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Parent tells Maryland teacher-standards board school failed to document IEP/BIP, urges overhaul of special-education compliance
Summary
A parent told the Professional Standards and Teacher Education Board that her child’s behavior-intervention plan was not recorded correctly in Maryland’s online IEP system, that evaluations were canceled and that she faced retaliation; she urged mandatory training, oversight for retaliation complaints and annual reviews of IEPs/BIPs.
Alicia Banes told the Professional Standards and Teacher Education Board on Nov. 14 that her 12-year-old son’s special-education supports were undermined when his elementary school failed to document a behavior intervention plan (BIP) correctly in Maryland’s online IEP system.
Banes said the school did not activate a required toggle in the system, forcing her to seek independent evaluations including a functional behavior assessment and occupational-therapy evaluation. She described canceled vendor evaluations after Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) officials informed a vendor it was “no longer a vendor,” which she said delayed services and compounded her family’s struggles.
“These failures have been compounded by instances of retaliation,” Banes said, urging the board to require comprehensive training for educators and administrators on special-education law, create oversight mechanisms for retaliation complaints, mandate annual reviews of IEPs and BIPs, and require accurate documentation in Maryland’s IEP online system.
The board’s chair thanked Banes and noted that public comment is not followed by an immediate question-and-answer session but invited her to submit written comments for further review. No formal action or response to Banes’s requests was recorded during the meeting.
Banes’s testimony highlighted several specific concerns the board may consider: incomplete or incorrect IEP/BIP entries in the Maryland IEP online system, delays in evaluations tied to vendor changes, and an allegation of retaliatory behavior by district staff. She asked for clearer accountability, annual implementation checks, and protections for parents who raise compliance concerns.
The board did not debate or vote on the requests during the session. Staff and board members acknowledged the comment and the chair invited a written submission for follow-up review at a later time.
