Your IEP Roadmap
Guidance from Dr. Autumn Flick, a special education teacher, mentor, and advocate for families.
Dr. Autumn Flick has written hundreds of IEPs as a special education teacher, mentored new educators, and now helps families like yours, confidently navigate every step of the IEP process. At Orchid Academy, we equip you to ask the right questions, understand their rights, recognize red and green flags, and build accountability into your child’s plan.
And we invite teachers to join us in this partnership—whether you’re looking for guidance, support, or simply a fresh perspective. With the right tools and collaboration, we can ensure every child’s unique strengths and needs are truly understood—and their IEP reflects that.
Your IEP Partner: Expert Support
Why IEP Advocacy Matters:
Even Great Teachers Need Partnership
IEPs can change lives—but only when they’re thoughtfully written and fully implemented. The truth is that even the most caring and capable teachers are often under intense pressure. That’s why IEP advocacy is essential.
At Orchid Academy, we help you step in with confidence so your child doesn’t fall through the cracks. Here are some barriers when approaching the IEP process [written with clarity, NOT judgment]:
⚠️ Large Caseloads: Most special education teachers manage large caseloads—sometimes 20+ IEPs.
⚠️ Frequent Staff Turnover: Turnover can lead to changes in case managers, making it harder to maintain consistency in your child’s support.
⚠️ New Teachers: New special education teachers are often still learning the IEP process (I was one!) and may not have the mentorship or experience needed to individualize goals effectively.
⚠️ Multiple IEPS Due: IEP deadlines are constant, and meetings often stack up during busy times of the school year.
⚠️ Limited Training: Ongoing training in IEP writing and implementation is limited, especially in fast-growing districts.
⚠️ You Are the Expert on Your Child: Even great teachers may miss details or lean on boilerplate goals when time is short.
With the right advocacy, you can ensure your child’s IEP truly reflects their needs, strengths, and goals.
At Orchid Academy, we believe you are your child’s strongest advocate—and we’re here to support you every step of the way.
What’s In An IEP?
Let’s be honest—IEPs can be confusing. Whether it’s packed with technical terms, software-generated phrasing, or vague service descriptions, it’s completely normal to feel overwhelmed when reading your child’s plan. You are not alone.
That’s exactly why we’ve broken things down here. These accordion sections will help you understand what to look for, what questions to ask, and how to advocate for meaningful changes—so you can move from uncertainty to confidence, one section at a time.
Here's a high-level look at what you'll find in most IEPs [Click here for the IEP Guide]:
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📊 A snapshot of your child’s current academic, social, communication, and functional skills. This section is the foundation for the entire IEP and should include specific, data-driven descriptions—not vague language.
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🎯 What your child is expected to accomplish over the next 12 months. Learn what makes a goal specific, measurable, and realistic, and how to ensure your child has enough goals based on the time they spend in special education.
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⏱️ What supports your child will receive, how often, and by whom. Understand the difference between direct vs. indirect services, and why service minutes should match the number of goals.
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🏫 Where your child will receive services—general education or specialized setting? Explore how to push for more inclusive opportunities and document when a separate setting is truly necessary.
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☀️ Summer services to help prevent regression. Discover when ESY makes sense, what it typically looks like, and how to advocate for continuity of care even during school breaks.
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🚀 Preparing your child for life after high school. From vocational goals to independent living skills, this section becomes essential as your child approaches adulthood.
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📄 The legal record of what was proposed, changed, or denied. This section is often misunderstood, but it’s one of your strongest tools as a parent. Learn how to use the PWN to document objections, request data, and hold the team accountable.
“It’s okay to feel overwhelmed—IEPs are dense, full of jargon/acronyms, and often hard to follow. We’re here to help you cut through the confusion and focus on what matters most for your child.”
Navigating The EIP
While we like to assume that your IEP team has the best intentions, we also recognize the barriers they may face—large caseloads, limited resources, and ever-changing policies. That’s why it’s essential to stay informed and proactive throughout the IEP process. We’re here to guide you through key points of advocacy and help you recognize red flags that might require action.
For an even deeper dive into each section of the IEP, including specific strategies to advocate effectively, check out our full guide on Understanding the IEP.
Understanding your child's IEP is just the first step—advocating effectively is where real change happens. Below are key insights to help you spot potential issues and take action when needed.
Watch for Red Flags
🚨 Generic or vague goals – “Improve reading” is not a goal. Goals should be specific and measurable.
🚨 Bundled cognitive goals – Academics should be broken down into reading, writing, and math, not lumped into “cognitive” after preschool.
🚨 Indirect services replacing direct time – Some districts offer consultative services instead of direct therapy. If your child needs one-on-one time with a specialist, advocate for it.
🚨 PWN is missing important details – If you disagree with a decision, request it be added to the Prior Written Notice.
🚨 Minimal progress with unchanged goals – If your child has had the same goal for multiple years without progress, ask for a new strategy or a different approach to instruction.
Key Advocacy Points
✔ You are a required team member – Your input is just as important as the school’s.
✔ Goals should match needs – If your child is in special education most of the day, they should have multiple goals across all qualifying areas.
✔ Minutes must reflect goals – If the school only writes a few goals but provides full-time special education, ask what your child is working on during that time.
✔ Accommodations should be used – Schools often list generic accommodations but don’t implement them. Ask for documentation of how they’re applied.
✔ You can request an IEP meeting at any time – Don’t wait for the annual review if you have concerns.
IEP Related Resources
More on IEPs: Tools, Tips & Real-World Guidance
Whether you're preparing for your very first IEP meeting or looking to fine-tune your advocacy skills, these articles are here to support you. Written by Dr. Autumn Flick and the Orchid team, each post offers practical insights, sample questions, and real-life strategies to help you feel more confident and empowered throughout the IEP process. Dive into the topics that matter most—one article at a time.
What Is The IEP Process?
Before the IEP is ever written, there’s a step-by-step process that leads up to the meeting—and knowing what happens when can help you advocate confidently at each stage.
Here’s a simplified overview of the IEP journey:
1. Referral or Request for Evaluation
Any parent or teacher can request an evaluation if they suspect a disability. This kicks off the formal process.
2. Evaluation
The school has 35 school days (in Washington State) to complete a full evaluation in all suspected areas of need—this may include academics, speech, behavior, motor skills, and more.
3. Eligibility Meeting
Once the evaluation is complete, the team meets to decide if your child qualifies for special education. You’ll receive a written report outlining the findings.
4. IEP Development
If your child qualifies, the school has 30 calendar days to write an IEP. This is when goals, services, accommodations, and placement are decided collaboratively with you.
5. Annual Reviews & Re-Evaluations
IEPs are reviewed at least once a year, and full re-evaluations happen every 3 years unless agreed otherwise.
Public schools are filled with dedicated educators, but they often face real challenges—large class sizes, limited staff, and less individualized time for students who need more. That’s why many families turn to Orchid Academy as a starting point before transitioning into the IEP process in a public school setting.
At Orchid, we provide what public systems often can’t:
✔ 1:1 behavior and learning support
✔ Daily parent collaboration
✔ Flexible, high-frequency goal setting
✔ Therapy integration (OT, SLP, ABA)
✔ A compassionate, trauma-informed approach
We don’t replace public school—we prepare your child to thrive in it. By building communication, independence, and confidence early on, many children transition into public settings with stronger skills and fewer supports needed.
Think of Orchid as the launchpad—not the detour. Early, intensive intervention gives your child the strongest foundation to enter public school ready, regulated, and capable of accessing everything it has to offer.
When I was a special education teacher, I wanted parents to advocate for their children in ways like this.
growing. blooming.