We have a special guest post from Andrea Ebby, a Michigan-based speech-language pathologist with nearly 25 years of experience helping students, families, and school teams navigate the special education process. With the school year right around the corner, now is the BEST time to learn about the special education evaluation process and Andrea is THE BEST!… you’re in good hands!
“My child is struggling in school. What do I do now?”
If you’ve found yourself asking this question, you’re not alone.
Every year, thousands of Michigan parents notice that something just doesn’t seem right.
Maybe your child is having difficulty learning to read, struggles to pay attention, avoids homework, or comes home frustrated every day.
Perhaps their teacher has reached out with concerns, or maybe you’ve noticed changes that no one else seems to see.
When your child is struggling, it’s natural to feel worried, overwhelmed, or even unsure where to begin.
The good news is that you don’t have to figure it out on your own.
Michigan schools have a structured process designed to identify students’ needs and provide support.
While the names MTSS, REED, MET, IEP, and 504 Plan, can sound confusing, the goal is simple: to understand how your child learns best and determine what supports will help them succeed.
Hi, I’m Andrea Eby, M.A., CCC-SLP, a speech-language pathologist who has worked in Michigan public schools for nearly 25 years.
Throughout my career, I have had the privilege of working alongside students, families, and school teams to support children as they navigate their educational journeys.
Over the years, I have seen firsthand how confusing and overwhelming the special education process can feel for parents.
The terminology, meetings, evaluations, and decisions can feel like a lot to navigate, especially when you are simply trying to understand how to best support your child.
My goal is to break down this process in clear, parent-friendly language so you can understand each step, feel confident asking questions, and become an informed member of your child’s educational team.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through each step of the process in clear, parent-friendly language so you’ll know what to expect, what your rights are, and how you can be an active partner in your child’s education.
Step 1: Recognizing That Your Child May Be Struggling
Every child learns differently. Some children need a little extra time, while others benefit from additional support or specialized instruction.
You might notice signs such as:
- Homework taking much longer than expected
- Difficulty learning letters or reading
- Trouble following directions
- Frequent frustration with schoolwork
- Difficulty paying attention or staying organized
- Challenges expressing thoughts or understanding language
- Avoiding school or complaining of stomachaches before class
- Falling behind classmates academically
- Social or behavioral concerns
Not every struggle means a child has a disability.
Sometimes students simply need targeted interventions or accommodations.
The important thing is NOT to ignore ongoing concerns.
Andrea’s Advice
Throughout my years working in Michigan schools, I’ve often sat across the table from parents of a ninth grader who were attending their first special education meeting.
As we talked about their concerns, many would say something like, “We first noticed this back in second grade, but we weren’t sure if we should be concerned. Since no one from the school mentioned anything, we assumed everything was okay.”
Those conversations have stayed with me.
Parents know their children better than anyone else.
While teachers see students in the classroom, parents see them in many different settings.
They often notice things that aren’t as visible during the school day.
Many children work incredibly hard to keep up with their classmates or hide their struggles because they don’t want to feel different or draw attention to themselves.
By the time they get home, they’re exhausted from holding it together all day.
This is often when parents see the frustration, tears, meltdowns, or emotional toll that isn’t always apparent at school.
This doesn’t mean anyone has missed something.
It simply means that parents and educators each have an important piece of the puzzle.
When families share what they’re seeing at home and schools share what they’re observing in the classroom, everyone gains a more complete picture of the child’s strengths and needs.
If something doesn’t feel quite right, trust your instincts…
That doesn’t necessarily mean your child has a disability, but it DOES mean your concerns are worth discussing.
Starting a conversation with your child’s teacher or school team early can lead to a better understanding of your child’s needs and, when appropriate, earlier support.
Step 2: Sharing Your Concerns
The process often begins with a conversation.
Sometimes a teacher notices concerns first.
Other times, parents reach out because they’ve observed challenges at home.
When concerns are shared, the school gathers information from multiple sources such as teacher observations, student work, parent input, etc., to build a complete picture of your child’s strengths and needs.
