Summer IEP Checklist: 5 Things to Do Before the Last Day of School

May and early June are when the school year ends in many Texas districts—and it’s also when next year’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) problems begin. The decisions made (or not made) right now affect your child’s entire fall. Here are five concrete actions to take before the last bell rings.

1. Get ESY Determination in Writing

Extended School Year (ESY) services prevent what special education calls “regression”—the loss of skills over summer break. But ESY isn’t automatic. Schools must evaluate whether your child meets the criteria, and that evaluation happens now.

What you need to do: If you believe your child needs summer services (because progress is fragile, regression is a real risk, or they haven’t met annual goals yet), request the ESY evaluation in writing. The school must respond. If they deny ESY, they must document why. Don’t accept verbal responses—get written ESY determination before school ends.

Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA §300.106), schools must evaluate for ESY if a child may regress significantly during the break. The Center for Parent Information and Resources has a plain-language overview of how ESY eligibility works. Our guide on Extended School Year services walks through the evaluation criteria and what “regression” actually means in school terms.

2. Review Progress Monitoring Reports—Look for Gaps

Every IEP goal has progress monitoring data behind it. By May, you should have clear documentation of how your child performed against each goal. This matters hugely for next year’s IEP.

What you need to do: Request the full year’s progress monitoring data (not just the report card) for each IEP goal. Look for:

• Goals where progress plateaued or went backwards
• Goals where data collection was inconsistent or sparse
• Gaps between what the IEP promised and what actually happened

One missing data point doesn’t prove non-compliance, but a pattern does. Document what you see. If your child missed multiple goals and the progress reports don’t explain why, that’s a red flag for the fall.

Our end-of-year IEP review guide explains what the data should show, what questions to ask, and what counts as a red flag.

3. Request a Meeting If Goals Were Missed

If your child didn’t meet goals and the school hasn’t proposed changes, don’t wait until next year. File a written request for an Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) meeting now.

What to say: “I am requesting an IEP meeting to review my child’s progress on goals X, Y, and Z, which were not met this year. I want to discuss what adjustments should be made before fall.”

You don’t need a reason beyond wanting to revise the IEP. Federal law allows parents to request a meeting at any time—the school must respond. The school must schedule it within a reasonable timeframe (typically 10 business days). This accomplishes two things:

1. Your child may get a mid-year revision. If goals aren’t working, our guide on how to call an IEP meeting walks you through the process.
2. You document the issue. If the school refuses to meet or dismisses your concerns, you have a paper trail.

A meeting in May is worth more than a letter in September.

4. Document Everything the Incoming Teacher Needs to Know

Teacher transitions are huge. If your child’s teacher is changing (and it’s likely they are), the new teacher probably won’t read the full IEP before day one of fall.

What you need to do: Create a one-page summary:

• How your child learns best
• What sensory or behavioral supports actually work
• What doesn’t work (even if the IEP says it should)
• Non-negotiable accommodations
• Communication preferences (email vs. phone, formal vs. casual)
• Any recent changes in medication, therapy, or diagnosis

Print it. Email it to the special education coordinator. Offer to meet with the new teacher before school starts. Your child’s new teacher may not have had time to read through the full IEP before the first day of school. A parent-written summary of practical information saves everyone’s time and protects your child’s first month.

5. Put Any Unresolved Concerns in a Formal Letter

If something didn’t go right this year—the IEP wasn’t followed, services were missed, your child struggled and nothing changed—put it in writing now. Not an email. A formal letter documents your concerns for the record—creating evidence if you need to escalate later. Dated and kept in your records.

What to include:

• Specific examples of what happened and when
• What the IEP promised vs. what actually occurred
• How it affected your child’s progress
• What you want the school to do differently next year

This is not a complaint. It’s documentation. You’re not accusing anyone; you’re creating a record. This letter becomes evidence if you ever need to prove a pattern of non-compliance or escalate to TEA (Texas Education Agency) later. Our guide on school not following the IEP covers documentation and escalation steps in detail.

Teachers, administrators, and lawyers look at these letters. They signal that you’re paying attention and keeping track. They also ground your concerns in facts rather than feelings.

The Timeline: Do This Now

School ends soon in Texas—usually late May or early June. ARD meetings and email responses typically take 1-2 weeks. You need to start now.

• This week: Request progress monitoring data. File for ARD if goals were missed. Ask about ESY.
• Next week: Attend the ESY evaluation meeting or follow up if you haven’t heard back.
• Week 3: Write your transition summary for the new teacher.
• Before the last day: Send your formal letter documenting any concerns. Deliver a copy of your transition summary in person or by email to special ed.

What This Prevents

A summer spent on these five actions prevents much bigger problems in September:

• Your child gets summer services if they need them
• The fall IEP starts with updated goal data instead of last year’s optimism
• Teacher transitions go smoothly because someone explained how your kid actually learns
• You have documentation if the school tries to claim next year “started fine” when the data says otherwise

Late May is not too late to protect the coming year. Start now.

Want to know if your child’s IEP is actually addressing their needs? Our professional IEP review analyzes your child’s document against best practices and identifies what’s working—and what’s not. Upload your IEP today.