What should I do if the school is not following my child's accommodations?

Start by confirming what the plan actually requires

Re-read the accommodation page word for word before writing to anyone. Note the exact wording, which classes or settings it applies to, and any conditions attached to it. A vague sense that "the school isn't doing accommodations" is much harder for a team to act on than a specific gap you can quote directly: extended time not offered on a Tuesday quiz, guided notes not provided in third period, a movement break refused during a test.

It also helps to check when the plan was written or last updated. If your child changed schools, moved up a grade, or picked up new teachers this year, it is common—though not excusable—for accommodations to lag behind while paperwork catches up with new staff.

Why implementation gaps happen (context, not an excuse)

Understanding the common causes does not make a missed accommodation acceptable, but it can help you aim your request at the actual problem instead of assuming bad intent. Frequent causes include: a substitute teacher who never received the plan, a new teacher who was not walked through it at the start of the year, a case manager juggling a large caseload, unclear communication between general and special education staff, or a teacher who privately disagrees the support is needed and quietly skips it.

That last one is worth naming directly: a teacher's personal opinion about whether an accommodation is necessary does not override a legally written plan. If you suspect that is happening, say so calmly and ask the administrator to address it directly with staff.

Document the gaps before you escalate

Keep a simple, dated log every time you notice a missed accommodation. A short log turns "they never do it" into evidence a team can act on, and it protects you if the pattern continues for months.

• Date and class period.
• What the plan says should have happened.
• What actually happened, in your child's or the teacher's own words if possible.
• The impact: an incomplete test, a lower grade, a meltdown, missed credit, a skipped assignment.
• Any supporting evidence: a graded paper, an email, a screenshot of an online gradebook, a photo of unfinished work.

Write the case manager or 504 coordinator

Send a short, factual email naming the specific accommodation, one or two recent examples from your log, and a clear request: a plan to ensure consistent implementation and a way for you to know it has been fixed. Keep the tone firm and calm—specifics do more work than emotion.

• Sample email: "I'm writing about [child's name]'s [accommodation, quoted from the plan]. On [date], in [class], this did not happen, which resulted in [impact]. Can you tell me how each of [child]'s teachers received this plan, and what will change going forward? I'd like a brief check-in in two weeks to confirm it's working."
• Ask directly who is responsible for telling each teacher about the plan and how substitutes are informed.
• Request a meeting if a written response does not resolve it, or if the pattern repeats after your first email.

Use a meeting to fix the system, not just the incident

If email does not solve it, ask for a short meeting focused on implementation rather than reopening the whole plan. Useful questions to bring: Did every current teacher receive a copy of the plan? How are substitutes briefed? Is there a shared checklist or reminder system? Who monitors whether accommodations are actually happening day to day, not just written on paper?

Sometimes the fix is simpler than a new evaluation—clearer language on the plan, a staff training refresher, or a shared one-page implementation checklist that travels with substitute folders. Ask what the school will do differently, by when, and how you will find out.

If implementation still fails after you've raised it

If the pattern continues after a documented request and a meeting, ask for administrative involvement—the principal or district 504/special education office—and put the history in writing so nothing gets lost between staff. For students with a 504 plan, formal options include a district-level grievance process or a complaint to the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR), which enforces Section 504. For students with an IEP, options include a state complaint to your state education agency or, for more significant or ongoing FAPE concerns, mediation or due process.

For IEP students, missed implementation over time can also raise the question of compensatory services—additional instruction or services to make up for what was denied. Bring your documentation to the conversation and ask the team directly whether compensatory services should be discussed; this is not automatic and usually depends on the extent and duration of the gap.

Keeping the relationship workable while you push for follow-through

It is possible to be firm and still collaborative. Separate the tone of your message from the content: state the fact, the impact, and the request, without editorializing about motives. Most case managers want the plan followed too—they are often juggling more students than the caseload was designed for, and a clear, specific message is easier for them to act on than a general complaint.

This guide offers general information, not legal advice. If missed accommodations have caused real academic or emotional harm over an extended period, a special education attorney or advocate can help you evaluate whether compensatory services, a complaint, or another remedy fits your situation.