Information about IEP Meetings for Families

Family Participation in IEP Meetings

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Presentation by ISD Special Services Department and ISD Equity and Family Partnership Department

 

Review of initial steps before IEP- Identification to Eligibility

• Referral – Referral made by parent, school personnel, school district staff, or other person with knowledge of student
• Consent to Evaluate – District decides to evaluate and receives your informed consent
• Initial Evaluation – Comprehensive, by district within 35 school days of consent
• Initial Evaluation Report – Parent and School district team meet to discuss results/data and then make determination about eligibility
• Eligibility and Consent – Student is determined to have a disability and qualifies for Special Education
• Consent - parent consents to services and school starts to create an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) to support your child.

What is an Individualized Education Plan?

• Individualized Education Plan – It is a "living document" that is created based on input from staff and families. It is important for the team to work collaboratively to create it. Changes can be made at any time (mutually agreed).
• The IEP presented at the meeting is a draft. Purpose of the meeting is to work and edit the draft based on parent feedback and staff input.
• Creating an IEP
• First IEP meetings occurs within 30 days of eligibility and consent
• Use data from initial evaluation to write initial IEP
• Team will determine appropriate placement

**Special Education begins – general education and special education teachers or specialists implement IEP.

Who is on the team and what is their role? (Core team at all IEP meetings)

• Parent or legal guardian
• Special education teacher – usually the case manager
• Student (if appropriate)
• General education teacher (Classroom in elementary or a core class teacher secondary)
• District representative (LEA – Local Education Agency)–
  • Usually the principal, assistant principal, Dean of Student, ISD Special Education Administrative staff
  • Who can provide or supervises the provision of specially designed instruction
  • Who is knowledgeable about the general curriculum and the availability of resources within the district

Additional members of IEP team

• Individual who can interpret evaluation results and the related instructional implications - (Student may have multiple specialists as their support team)
• School Psychologist
• Occupational Therapist
• Speech and Language Pathologist
• Physical Therapist
• Behavioral Specialist
• Other individuals, at the discretion of the parent or the district, who have knowledge or special expertise regarding your student, including related services personnel
• Parent can bring someone (friend, advocate, person from ARC or family member) to the meeting (let the school know if you are bringing a lawyer).
• Interpreter as appropriate, no cost to the family, professional interpreter hired by the ISD. (you can add note in IEP that parent wants all communication in their preferred language)

IEP Team

• Meets at least once a year.
• Parent/guardian can email to request an additional meeting at any time to be scheduled at a mutually agreed time.
• IEP team meeting can be a large group (10+ school staff).
• The IEP can be updated between yearly IEP meetings based on your child's current needs.

What does the IEP team do?

• Responsible for identifying and evaluating your student.
• Develop, review, and/or revise your student's IEP.
• Determine the placement or setting where your student will receive her/his special education services in accordance with the IEP.

Role of parent/guardian at the IEP meeting

• Part of the IEP team that makes decision regarding your child.
• Advocate, share, participate in discussion and decision making.
• Ask questions about IEP, data or other aspects of the meeting.
• Not a passive participant.
• Take notes (or ask for a copy of the notes at the end of meeting time) about what suggestions or changes were made so you (parent) can then compare it with final updated IEP.
• Come prepared to share what you are seeing in your child's progress, your thoughts and suggestions.
• Come prepared with questions for the school staff.

Parent/Guardian at the meeting

• School will work with you on a mutually agreed upon meeting time starting at least 1 month in advance. (new ISD change based on parent feedback).
• You will receive a parent input request at least 5 days in advance to ensure that you have the opportunity to provide feedback.
• The IEP draft will be sent out at a minimum of 5 days prior to the IEP meeting.
• Meeting is at a mutually agreed upon time and place within school day. Staff will collaborate on a day/time (school office hours) that works within the time frame.
• If parent cannot attend in person – video or telephone conference acceptable to ensure parent/guardian participation.
• If you would like an interpreter, please let staff know at least 3 days before the meeting.

Upon Arrival to the IEP meeting

• Consider time of meeting, if after school, try to arrive 15 mins earlier so that you can avoid traffic for student pick-up.
• Check in with the office staff.
• Know the name of staff running the meeting.
• Let receptionist know name of staff you are meeting with (will be the person sending you the Parent Input form).
• Have something to take notes during the meeting.
• Have a copy of your Parent Input document available – optional (Suggestion: have it available on your phone).
• Bring a list of questions for the staff regarding the IEP draft – questions you may have, notes you have taken or suggestions you have for changes.

What does a meeting agenda look like?

• Welcome
• Introductions
• Agenda
• Strengths and challenges
• Parent Input
• Review of IEP
• Closure – questions, areas to follow up

The start of the meeting

• Welcome
• Meeting expectations such as how to ask questions and identify note taker for the meeting.
• Introductions
• Team will introduce themselves and remind explain their role
• It is OK to ask staff to introduce themselves each time they speak if you don't know them or their role
• Review the Agenda
• Parents can add items if needed to the agenda
• Strengths and challenges of the student
• Staff will share
• Parents are welcome to add strengths and challenges
• Students attending are welcome to add strengths and challenges

Next Step: Meeting will begin with responses from the Parent Input document

• Will be sent at least 5 days before meeting
• What information can be shared in the Parent Input document?
  • Child's interest at home (reading, games, hobbies)
  • Health updates of child – medication changes
  • What are your biggest concerns at home?
  • What is working at school?
  • What is working at home?
  • What concerns you have?
  • Changes at home (divorce, loss, marriage, illness)
• Your Parent Input responses will be shared at the meeting.
• If you don't provide the responses in the Parent Input document, you can share at the meeting.
• You also have an opportunity to ask questions prior to the meeting if you are unclear about the IEP plan.

