How do I request a one-to-one aide for my child?

Ask the IEP team in writing, and describe the specific moments your child needs an adult close by — transitions, safety, staying on task, personal care. A one-to-one aide is one kind of support an IEP can include. The team decides based on your child’s needs, so examples and data carry more weight than the request itself.

What to do

Write down when and where your child struggles without adult support — times of day, activities, what happens — and gather any notes from teachers or therapists.
Send a written request asking the team to consider one-to-one support and to schedule a meeting to discuss it.
At the meeting, ask what the data shows and what exactly the aide would do. Clear duties — support during transitions and lunch, for example — are easier to measure and to reduce as skills grow.
Ask how the support helps your child learn alongside classmates. Removing a child from regular classes is meant to happen only when supports there are not enough.
34 CFR § 300.114(a)(2)(ii)
If the team says no, ask for prior written notice explaining why and which other options it considered.
34 CFR § 300.503(b)(6)

What the law says

The IEP must list the supplementary aids and services and the supports for school staff your child needs, with how often, where, and how long each is provided.
34 CFR § 300.320(a)(4), (a)(7)
Supplementary aids and services are supports provided in regular classes and other settings so children with disabilities can be educated with nondisabled children to the maximum extent appropriate.
34 CFR § 300.42
A regular education teacher on the team takes part, to the extent appropriate, in deciding on supplementary aids and services and supports for staff.
34 CFR § 300.324(a)(3)(ii)
Special classes or other removal from the regular classroom should happen only when education there cannot be achieved satisfactorily even with supplementary aids and services.
34 CFR § 300.114(a)(2)(ii)
If the school refuses a service you requested, its written notice must describe the other options the team considered and why they were rejected.
34 CFR § 300.503(b)(6)

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Common questions

What is the difference between a one-to-one aide and a classroom aide?

A classroom aide supports several students or the teacher; a one-to-one aide is assigned to support one child. If your child needs dedicated support, the IEP should say so plainly rather than listing general “aide support.”

Will an aide make my child too dependent?

It is a fair worry, and a good plan answers it. Ask the team to write down what the aide does, when, and how the support will be reduced as your child builds skills, so independence is part of the plan from the start.

Should the IEP say how many hours the aide works with my child?

Yes, ask for it. The IEP should give the frequency, location, and length of each support, which turns “aide support” into something you can check against the real school day.