The goal isn’t to label your child…
It’s to understand what they’re experiencing and determine how to help them.
Step 3: Understanding MTSS
One of the first terms you’ll hear is MTSS, which stands for Multi-Tiered System of Supports.
Think of MTSS as a problem-solving process.
As part of the problem-solving process, the school team may consider supports and interventions before or while determining whether a special education evaluation is needed.
The team asks questions such as:
- What specific concerns are we seeing?
- What evidence do we have?
- What supports have been tried, and how did they work out?
- What additional supports can we provide in the classroom?
- How will we know if those supports are helping?
This approach ensures decisions are based on data rather than assumptions.
Step 4: Collecting Data
Before making any decisions, the team gathers information from multiple sources to develop a complete understanding of the student’s strengths, needs, and areas of concern.
This may include:
- Classroom observations
- Grades
- District and classroom assessments
- Classroom work samples
- Parent input
- Teacher input
- Attendance records
- Behavioral information
- Previous interventions and progress monitoring data
- Relevant medical information or outside evaluations shared by the family
No single test, grade, or observation determines whether a child needs additional support.
Instead, the team looks for patterns across multiple sources of information over time.
For example, the team may notice a pattern where a student consistently struggles in math while performing well in all other subjects.
Another example is that they may see that a student completes and submits homework, actively participates in class discussions, and answers questions appropriately, but consistently struggles on tests.
Another example is when a student may perform well academically but experience increasing behavioral concerns during less structured times (e.g. during recess or lunch).
These patterns help the team better understand how a student learns and where additional support may be needed.
Rather than focusing on one assignment, one test, or one difficult day, the team considers multiple pieces of information over time to develop a complete picture of the student’s strengths and needs.
Attendance is another important factor the team considers when reviewing a student’s progress.
Consistent attendance helps ensure that the student has had appropriate access to instruction, interventions, and learning opportunities.
When significant absences are present, the team may need to consider how missed instructional time may be impacting academic progress as they determine the most appropriate supports.
This does not mean that a student with absences cannot have a disability; rather, the team must consider all factors that may be affecting the student’s educational progress.
Step 5: Trying Interventions
If the team believes additional support may help, they develop targeted interventions.
These interventions are designed to address your child’s specific area of need.
Examples include:
- Small-group reading instruction
- Additional math practice
- Organizational supports
- Speech and language strategies
- Behavior supports
- Check-in/check-out systems
- Visual schedules
- Social skills instruction
The interventions are implemented consistently, and the team monitors how your child responds.
Step 6: Monitoring Progress
One of the most important parts of the MTSS process is progress monitoring.
Instead of guessing whether an intervention is working, schools collect data over time.
The team asks questions like:
- Is your child making progress?
- Are the interventions helping?
- Does the student need additional support?
- Should the intervention be adjusted?
This information helps guide the next decision.
Step 7: The Team Meets Again
After an appropriate period of time, the team reviews the data.
Generally, one of three things happens:
Option 1: Your child has made significant progress, and no additional support is needed.
Option 2: The interventions are helping, but adjustments are needed. The team continues supporting your child and monitors progress.
Option 3: The data suggests your child may have a disability, and the team recommends a comprehensive special education evaluation.
Step 8: The Special Education Evaluation
If an initial special education evaluation is recommended, you will be asked to provide written consent before the evaluation begins.
Depending on your child’s needs, the evaluation may include:
- Academic testing
- Cognitive assessments
- Speech and language evaluation
- Occupational therapy evaluation
- Physical therapy evaluation
- Social work evaluation
- Psychological evaluation
- Classroom observations
- Parent interviews
- Teacher questionnaires
The purpose of the evaluation is to answer two questions:
- Does your child have a disability as defined under special education law?
- Does your child need specially designed instruction to be successful?
It’s important to understand that a medical diagnosis alone does NOT automatically qualify a child for special education services in Michigan.
To be eligible, the school team must determine that your child meets the criteria for one of the disability categories under Michigan’s special education rules and that the disability has an educational impact requiring specially designed instruction.
