United States: IDEA, IEP & Section 504 guidance
Plain-English, federal-baseline guidance for families navigating evaluations, IEPs, Section 504, FAPE, LRE and school disagreements.
States may add timelines, forms, eligibility details and dispute procedures. Every guide flags where you should check your state education agency and local district.
Prepare for an evaluation request or IEP meeting
Download the free US IEP Meeting Preparation & Evaluation Request Toolkit with checklists, a request-letter template, meeting worksheets and a Prior Written Notice tracker.
Open the free US toolkitNew to US special education terminology?
Use the US glossary for plain-English explanations of IDEA, IEP, FAPE, LRE, Section 504, IEE, prior written notice, related services and more.
Open the US special education glossaryTwo federal frameworks you will see often
IDEA is the federal special education law that governs evaluations, eligibility, IEPs and special education for eligible children. Section 504 is a civil-rights law that prohibits disability discrimination and requires FAPE for qualified students with disabilities in public elementary and secondary schools.
Start with your question
What is an IEP under IDEA?
An IEP is the written special education program required for an eligible child under IDEA. It describes present levels, annual goals, services, supports and how progress will be measured.
EvaluationHow can a parent request a special education evaluation?
A parent can ask the school district to evaluate a child for IDEA eligibility. Put the request in writing, describe the concerns and keep a dated copy.
IEP vs 504IEP vs Section 504 plan: what is the difference?
IEPs come from IDEA and provide special education for eligible children. Section 504 is a civil-rights law with a broader disability definition and can require aids, services and modifications for qualified students.
EligibilityDoes a child need a diagnosis for an IEP or Section 504?
A private medical diagnosis is not always required before a school evaluates a child. IDEA and Section 504 use legal eligibility standards based on disability and educational impact or need.
EvaluationWhat happens during a special education evaluation under IDEA?
An IDEA evaluation should gather information across all suspected areas of disability using multiple tools and sources, including information from parents.
IEP meetingHow to prepare for an IEP meeting: a parent checklist
Prepare for an IEP meeting by reviewing evaluations, current progress, goals, services and your priorities. Parents are required members of the IEP Team.
IEP contentWhat should be in an IEP? A plain-English checklist
IDEA specifies required IEP content, including present levels, measurable annual goals, services, participation, accommodations and how progress will be measured.
RightsFAPE explained for parents: what does “free appropriate public education” mean?
FAPE is a core disability-education right under IDEA and Section 504, but the legal standards arise from different statutes and regulations.
PlacementLeast Restrictive Environment (LRE) explained for parents
IDEA’s LRE rule says children with disabilities should be educated with nondisabled peers to the maximum extent appropriate, with supplementary aids and services considered before removal.
Implementation problemSchool is not following the IEP — what can a parent do?
If services or supports in an IEP are not being implemented, document the gap, ask the school to correct it, request an IEP meeting if needed and review IDEA dispute-resolution options.
IEP goalsIEP goals: how to tell if an annual goal is measurable
A measurable IEP goal should identify the skill or functional need being addressed and make it possible to tell, using defined data or criteria, whether the student is making progress.
AccommodationsAccommodations vs modifications in an IEP or Section 504 plan
The labels “accommodation” and “modification” are used differently across schools. The key question is what change, aid, service or support the student needs and whether it is clearly documented and implemented.
ReevaluationSpecial education reevaluation under IDEA: what parents should know
Under IDEA, a reevaluation may occur when needs warrant it or when a parent or teacher requests it, generally not more than once a year unless the parent and agency agree, and at least once every three years unless both agree it is unnecessary.
Evaluation rightsIndependent Educational Evaluation (IEE): when can a parent request one?
If a parent disagrees with an evaluation obtained by the public agency, IDEA gives the parent a right to request an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE) at public expense, subject to the federal rules.
School disciplineManifestation determination review under IDEA: a parent guide
For a disciplinary change of placement, IDEA generally requires the parent, school district and relevant IEP Team members to conduct a manifestation determination within 10 school days of the decision to change placement.
School disciplineIDEA discipline protections: suspension, removal and change of placement
Students with disabilities can be disciplined, but IDEA adds protections when removals become lengthy or amount to a change of placement, including service and manifestation-determination requirements.
TransitionIEP transition planning: preparing for life after high school
Under the federal IDEA baseline, transition planning must begin no later than the first IEP in effect when the student turns 16, or younger if the IEP Team determines it is appropriate, and it must be updated annually.
Assistive technologyAssistive technology in an IEP: what parents should know
IDEA requires the IEP Team to consider whether the child needs assistive technology devices and services, and the public agency must make them available when required as part of special education, related services or supplementary aids and services.