 

Next Step: Staff will review IEP

• Review how the child is performing at school currently
• Review and discuss new goals from parents (possibly from parent input document) and staff
• Accommodations
• Which areas student is being served
• Review of child's school week – what services, how many minutes and where they will receive it.
• This section is a matrix that can be very technical. Please ask clarification questions as needed before, during or after the meeting.
• Based on parent and staff input, the IEP final document may be updated.

**Parents have an opportunity to give feedback on ALL parts of IEP document.

Course Selection and Grade impact (Discussion during Minutes section of the IEP team meeting)

• IEP team decision – ask what grade looks on report card, how impacts course selection in middle/high school, scheduling of classes and time in general education class
• Elementary – in class time
• Middle – no elective class
• P or NP – is this an option for grades? Parent input? (Would that impact college acceptance)
• High
  • No elective class? Impact on elective choices
  • What looks like in transcript? (no information on transcript)
  • Flow chart for class pathway choices
  • ASK during IEP meeting how this will impact college admission and post high school and beyond plan (pathway)
  • **Privacy – who knows the child received Special Education support

Goals and Accommodations are individualized

• IEP – Individualized Education Plan so not the same for all, very much dependent on your child’s needs to succeed.
• If you have additional ideas for accommodations, input can be given throughout the year.
• Given a specific concern, ask IEP Case Manager if there is an additional ISD staff member who can provide specialized support (Assistive Technology, etc.) at the meeting.

What is included in a "prior Written Notice?"

• It is based on discussion at the meeting.
• Parent proposals (if they were agreed upon or not) need to be in this document (legal document).
• Describes the agreements or actions the team will take.
• Document includes any disagreements with you and should clearly describe the reasons for this disagreement.
• Includes decisions to initiate or change the identification, evaluation, placement, or provision of a free appropriate public education (FAPE).
• Lists all the team members in attendance.

Parent or guardian request to reschedule meeting

• If a parent or legal guardian cannot attend the scheduled IEP meeting, then the parent/guardian will need to inform the IEP team and work with the case manager to reschedule as soon as possible.
• In very rare circumstances, an IEP meeting may proceed
  • Parents or guardian will receive the Prior Written Notice copy and the final IEP document.
  • Parents or guardian can still ask questions or make requests on the IEP.
  • Parents or guardian can request another IEP meeting.

Important documents you will receive at the meeting

• Notice of Special Education Procedural Safeguards for Students and Their Families - Little purple book
• ISD Isolation and Restraint policy
• Every parent of an IEP or 504 students receives a copy of the Isolation and Restraint policy even if your child is not on an emergency response plan.
• If the child is on an Emergency Response Plan, it will be documented on the IEP. It is OK to ask how this plan is used and implemented.

If you want more information regarding these policies and parent rights, please ask your child's case manager.

Key Takeaways for presentation:

• IEP draft will be emailed to you before meeting – review highlights
• It is important for parents to give feedback in Parent Input document and/or during the meeting.
• IEP will be in your preferred language of communication
• After the IEP meeting, review Prior Written Notice to ensure what was discussed and agreed upon is in the document.
• When you receive the final IEP document, review it again to ensure it is accurate.
• It is OK to ask QUESTIONS if you are still unclear.
• Staff members are your partners in your child's education.
• Discussion should be two ways – parents are PART of the team to give input.

Informational Resources

• Washington Family Guidance for Special Education Program
• Special Education laws and procedures
• Parent and Student Rights (Procedural Safeguards)
• Suggestions of questions parents can ask during the year (Slide 26)
• List of Acronyms commonly used at IEPs (Slide 27)

ISD Special Education link

Special Education Programs

ISD Family Partnership Liaison

ISD page with IEP information

Community Resources:

• Issaquah PTSA Council – Special Education Committee
  • Special Education – Issaquah PTSA Council 2.6
• Issaquah Special Education PTSA
  • https://issaquahspecialeducationptsa.memberplanet.com/

Questions you can ask your team ANYTIME during the year

• Who is the main person that I contact with questions, comments or concerns?
• What are the staff members who will be working with my child this school year?
• When is a good time to have an informal conversation about my child's progress?
• What can parent/guardian do at home to support goals?
• How will school/team be measuring progress and what might that look like when I see it? Can I see an example?
• What do daily school supports look like for my child? What does my child's day look like?
• How can I share progress we see at home with the school team?
• How can I share new concerns at home with the school team?

Acronyms that may be used in IEP meetings

• IEP – Individualized Education Plan
• LRC1 – Learning Resource Center 1
• LRC2 – Learning Resource Center 2
• IDEA – Individual with Disabilities Act, Federal law
• ACT – Academy for Community Transition (Students 18-21)
• LEA – Local Education Agency (usually an administrative member on IEP Team)
• ELA – English Language Arts
• SLP – Speech and Language Pathologist
• OT/COTA – Occupational Therapist or Certified Occupational Therapist
• FAPE – Schools provide a Free Appropriate Public Education to all qualified students with disabilities, part of IDEA
• IDEA – Individuals with Disabilities Act 

Students with an identified disability are entitled to specially designed instruction known as Special Education (ISD and WA policies)

Click below for presentation in Espanol

Participación de los padres y familias en las reuniones del IEP

 

click below for presentation in Chinese