Clear answers for the road ahead
Plain-language guides, real preparation, and honest stories — written for parents fighting for their child's plan, not for lawyers.
Understanding the plan
Understanding the planWhat Your Child's IEP Is Really Promising
An IEP is not paperwork — it's a written promise the school makes to your child. Here's how to read it so you can tell the difference between a real commitment and a vague one.
Understanding the planRelated Services in an IEP: OT, PT, Speech, and More
Related services are the extra supports — speech, OT, PT, counseling, and others — that help a child benefit from special education. Here's how related services in an IEP work and what to check.
Understanding the planGetting a 1:1 Aide Into the IEP: Making the Case for a Paraprofessional
A 1:1 aide can be the support that makes school work for your child — but it has to be needs-based and written down. Here's how to build the case for a paraprofessional in the IEP.
Understanding the planAccommodations vs. Modifications: What's the Difference?
Accommodations and modifications sound alike but do very different things. Understanding accommodations vs. modifications helps you choose the right support — and avoid an unintended tradeoff.
Understanding the planRed Flags Hiding in Plain Sight in Your IEP
Most weak IEPs aren't obviously broken — they're quietly vague. Here are the soft spots that look fine until you know what to look for.
Understanding the planPresent Levels of Performance (PLAAFP): The Foundation of the IEP
The present levels of performance, or PLAAFP, is the data snapshot the entire IEP is built on. Here's what a strong one looks like — and why vague present levels sink the whole plan.
Understanding the planIEP vs. 504 Plan: What's the Difference?
Two plans, two different laws, two different levels of support. Here's how to tell which one fits your child — in plain language.
Understanding the planThe IEP Transition Plan: Preparing for Life After High School
As your teen approaches adulthood, the IEP transition plan maps the path to work, more school, and independent living. Here's what a strong IEP transition plan includes.
Understanding the planDyslexia and the IEP: Getting Real Reading Help
Dyslexia can qualify a child for an IEP, and the school is allowed to say the word. Here's how a dyslexia IEP should address reading — with structured literacy and measurable goals.
Understanding the planThe IEP Eligibility Meeting: How a Child Qualifies
The IEP eligibility meeting is where the team decides whether your child qualifies for special education. Here's the two-part test they use and how to prepare for it.
Understanding the planADHD: Does Your Child Need an IEP or a 504 Plan?
ADHD can qualify a child for either an IEP or a 504 plan, depending on how much support they need. Here's how to tell whether ADHD points to an IEP or 504 — and how to ask.
Understanding the planAutism and the IEP: What Strong Support Actually Looks Like
Every autistic child is different, so a strong autism IEP is built around your child — not a template. Here's what meaningful support tends to include, and what to look for.
Understanding the planIEP Goal Examples: What a Strong, Measurable Goal Looks Like
A good IEP goal reads like a promise a stranger could check. Here's how to spot a strong one — and fix a weak one — with real examples.
Understanding the planThe 13 Disability Categories Under IDEA, in Plain Language
IDEA recognizes 13 disability categories that can make a child eligible for an IEP. Here's a plain-language walk through all 13 — and why the category matters less than the need.
Understanding the planFBA and BIP: How a Functional Behavior Assessment and Behavior Intervention Plan Work
Behavior is communication. A functional behavior assessment finds the why behind it, and a behavior intervention plan turns that into a real plan. Here's what strong ones look like.
Understanding the planExtended School Year (ESY): Does My Child Qualify?
Some children need IEP services over the summer to keep what they've learned. Here's what ESY really is — and how to know if your child should have it.
You've got this. We've got you.
IEP Path decodes your child's plan, flags what's weak, and drafts the letters you need — so you walk into every meeting prepared.