7 Questions Every Parent Should Ask at a Dyslexia IEP Meeting

An IEP meeting for a child with dyslexia can feel overwhelming. You're sitting across from a team of educators, a document full of jargon is in front of you, and you want to advocate for your child — but you may not always know what to ask or where to push back. As a speech-language pathologist specializing in dyslexia and structured literacy in Ashburn, Northern Virginia, I work with families navigating exactly this situation. Here are seven questions that can make a real difference at your next IEP meeting.

1. Can I receive the draft IEP at least three days before the meeting?

You are never required to read a document that affects your child's entire school year for the first time at the table. Requesting the draft IEP in advance is not a difficult ask — it is your right as a parent. Reading it ahead of time means you arrive with informed questions rather than reacting in the moment. If the team is reluctant to share it early, that itself is important information.

2. Who is actually delivering the intervention — and what is their training?

This is one of the most important and most overlooked questions at any IEP meeting. A specialist writing the goal and an aide delivering it are two very different things. Ask specifically: Who will work with my child? What is their training in structured literacy? How many minutes per week will my child have direct contact with a qualified specialist? The answers will tell you a great deal about whether the IEP is designed to produce real progress.

3. What structured literacy program will be used — by name?

"We use a structured literacy approach" means nothing without specifics. Structured literacy is not a brand — it is a framework, and the quality and fidelity of implementation varies enormously. Ask for the name of the program. Orton-Gillingham, Wilson Reading System, SPIRE, and Barton are examples of well-researched, evidence-based programs. If the team cannot name the program, or describes it vaguely as "a multisensory approach," it is entirely appropriate to ask for more detail before signing anything.

4. Is phonological awareness explicitly addressed in the goals?

Many dyslexia IEPs focus on decoding and reading fluency but skip phonological awareness entirely — the foundational ability to hear and manipulate sounds in spoken words. If your child still struggles at this level, that gap needs its own goal, regardless of grade level. Phonological awareness does not automatically develop with reading instruction. It needs to be directly and systematically taught, and it should be written into the IEP explicitly.

5. Has a speech-language evaluation been completed — and are language goals included?

Dyslexia rarely travels alone. Many children with dyslexia also experience language processing difficulties, comprehension challenges, or word-finding problems that go completely unaddressed in their IEP. A speech-language pathologist can evaluate these areas and, where needed, develop goals that address the full picture of your child's learning profile. If an SLP has not been part of the evaluation or the IEP team, it is worth asking why — and whether one should be.

6. How will these goals translate into real life — not just test scores?

A child who improves on a reading assessment but still avoids reading at home, cries over homework, and tells you "I'm stupid" is not yet where they need to be. Academic scores are one data point — but confidence, independence, and reduced anxiety around reading matter just as much. Ask the team directly: how will we know this is working in your child's daily life? What does success look like outside of a testing environment? Goals that only live on paper are not enough.

7. How often will progress be measured — and what happens if it isn't working?

Goals should be monitored at least every six to nine weeks, not just reviewed at the annual IEP. Ask what data collection looks like in practice: How is progress tracked? Who reviews it? And critically — what is the plan if your child is not making adequate progress? The answer should never be "we'll discuss it at the annual review." A strong IEP includes a responsive plan, not just a waiting period.

Your child deserves an IEP that actually addresses dyslexia — not one that works around it. If you are preparing for an upcoming meeting and want support, ThinkSpeech Therapy offers evaluations and consultations for children with dyslexia in Northern Virginia and via telehealth across Virginia. You do not have to walk into that meeting alone.