Step 9: Eligibility Meeting
Once the evaluation is complete, you’ll meet with the school team to review the results.
Together, you’ll discuss:
- Evaluation findings
- Strengths
- Areas of need
- Educational impact
- Eligibility for special education
If your child qualifies, the team develops an Individualized Education Program (IEP).
If your child does not qualify, the team discusses other supports that may still be appropriate.
Step 10: Understanding the Difference Between an IEP and a 504 Plan
Many parents confuse these two supports.
An IEP provides specialized instruction and related services for students who qualify under special education eligibility criteria.
An IEP does not continue into college.
A student’s eligibility for special education services under IDEA ends when the student graduates with a regular high school diploma, reaches the maximum age of eligibility under state law, or is determined no longer eligible through the reevaluation process.
Some students receive a certificate of completion rather than a regular high school diploma. In these cases, eligibility for special education services may continue if the student remains eligible and has not reached the maximum age allowed under state law.
A 504 Plan provides accommodations that allow students with disabilities to access their education but does not include specially designed instruction.
Unlike an IEP, a 504 Plan does not provide changes to the curriculum or individualized instruction.
A student’s high school 504 Plan does not automatically transfer after graduation.
However, Section 504 protections continue beyond high school.
Students attending college, trade programs, or other postsecondary programs may request accommodations through the appropriate disability services office.
Adults entering the workforce may also be eligible for reasonable accommodations under disability rights laws including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Workplace accommodations are not provided through a 504 Plan but through the applicable employment disability protections.
Parent Action Step
Start keeping a notebook or digital journal of your observations.
Write down examples of what you’re seeing at home, note any communication with teachers, and save work samples if possible.
This information can be incredibly valuable during meetings and helps the school team understand your child’s unique experiences.
It is also helpful to provide any relevant medical or outside evaluation information you may have.
This may include private evaluations, medical documentation, therapy reports, or information from healthcare providers that helps the school team better understand your child’s strengths, needs, and areas where they may benefit from support.
Outside evaluations and medical information can provide valuable insight, but the school team must consider how a student’s needs impact their education when determining eligibility and services.
Remember that everyone sitting at the table shares the same goal: helping your child be successful.
Parents, teachers, administrators, and specialists each bring valuable information and perspectives to the conversation.
While the team wants to provide support when a student is struggling, special education services are governed by federal and state laws, and specific eligibility criteria must be met before certain services can be provided.
Understanding this process can help families and schools work together to identify the supports that best meet the student’s individual needs.
Final Thoughts
Watching your child struggle in school can be one of the most difficult experiences as a parent.
The educational process may seem overwhelming at first but remember that you are an important member of your child’s team.
Asking questions, sharing your observations, and learning about the process are powerful ways to advocate for your child.
You don’t have to know all the answers.
You just need to take the first step!
One thing I’ve learned after working with families for nearly 25 years is that confidence doesn’t come from having all the answers.
It comes from understanding the process and knowing your next step!
Whether families are navigating special education or another major life decision, having a clear roadmap makes all the difference.
Ready for Support?
If you’re concerned about your child’s progress or preparing for an MTSS, REED, evaluation, IEP, or 504 meeting, I’m here to help.
With nearly 25 years of experience as a Michigan Speech-Language Pathologist, I’ve worked alongside families and school teams to help students access the support they need.
Whether you need help understanding the process, preparing for a meeting, or knowing what questions to ask, I provide parent education consultations designed to help you feel informed, prepared, and confident as you advocate for your child.
Schedule a consultation today, and let’s work together to help your child thrive. Schedule a meeting w/ Andrea TODAY!
About the Author
Andrea Eby, M.A., CCC-SLP, is a Michigan-based Speech-Language Pathologist with nearly 25 years of experience helping students, families, and school teams navigate the special education process. She is also the founder of Debt to Dreams Financial Coaching, where she helps individuals and families create clarity and confidence around their finances. Whether supporting parents through educational decisions or financial ones, Andrea believes that clear information and a practical plan create confidence.