. The moment you walk into the room with a list, the dynamic shifts — you are visibly prepared, and the team knows it. Second: if you don't understand an answer, say so. "Can you explain that in plain language?" is not a sign of weakness. It is what every effective advocate does.
For a complete guide on how to prepare everything before the meeting — records to request, documents to review, rights to know — see our guide to how to prepare for an IEP meeting.
💡 Print this list and bring it to your next meeting
These 10 questions are designed to be used as a reference during the meeting itself. You don't need to ask all of them at every meeting — choose the ones most relevant to your current situation. The act of having the list in front of you signals preparation and changes how the team engages with you.
The 10 Questions
"What data are you using to measure my child's progress on each goal?"
This is the most important question you can ask about IEP goals. Every goal in the IEP should be measured using a specific method — reading fluency probes, behavioral observation tallies, work samples, assessment scores. If the team cannot identify the specific data being collected, the goals are not being monitored compliantly. This question also sets the expectation that you will be asking for that data in every quarterly progress report going forward. For a complete guide to reading and evaluating the data behind IEP goals, see our post on tracking IEP goal progress.
"Is my child on track to meet each goal by the end of the year?"
This is different from asking "how is my child doing?" A general response like "making good progress" tells you nothing. This question forces the team to commit to a trajectory — yes or no — and if the answer is anything other than a clear yes, it opens the conversation about what adjustments need to be made now, rather than at the next annual review when the year is already lost. Push for specifics: "At what rate does my child need to grow each week to reach this criterion by June?"
"Who is responsible for delivering each service, and in what setting?"
The IEP should specify not just what services your child receives, but who delivers them and where. Is it the special education teacher in a pull-out setting? A speech therapist in a therapy room? A paraprofessional in the general education classroom? Services delivered by different providers in different settings produce different outcomes. If the team cannot answer this clearly, the IEP as written cannot be consistently implemented — and that is a compliance issue.
"How will I know if my child's accommodations are being used consistently across all classes?"
An accommodation written in the IEP is a legal commitment binding on every teacher who works with your child. The most common compliance failure in IEP implementation is accommodations that are applied inconsistently — used by some teachers but ignored by others. Ask specifically: how does the school track accommodation compliance? Who is responsible for ensuring every teacher implements them? What happens if a teacher does not? If there is no clear accountability system, document that in your meeting notes and follow up in writing.
"What does my child do well, and how are we building on those strengths in the IEP?"
IEP meetings spend the vast majority of their time on deficits, difficulties, and areas of need. This question redirects the conversation toward a more complete picture of your child — and toward an IEP that leverages strengths to address weaknesses. A child who is highly motivated by technology but struggles with writing can make more progress on writing goals if the approach uses technology-based tools. An IEP built only around deficits misses half the picture.
"How was the Least Restrictive Environment considered when placing my child?"
IDEA requires that children with disabilities be educated in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) possible — meaning alongside non-disabled peers to the maximum extent appropriate. If your child is being placed in a more restrictive setting, the IEP team must be able to explain specifically why a less restrictive environment with appropriate supports is not sufficient. The burden of justification is on the school. If they cannot articulate a clear, evidence-based rationale for the placement, that is worth pushing on — and potentially worth challenging through a formal disagreement process.
"What happens if my child doesn't make adequate progress by the midpoint of the year?"
This question does two things: it establishes that you are tracking progress between annual reviews, and it creates a shared understanding that insufficient progress is not acceptable without a response. Ask the team to commit to a specific protocol — if the data at the end of the first semester shows the child is not on trajectory, what happens next? Is a meeting automatically scheduled? Are services adjusted? Getting this on record at the beginning of the year is far more effective than trying to call a meeting mid-year after the fact.
"Are there any services my child might qualify for that are not currently on the IEP?"
Schools rarely volunteer services that weren't already being discussed. But asking the question directly puts it on the table. Common services that are frequently under-identified include occupational therapy for handwriting and fine motor difficulties, assistive technology for writing and reading support, school counseling as a related service for emotional and social difficulties, and social skills instruction for children whose disability affects peer relationships. You may not get a yes — but the question ensures the team has explicitly considered it.
"I'd like to add a comment to the IEP documenting my concerns. How do I do that?"
Every IEP document has a parent input section. You have the right to add written comments at any time — before signing, after signing, or as a separate document. If you have concerns about any component of the IEP that the team has not addressed to your satisfaction, asking this question signals that you intend to document your position. The existence of written parent concerns in the IEP record is significant if you ever need to pursue formal dispute resolution. For guidance on the full range of dispute options, see our guide on what to do when you disagree with an IEP.
"Can I get a copy of everything discussed today, including all data presented, before I sign anything?"
You are never required to sign the IEP at the meeting. You have the right to take the document home, review it carefully, and return a signed copy. You also have the right to a copy of all evaluations, progress data, and other documents that informed the IEP before you consent to it. Asking for these documents before signing is not obstructionist — it is exactly what the law contemplates. A school that pressures you to sign before you've had time to review deserves a polite but firm response: "I'll review this at home and return it within the week."
One More Question — The One Most Parents Forget
At the end of every IEP meeting, before you leave the room: "Can you send me a written summary of what was agreed today?"
What was said in the meeting and what ends up in the final IEP document are not always the same. A written summary — even a brief email from the case manager — creates a record of the verbal commitments made in the room. If the final IEP document does not reflect what was discussed, your summary gives you the evidence to push back before signing.
⚠️ Follow up in writing after every IEP meeting
Within 24 hours of any IEP meeting, send an email to the case manager summarizing what was discussed and agreed. "As discussed in today's meeting, I am confirming that [X service] will begin on [date], and that [Y goal] will be revised to include a measurable criterion before the final document is sent to me." This email becomes part of the record — and it often surfaces discrepancies before they become disputes.
IEP Desk helps you prepare these questions before every meeting — and document what happens after
The Meeting Prep module generates a personalized question list based on your child's current IEP. After the meeting, the Document Generator produces your follow-up email and any letters you need — all in minutes.
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