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SPECIAL NEEDS NORTH STATE PARENT FAMILY RESOURCE GUIDE FALL/WINTER 2021/2022
How To Prepare For Your Child’s IEP Meeting
BY SARAH LYONS
An individualized education plan (IEP) is a key component of your child’s special education plan. By law, schools are required to provide
services to kids who qualify. An IEP meeting is where goals are set and where educators and the child’s guard- ians jointly decide about which services will be provided. The process can be intimidating for parents, but prepa- ration and research before the meeting will help parents feel more informed and confident. Time spent preparing will enable parents to be better advocates for their child, and help develop a plan for their child’s success in school. Take these steps to prepare for your child’s IEP meeting to make sure you’re informed and prepared.
Talk to your child’s teacher
Your child’s teacher is in a good position to identify your child’s strengths and challenges and may suggest what services would be helpful to them. If possible, ob- serve your child in the classroom to get a feel for how so- cial interactions and classroom learning are going. Know- ing this information, as well as their current math and reading levels, will help you assist in setting goals during the IEP meeting.
Read up
The school should send home a notice of meeting that states who will attend the IEP meeting, the reason for meeting, and, if applicable, goals set in the previous IEP meetings. Carefully read the information sent home so you understand what to expect. You may also consid- er studying special education laws that pertain to your child’s needs so you know what services you can legally ask for. There are many websites and books available to help parents prepare for IEP meetings as well. The more
knowledge you have, the more confident and comfort- able you will feel during the meeting.
Write down your questions and goals
Well before the meeting, write down questions you would like to ask at the meeting. This is also a great time to note down the visions and goals you have for your child. Bring your notes with you to the meeting so you can refer to them throughout the process. Having a list of questions and an idea of goals you would like to see your child reach will help you make sure that you cover everything you had hoped even if the emotions of the meeting make it more difficult to remember your questions and concerns. Don’t be afraid to ask for additional services for your child. The school may not provide everything you had in mind but it never hurts to ask.
Get organized and collect paperwork
Collect any paperwork you need or would like to bring to the meeting and gather it in one place so it is neat and organized for the meeting. Bring your notes from your observation, your list of questions and goals you would like to set, and any medical paperwork that pertains to the IEP meeting. If you have had any private evaluations done, bring copies of those as well.
Bring an advocate
Because IEP meetings can be intimidating, it can be helpful to bring an advocate to the meeting with you. This could be a lawyer or, simply, a spouse or co-parent. Having a person there both for support and to be anoth- er advocate for your child can be a good boost of confi- dence to help ensure you meet the goals you would like for your child. Be sure to let your school know, in advance, who will be attending the meeting with you.
Be confident - you know your child best
You know your child best and you are the best per- son to represent their needs, challenges, and successes. While it can be emotional and overwhelming to address issues your child is facing when it comes to learning, set- ting goals and ensuring the proper services are provid- ed is the best thing you can do for your child’s success in school. Dress appropriately for the meeting, bring the documents and notes you prepared, and speak confi- dently and lovingly about your child. Your preparation and concerns will be apparent to everyone at the meet- ing and you will have the reassurance that you were pre- pared and did your best to help your child be successful in school.
Books to Help Prepare forYour Child’s IEP Meeting
The Art of Advocacy: A Parent’s Guide to a Collaborative IEP Process by Charmaine Thaner
Better IEP Meetings Everyone Wins by Cynthia M. Herr and Barbara D. Bateman
Wrightslaw: All About IEPs by Peter W. D. Wright and Pame- la Darr Wright
Wrightslaw: From Emotions to Advocacy: The Special Ed- ucation Survival Guide by Peter W.D. Wright and Pamela Darr Wright
Your Special Education Rights: What Your School District Isn’t Telling You by Jennifer Laviano and Julia Swanson The IEP from A to Z: How to Create Meaningful and Mea- surable Goals and Objectives by Diane Twachtman-Cullen and Jennifer Twachtman-Basset
100 North State Parent Family Resource Guide Fall/Winter 2021/2022 • www.northstateparent.com