About
Plain-language help for parents who shouldn't need a lawyer to read a school's letter.
Special education runs on deadlines, acronyms, and rights that schools rarely explain in plain terms. IEP Explained turns that into something you can act on — what applies to you, what's already running, and a prepared next step you decide whether to send.
Why we built this
When a school refuses an evaluation, flags your child on a reading screener, or hands you an IEP you don't understand, the clock is usually already running — and the people who could explain your options are the same people you're negotiating with. Paid advocates and attorneys exist, but most families meet a wall of jargon long before they reach one. We wrote IEP Explained for that moment: clear, specific, and grounded in the actual law, so you walk into the conversation knowing what you're entitled to ask for.
How we keep it accurate
- Every legal claim is cited to primary law — federal IDEA regulations and your state's statutes and rules — not to a summary of a summary.
- We re-verify the law each quarter, because statutes change — screening laws, notice timelines, and discipline rules have all shifted recently.
- The Analyzer computes deadlines, not guesses. It applies the rules for your state against a real school calendar — including the way most special-education clocks pause over breaks and summer — rather than counting plain calendar days.
- In-depth state coverage for California, Georgia, New York, Texas, and Washington; everywhere else, we show the federal IDEA rules that apply nationwide and tell you so plainly.
For Chinese-speaking families
Some of our guidance is written in Chinese for immigrant parents — not machine-translated, but rewritten for the situation many families actually face, including the right to a qualified interpreter at IEP meetings. Look for the 中文 links.
What we are — and what we aren't
IEP Explained provides analysis and preparation. We help you understand your situation and prepare what to send — but you decide, and you send it. That distinction matters:
- We are not a law firm, we don't provide legal advice or representation, and using this site doesn't create an attorney-client relationship.
- Our guidance is general information about how the law works — not advice about your specific case. Facts change outcomes, and only you know all of yours.
- For advice about your situation, or for representation at a due-process hearing, talk to a special-education attorney or your state's Parent Training and Information (PTI) center.
Contact
Questions, a correction, or a request about your data? Email privacy@iepexplained.com. If you spot something on this site that doesn't match the law in your state, please tell us — accuracy is the whole point.