In This Issue ...

• Plan and Prepare for the IEP Meeting
  

• Learn How to Write a Parent Agenda
  

• Use a Parent Agenda to Tell Your Child's Story


• Homework Checklist: Assignment #1

Circulation: 95,969
ISSN: 1538-320
July 1, 2014

Summer School 2014
Parent Rights & Responsibilities in the IEP Process

As the parent member of your child’s IEP team, you are an equal participant in meetings. Parents are free to provide input into their child’s IEP through a written report if they so choose.

The keys to a successful IEP meeting are

• preparing
• organizing information
• knowing how to present requests

In this issue of the Special Ed Advocate you'll find Part 2: Identifying Problems, Clarifying Issues at IEP Meetings.

Please don't hesitate to forward this series to other friends, families, or colleagues.

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Plan and Prepare for the IEP Meeting

When you learn that an IEP meeting is scheduled, use a Pre-Meeting Worksheet to prepare. See Wrightslaw: From Emotions to Advocacy, 2nd Edition (p. 265, Table 25-1)

Fill in the information about the meeting time and date, location, purpose, and who requested the meeting. As you prepare, you will be able to answer more of the questions in the pre-meeting worksheet.

• What do you want?
• What does the school want?
• What action do you want the school to take?
• How motivated are they to give you what you want?
• What will prevent them from giving you what you want?
• How can you address their concerns and fears?

No One Likes Surprises at IEP Meetings! Learn How to Write a Parent Agenda

Provide the school with a list of your concerns before the meeting.

Use a Parent Agenda to:

• prepare for meetings
• identify concerns and list problems
• propose solutions to problems
• identify issues and problems that are not resolved
• improve parent-school relationships

Send several copies of your Parent Agenda to the school for members of your child's IEP team. Bring extra copies to the meeting.

Download this Sample Parent Agenda.

Use a Parent Agenda to Tell Your Child's Story

A Parent Agenda is a powerful tool that will tell your child's story. The IEP Team can step into your child's shoes and see the world through his eyes. Use the agenda to frame problems and develop solutions for your child.

We thought the Sample Parent Agenda was such a good example that we included it in Wrightslaw: From Emotions to Advocacy (page 267, Table 25-2).

Summer School 2014: Homework Checklist & Assignment #1

  1. Prepare a Pre-Meeting Worksheet.

  2. Complete the answers to the questions on your Pre-Meeting Worksheet.

  3. Download and review the Sample Parent Agenda.

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