As we approach the holidays and winter break, the school year reaches its halfway point—a natural moment to pause, reflect, and take stock of what has worked and what hasn't. Over the next few weeks, as you sip hot cocoa by a warm fire, consider a simple goal: replace “I think it's going okay” with “the data shows what's working—and what needs to change.”

Midyear question #1: How is your child performing in areas of skill deficit? Look at IEP goals and the short-term objectives that most closely align with this point in the year (often by marking period or semester). Has your child reached the objectives that you and the district agreed were appropriate when you drafted the goals? If the answer is no, the next question is why not. Look at data shared with you by the district, or ask for data if you don't have it. (See below for more info on how to approach this). If the answer is unclear, that's not a failure—it's a signal to ask for clearer measurement, updated progress monitoring, or a timely team meeting.

Midyear question #2: Are you seeing progress—or just paperwork?

By now, most families have received at least one progress report tied to IEP goals. If the report says your child is “making progress,” ask: progress toward what, measured how, compared to when? A strong progress note is anchored in something concrete—work samples, test scores, behavior frequency counts, reading fluency timings, therapy data—not vibe-based language and vague optimism.

If the report is thin, that's not a judgment on anyone. It's a systems issue—one that gets sharper when districts are juggling staffing gaps and tight budgets. Nationally, about 7.5 million students (roughly 15% of public school enrollment) receive services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and federal special education funding still falls well short of the often-cited 40% benchmark—leaving states and districts to cover most costs. National Center for Education Statistics+1

Midyear question #3: Are services happening the way the IEP says they should?

Pull out the IEP service grid and compare it to reality:

• Minutes: Is your child getting the frequency and duration listed?
• Setting: Is it truly “pull-out,” “push-in,” “gen ed with support,” or something else?
• Group size: Is the service delivered 1:1, small group, or “whoever is available that period”?
• Provider: Is it a licensed specialist or a rotating substitute?
• Makeups: If sessions were missed, is the district making them up?

This is where parents often feel stuck—because the IEP can be beautifully written while implementation drifts.

You don't need to accuse anyone to ask for clarity. You just need a record.

Midyear question #4: If progress is limited, what's the plan?

Sometimes the honest midyear answer is: we're not seeing enough growth (given the child's individual circumstances and abilities). That's not a dead end. It's a fork in the road. Asking the following questions can help determine the path forward.

• Is the goal appropriate but the instructional approach or methodology needs to change?
• Is the goal appropriate but the service intensity (minutes, group size, provider) needs to change?
• Is the goal measurable but the data collection is too weak to guide decisions?
• Is the goal itself misaligned with the child's current level?

Your job isn't to answer these questions alone. Your job is to make sure the team treats “not enough progress” as actionable information—not as a reason to wait it out.

Midyear question #5: Which accommodations are helping—and which are just “on the list”?

Accommodations can be powerful, but only if they fit the moment your child is in.

Start with what's working:

• Which accommodations reliably change the outcome? (Better accuracy, fewer meltdowns, more completed work, smoother transitions.)
• In which classes or settings are they needed?
• Are they being offered proactively—or only “as needed” or at teacher discretion?

Then be honest about what isn't working:

• Which supports sounded right when the IEP was written but aren't producing the effect you expected?
• Is the accommodation mismatched to the skill deficit? Or, significantly, is the accommodation covering up for the skill deficit without a corresponding goal to help build the skill?
• Is it being delivered inconsistently?

If you can, anchor this in observable facts: for example, “When instructions are chunked, he starts independently within 2 minutes instead of shutting down.”

Midyear question #6: What's new—and does the team have the full picture?

A lot can change in half a school year. If there's new information, the IEP should catch up to it.

Ask yourself:

• Have we learned anything new about my child?
• Did you complete an outside evaluation (neuropsych, speech-language, OT, counseling, AAC, etc.)?
• Did a private clinician offer insights that the school hasn't considered yet?

If yes, this is a perfect time to share the information and highlight the most important parts: updated diagnoses (if any), updated baselines, and—most importantly—recommendations that translate to school.

Midyear question #7: What problems came up—and were they handled well?

This question isn't about reliving the hard days. It's about pattern-spotting.

Consider:

• Were there recurring issues (behavior, elopement, shutdowns, refusals, peer conflict, attendance, fatigue)?
• Did the school respond in a way that was consistent with the IEP and behavior plan (if one exists)?
• Did you feel informed early—or only after things escalated?
• Was discipline or removal used, and if so, did the team analyze what was triggering the behavior?

If something wasn't addressed appropriately, keep the focus on solutions:

• What should staff do the next time this happens?
• What early warning signs are we watching for?
• What de-escalation strategies work for your child?
• What adjustments would reduce the chances of repeat incidents next semester?

A helpful framing is: “We all want fewer emergencies. Let's agree on a plan that prevents them.”

Requesting a Meeting: Once you've considered these questions, the next step is to communicate with the district and if necessary, request an IEP team meeting.

Before winter break (or right after), send a concise email to the people you regularly communicate with—teachers, service providers, case manager, special education admin. Email is perfect because it's dated, searchable, and keeps everyone aligned.

What to include:

1. What's working
2. What's not working
3. What's new (evaluations, clinician insights, emerging concerns)
4. What you're requesting next (data, a plan change, or a meeting)

When seeking information from your district, try language like this—calm, specific, hard to ignore:

• “What data are we using to measure progress on Goal #__? Can you share the most recent data points?”
• “Which short-term objectives should be met by this point in the year, and where does my child currently fall?”
• “Can you confirm service delivery for the last 8–10 weeks (schools should keep a service log)?”
• “If we're not on track, what changes do we recommend now—frequency, methodology, supports, or goals?”
• “Is there a risk of regression over winter break beyond what can be made up when school resumes, and if so, what's the plan to prevent it?”
• “Can you show me a recent work sample that demonstrates this skill?” is one of the simplest, most powerful questions in special education.

And yes: you can request an IEP meeting whenever new information needs review or the plan needs adjustment. Parents are equal members of the team—and you don't need to “wait until the annual review” if the current supports aren't matching your child's needs or you have any other concerns that you want to address with the team.

 A midyear IEP meeting isn't dramatic—it's maintenance. If the data is unclear, if services aren't matching the grid, or if goals feel stale, you can request a meeting now and frame it as coordination: We're halfway through; I want us aligned for the second half of the year.

Don't overlook logistics: the weeks around the new year can be tough to book. If you anticipate needing follow-ups, this is a smart moment to reach out to schedule January/February appointments so you're not scrambling later.

When you request a meeting, keep it tight:

• State your purpose (review progress data, service delivery, and midyear adjustments).
• List the goals you want discussed.
• Ask what data will be brought to the meeting (and ask for copies in advance).
• List specific concerns that you have

Close with collaboration language that keeps the temperature low and the momentum high:

“I appreciate everyone's work with [Child]. I'd like to review midyear progress data and discuss adjustments so we can set everyone up for success next semester. Please share a few dates/times for an IEP team meeting.”

Ultimately, the midpoint of the year is a natural and advantageous moment to reflect: enough time has passed to see what's real, and enough time remains to change course. If you walk into the second semester with clearer data, sharper accommodations, and a shared plan for challenges, you're not “being difficult”—you're doing exactly what IDEA intended: making the program responsive to the child, not the other way around.