Getting Started

If your teen does not have a diagnosis yet, an important step in ensuring their best education is to get a diagnosis and start intervention as soon as possible. With the abundance of online information, your teen may be thinking about whether they are autistic and may ask you about it. Or they may express issues they have that might be characteristics of autism.

Contact a neurologist or psychologist with experience in diagnosing autism. You can also get a free assessment from your local school district. The Milestones Helpdesk can provide more information about the type of professional to consult depending on what your goal of diagnosis is -- for self knowledge vs. to access services or benefits. The Milestones First Diagnosis Tool Kit provides more information about diagnosis and interventions.

Trust your instincts, ask your doctor to assess your teen. If you are not satisfied with your doctor or school’s assessment, you have the right to get a second opinion from another medical specialist. If you disagree with the school’s evaluation of your child, you may be able to request an Independent Evaluation (IE) through a specific process which you can read about in this Wrightslaw article and their overview of Independent Educational Evaluations.

Request a Multi-Factored Evaluation (MFE) from your school district, which is an assessment of your teen’s skills and needs. Your teen may qualify for an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or a 504 Plan.

Getting Accommodations: IEPs vs. 504 Plans

These are two different options that can give your teen accommodations through your school district. An IEP is the legal document that sets your teen’s yearly educational goals. It is designed to meet the educational needs for a teen who may have a disability. It is drafted by a team including school staff and a parent/guardian to provide the best educational support for a child.

A 504 Plan provides a teen equal access to education and may include accommodations. It is part of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. A 504 offers fewer rights and benefits than an IEP and does not need to be a written document.

For more information about the difference between an IEP and a 504, read the Milestones School Tool Kit (see FAQ #5), this Wrightslaw page and these Understood.org articles on What Is a 504 Plan and The Difference Between IEPs and 504 Plans.

More about IEPs

Your teen’s IEP lists accommodations and services appropriate for their needs, level of functioning and in order to help them succeed and reach their IEP goals. Examples of accommodations are having an aide, scheduled breaks throughout the day, adjusted/reduced homework and extended time for taking tests.

After the initial IEP, an annual meeting is held to assess goals, progress and determine if your teen still qualifies for an IEP.

We recommend that your teen be present in their IEP meeting. It’s OK if initially they just listen or attend part of it till they grow more skills. Having your teen there makes them a part of the process even if their engagement looks different. It may help to provide them with a schedule and a sense of how long they will attend.

Reflect on and propose what you and your teen think are important goals and accommodations. Under the future planning section of the IEP, you or your teen will be asked to write a short vision statement for what you wish for your teen’s future. Include your teen in writing this as it is a great opportunity for self-advocacy to share what they wish. OCALI provides more information about this and sample vision statements in their Transition Planning and the IEP Guide.

Make sure to include transition to high school, life skills and vocational skills in their IEP. Vocational preparation goals should be included in your teen’s IEP in the Future Planning Statement and goals section. Click here to see how vocational goals can be included in IEPs.

An IEP isn’t only for education, it is also for anything that prepares your teen for the real world, such as social communication, hygiene, time management, executive functioning, vocational training and practical skills like money management basics or teaching who they can go home with especially if allowed normally to leave school without supervision.

We provide tips and strategies to prepare for and determine who will attend your teen’s IEP meeting on our IEPs web page.

If You Have Concerns about Your Teen's IEP

Learn what your rights are and what to do if you disagree with the IEP. It is very important to know that you do not have to sign the IEP during the meeting if you are uncomfortable, disagree or just want to think more about it. Your teen will still receive services if you wait to sign the IEP. Milestones can help you navigate that conversation.

If you are feeling nervous by this IEP process or have questions, you can turn to the Milestones Helpdesk, your state disabilities agency like the Ohio Coalition for the Education of Children with Disabilities (OCECD), or your school district may have a parent mentor.

If English isn’t your first language, you can request a translator from your school. If you contact your school and there is not a clear way to get a translator, you may be able to get help from a parent mentor organization such as in Ohio OCECD.

You have the right to ask for an additional IEP meeting or just to meet informally with your child’s interventionist or other school staff during the year if you have special concerns.

At least one year before high school graduation, representatives of any adult services the student will receive should be invited to the IEP meeting. This includes your Service and Support Administrator (SSA) which is the name for your case worker with the local board of disability services, as well as your state’s agency that helps people with disabilities find competitive work to start developing skills. In Ohio that agency is Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD).

The Milestones School Tool Kit provides detailed information and tips about IEPs.