School Systems & Parent Advocacy

If your child is struggling to read, you may hear two options: “We can put a 504 Plan in place” “We may consider an IEP” And for many families, the question becomes: “Which one is right for my child?” The answer matters—because these two plans serve very different purposes.

If your child is receiving reading support, you’ve likely seen a DIBELS report. It might include: A number A benchmark label (Below, At, Above) A color (red, yellow, green) And the explanation is often brief: “Still below benchmark.”“We’re monitoring progress.” For many families, that color starts to feel like the whole story. But it’s not.

If your child is receiving reading support—through MTSS, an IEP, or intervention—you’ve probably heard: “We’re monitoring progress” “We’ll review the data” “Let’s see how they respond” But most families are left wondering: “What does that actually mean—and is it working?” Progress monitoring should not feel vague. It should give you clear, frequent, skill-based insight into whether your child is learning to read.

What Is MTSS and How Does It Impact My Child?

If you’ve ever opened your child’s IEP and felt unsure what you were looking at, you’re not alone. The document is full of terms, numbers, and goal statements that sound official—but don’t always feel clear. And the real question most families are asking is: “Is this actually going to help my child learn to read?” Let’s walk through how to read an IEP for reading goals in a way that makes it practical—and actionable.

By the time families hear the term Specific Learning Disability in Reading, they are often already deep in the struggle. They have seen: Guessing instead of reading Increasing frustration A widening gap between their child and peers And they are asking: “Is this dyslexia?”“Why is reading still so hard?” Let’s make this clear and grounded.