Common Back-to-School Myths About Special Education
By: Becca Phillips, Advocate
The beginning of a new school year often brings a mix of excitement and hope, but can also include nervous anticipation and anxiety for families of children with disabilities. Parents are eager for a fresh, positive start to the school year after summer break, but may also be navigating an overwhelming amount of information, and in some cases, misinformation.
Every August and September, I hear many of the same concerns from families, which can stem from myths that have been repeated so often they begin to sound like facts or truth. Believing these misconceptions can prevent parents from advocating effectively and can lead to students missing out on the support they are legally entitled to receive.
We are going to highlight some of the most common back-to-school myths about special education we hear from families as advocates in this blog.
Myth #1: "The School Knows My Child's IEP, So I Don't Need to Do Anything"
As a prior special education teacher myself, I can tell you that schools work hard to prepare for the new school year. Teachers often receive dozens of student schedules, new class rosters, and responsibilities just days before students arrive. Depending on your child’s placement and grade level, general education teachers are often teaching a large number of students, many of whom have unique learning needs.
It’s never a bad idea for parents to introduce themselves early and establish open communication with their child's teachers. A brief parent introduction letter can provide valuable insight into your child's strengths, interests, communication style, motivators, and successful strategies that may not be fully captured in the IEP. Check out that blog here: https://www.eduamerica.org/blog/parentintroletter
Building a collaborative relationship from the beginning often leads to stronger communication throughout the year.
Myth #2: "Once the IEP Is Written, Everyone Automatically Follows It"
An IEP is a legally binding document, but it certainly doesn't magically implement itself.
Teachers, therapists, paraprofessionals, transportation staff, substitute teachers, and other service providers all play important roles in carrying out different portions of the IEP. At the start of the school year, schedules are still being finalized, staff assignments may change, and new employees may still be learning procedures.
This is why I encourage parents to monitor implementation early. Early communication can help identify and correct problems before they become long-term issues. Ask questions such as:
Has my child started receiving all related services?
What is my child’s schedule of services?
Are accommodations being used consistently?
Has transportation been arranged correctly?
Does everyone working with my child understand how the supports in their IEP/504 Plan are written?
Do all teachers have a copy of and been trained on my child’s Behavior Intervention Plan?
Myth #3: "If My Child Is Making Good Grades, They Can't Qualify for Special Education"
This is a very frequent misconception I encounter on a number of consultation calls I do. Eligibility for special education is not determined solely by grades. Many students with disabilities may earn average or even above-average grades because they receive accommodations, significant parent support, tutoring, and/or put in extraordinary effort just to keep up.
The question is not whether your child earns good grades. The question is whether your child has a disability that adversely affects educational performance and requires specially designed instruction.
Educational performance includes much more than academics. It can involve communication, behavior, executive functioning, social skills, adaptive functioning, organization, attention, emotional regulation, and functional skills that impact success in school.
Myth #4: "The School Has to Wait Until My Child Fails"
No child should have to fail before receiving help. Although schools often provide interventions through general education before considering special education, parents do not have to wait until their child experiences years of academic failure before requesting a comprehensive evaluation.
If you suspect your child has a disability, you have the right to submit a written request for a comprehensive educational evaluation in all areas of suspected disability or concern. Early identification often leads to earlier intervention, which can significantly improve long-term outcomes for your child.
Myth #5: "Teachers Can't Make Changes Without Another IEP Meeting"
Not every change requires a full IEP meeting. IEP amendments can occur to make minor updates or changes to your child’s IEP without reconvening the entire IEP team. If you're unsure whether a proposed change requires an IEP team decision and an IEP meeting, ask the school to explain the change in writing and how it aligns with your child's current IEP. Often minor changes that can be made without reconvening a meeting are updates to minor accommodation changes, brief present levels of performance data, strengths or interests, parent input, and contact information.
Schools generally cannot change more major areas of an IEP such as the services, placement/LRE, goals, or other substantive parts without following the appropriate procedures and involving parents.
Myth #6: "If My Child Has a New Teacher, Everything Starts Over"
Fortunately, it doesn't. Your child’s current IEP remains in effect regardless of who is teaching your child. Services, accommodations, modifications, and goals continue unless the IEP team, which you are a part of, decides to make any changes.
That being said: every teacher has a different teaching style, classroom structure, and communication approach. This is another reason why introducing yourself early and establishing a positive working relationship can make such a difference. At the end of the day, a new teacher does not mean everything starts over, as your child’s IEP or 504 Plan remains the same as it was.
Myth #7: "Parents Should Wait Until the Annual IEP Meeting to Raise Concerns"
You absolutely do not have to wait until your child’s annual review to meet with their school based team. If concerns arise in September, there is no reason to wait until the annual review date in April to address them.
Parents can request an IEP meeting at any point if concerns exist about progress, services, accommodations, behavior, placement, or changing needs. Addressing concerns early often prevents larger problems later in the school year.
Myth #8: "Accommodations Will Automatically Be Used During State Testing"
Not necessarily. Testing accommodations should already be documented in your child's IEP or 504 Plan and should be used consistently during regular classroom instruction, not just on testing days.
Before state assessments begin, ask the school:
Which testing accommodations will be provided?
How are these accommodations being documented?
Are these accommodations being used regularly in class?
Waiting until testing week can create unnecessary complications and we want to ensure for certain accommodations that your child knows how to utilize their accommodations and resources prior to testing time.
Myth #9: "Advocating Means Being Difficult"
The goal of bringing on an advocate or being your child’s advocate is to ensure they succeed. The most successful IEP teams I've worked with are built on collaboration and wanting to do what is best for your child. As both a former special education teacher and now an advocate, I've sat on both sides of the table. Most educators genuinely want to help students grow, and most parents simply want their children to receive an appropriate education.
Advocacy isn't about conflict and that is never our goal here at EAA. It's about asking thoughtful questions, understanding your child's rights, communicating respectfully, and ensuring decisions are based on data and the individual needs of your child.
A New School Year Is a Fresh Opportunity
The start of the school year is one of the best times to establish strong communication, review your child's IEP, confirm services have begun, and build positive relationships with the school team.
Don't let common myths keep you from asking questions or speaking up when something doesn't seem right because your voice matters.
When parents understand the special education process and advocate proactively, they become one of the strongest supports their child can have. As someone who has been both the teacher and the advocate sitting beside families in meetings across the country, I can confidently say that informed, collaborative parents make an incredible difference.
This school year, don't be afraid to ask questions, seek clarification, and advocate with confidence. Your child deserves nothing less.
