What to say when the IEP or IPP is vague and the school says that's just how it's written
By Jared Ohman · IEP, IPP, ISP, LSP and 504 meetings
When the school says
“That's just how the plan is written.”
You say
- “Is that a goal, a service, or just a description? I want to be sure I know which.”
- “Can you put that in plain language? What would that actually look like for my kid on a Tuesday?”
- “Can you show me where that is in the document?”
Sentences 5, 4, 6 of the free Parking-Lot Script.
Why this works
Plans fill up with lines that sound like support. “Access to a quiet space” is a description. “A ten-minute regulation break every morning, prompted by the EA” is a service. Sorting each line into goal, service or description is the fastest way to find out what your child is actually getting. The Tuesday question forces a real picture. “Show me where” keeps the answer in the document instead of in the air.
Then, the same day
For every accommodation that matters, ask what it looks like on a Tuesday, who delivers it, and how often. If the answer is not in the plan, ask for it to be added in those words. A plan that names the who and the how often is a plan you can check on in March.
If you are in Alberta
Alberta IPPs, ISPs and LSPs all carry the same working parts: where the student is now, the goals, the strategies or services, and how progress will be measured. If a line does not fit one of those, ask which it is. A strategy with no person and no frequency attached is a description, whichever plan it sits in.
Not in Alberta? The sentences are the same in an Ontario IEP, an IPRC, a US IEP or a 504 meeting. Only the paperwork changes.
Related guide: IPP vs IEP: A Plain-English Guide for Canadian Parents
The toolkit has a script for every hard moment, with the letters to match
Scripts for when the school stonewalls, dismisses, suggests a suspension, or the meeting derails. Email and accommodation templates for every stage. A glossary and the rights summary for the US, Alberta and Ontario. $47 CAD, one time, instant PDF, 30-day refund by email.