Progress monitoringHow should IEP progress monitoring work?
An IEP must state how progress toward annual goals will be measured and when periodic progress reports will be provided. The data should be useful enough for the team to judge whether goals and services are working.
Dispute resolutionIDEA mediation and due process: what is the difference?
Mediation is a voluntary process with an impartial mediator, while due process is a formal complaint-and-hearing route for certain disputes about identification, evaluation, placement or FAPE.
Procedural safeguardsPrior Written Notice (PWN) under IDEA: what parents should look for
Prior Written Notice is the written explanation a public agency must give a parent a reasonable time before it proposes or refuses certain actions involving identification, evaluation, educational placement or FAPE.
Parent rightsIDEA procedural safeguards notice: a parent-friendly guide
The procedural safeguards notice is the federal IDEA rights guide schools provide to parents. It explains protections involving consent, records, evaluations, complaints, mediation, due process, discipline and other procedures.
EvaluationChild Find under IDEA: when schools must identify and evaluate students
IDEA Child Find requires states to have policies and procedures to identify, locate and evaluate children with disabilities who may need special education and related services.
IEP meetingsParent participation in IEP meetings: what IDEA requires
Parents are required members of the IEP Team, and the school must take steps to ensure they are present or have an opportunity to participate in IEP meetings.
IEP changesCan an IEP be amended without a full IEP Team meeting?
After the annual IEP Team meeting, the parent and public agency may agree not to convene another full meeting and instead develop a written document that amends the current IEP.
ServicesExtended School Year (ESY) services under IDEA: what parents should know
ESY services are special education and related services provided beyond the normal school year when a child’s IEP Team determines they are necessary for the child to receive FAPE.
Related servicesRelated services in an IEP: speech, OT, PT, transportation and more
Under IDEA, related services are supportive services required to assist an eligible child with a disability to benefit from special education.
Behavior supportFunctional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) and Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP): a parent guide
An FBA is generally used to understand the function or purpose of behavior so the team can design effective positive supports; a BIP uses that information to plan strategies and supports.
Moving schoolsMoving schools or states with an IEP: what happens to services?
When a student with an active IEP transfers during the same school year, the new public agency must provide FAPE with services comparable to the previous IEP while it takes the next steps required by IDEA.
Leaving schoolGraduation, aging out and the IDEA Summary of Performance: what families should know
IDEA services can end when a student graduates with a regular high school diploma or exceeds the state’s applicable age eligibility; in those situations, federal rules also require transition-related documentation, including a Summary of Performance in specified cases.
Parent rightsIDEA procedural safeguards: a parent-friendly guide
The core IDEA procedural safeguards parents should recognize, including notice, consent, records, complaints, mediation and hearings.
DisputesIDEA State complaint vs due process: what is the difference?
A plain-English comparison of IDEA State complaint and due process procedures, with a reminder to check state rules.
DisciplineManifestation determination and IDEA discipline: parent guide
What a manifestation determination is and where it fits when disciplinary removals involve a student protected by IDEA.
Parent rightsPrior Written Notice under IDEA: what parents should check
What Prior Written Notice is, when it matters, and what parents should look for when a school proposes or refuses action.
2026 policy and guidance update
Federal IDEA guidance continues to be updated. Special education procedures also depend on state implementation. Read the dated official-source summary for United States.
Reviewed 23 October 2026. Policy announcements, implementation plans and existing guidance are labelled separately.
IEP transition planning and overdue IEPs: parent FAQ
When does IDEA transition planning start?
Under federal IDEA rules, the first IEP in effect when a student turns 16 must include measurable postsecondary goals based on age-appropriate transition assessments and transition services needed to reach those goals. Some states require planning earlier. The IEP should address education or training, employment and, where appropriate, independent living skills.
What should a transition planning checklist include?
- ☐ Student strengths, interests and preferences
- ☐ Age-appropriate transition assessment results
- ☐ Measurable postsecondary education/training and employment goals
- ☐ Transition services, courses of study and responsible agencies
- ☐ Independent living goals when appropriate
- ☐ Student participation, review dates and progress measures
Does an IEP automatically expire after one year?
IDEA requires the IEP team to review the IEP at least annually, but a missed annual review does not automatically erase the school's obligation to provide FAPE or justify stopping documented services. If a review is overdue, request an IEP meeting and written clarification of current services. The IEP must be in effect at the beginning of each school year for eligible children.
Official regulations: 34 CFR §300.320 (transition content), §300.324 (annual review) and §300.323 (IEP in effect).