How should IEP progress monitoring work?

What IDEA requires

IDEA requires the IEP to describe how the child's progress toward annual goals will be measured and when periodic progress reports will be provided. Federal regulations give quarterly reports or reports concurrent with report cards as examples, but the IEP should specify the schedule that applies to the child.

What useful progress data looks like

Progress information should connect directly to the annual goal and the measurement method written in the IEP. Depending on the goal, data might come from curriculum-based measures, work samples, structured observations, behavior data, skill probes or other valid measures. The method should make it possible to compare current performance with the baseline and goal target.

Questions parents can ask

Ask who collects the data, how often it is collected, what tool or rubric is used, how missed sessions are handled, and how the family will receive results. If a report only says “making progress,” ask for the underlying data or explanation showing how that conclusion was reached.

What if the student is not progressing?

IDEA requires the IEP Team to review the IEP at least annually and revise it as appropriate when there is a lack of expected progress toward annual goals or the general education curriculum. Families do not necessarily have to wait for the annual review to request an IEP meeting when the data show a significant problem.