Be Prepared…

Be Prepared

Fifteen years ago, we had no voice …. and didn’t even know we needed one! Boy, were we wrong! Not knowing the IEP process, the verbiage, or our rights (in the Procedural Safeguards) was a detriment. But that is hindsight!

Over these last 15 years, I have researched and learned much …. on the federal IDEA law, our state & district statutes/policies, and on “our” specific disabilities. My voice to advocate was born through all of this!

As the new school year begins, there is much to be nervous about! Not only for the “newness” of everything in school, but also the IEP and its implementation. Are you prepared????

Now is the time to begin planning and organizing for the upcoming year. Start by reviewing your child’s IEP, progress report and report card from June; if you have FSA results, review them also. Make a list of your concerns from the documentation. (As you read the progress report, you should “see” whether your child is progressing or not. You may need to sift through the adjectives or percentages used for each goal). Make a list of all your current concerns, apart from the reports.

Free Download: My Child’s Progression Report

Since it is the beginning of the school year, you can request an IEP meeting rather than wait for the “review” date that is listed on the IEP. You will want to put this request in writing – in an email – so that you have a “paper trail”. The schools should keep track of the review date as well as the triennial evaluations, but as we all know, sometimes things fall through the cracks. Stay on top of it all! Remember: that is part of YOUR job to stay on top of this.

What I didn’t know was that parents are an integral member of the IEP Team (written in the federal IDEA law)¹ and your child’s voice. You will need to advocate for your child!

Some suggestions so you can be proactive at your IEP meetings: Request a draft of the IEP in writing prior to the meeting, create an agenda, write out your questions/comments, bring your “data” (child’s homework without corrections, videos of them working on the homework or the meltdown getting it done), know your Rights and Responsibilities (the Procedural Safeguards), organize paperwork into files (to easily retrieve your paperwork/forms) and bring only the files you need, and ask questions (Can you please explain how it affects your child specifically) and then actively listen to the explanations.

Other useful strategies include: know your child’s strengths AND weaknesses, speak affirmatively but not forcefully, be positive and collaborative and don’t point fingers, stay calm, ask for a break, know your options, and bring others to your meeting (as a support for you as well as another set of eyes and ears). You will also want to know where you will “settle” – on a goal, time for the services, etc… Sometimes it is only a matter of a goal being tweaked; other times you can ask that the goal be discarded and a new one added. Remember you ARE a member of the IEP Team!!!

I will agree some of this can be very hard to do … but YOU ARE your child’s voice! Use it effectively!!!

Throughout the year, you will need to continue to monitor and scrutinize the IEP and the progress your child is making. Don’t wait until the next scheduled meeting. Be Prepared in Advance!!!

https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/d/300.321

Doreen Franklin is a Special Ed Advocate and parent of 2 adopted daughters with diverse special needs. She assists parents with their understanding of legal policy, procedures, rights, & responsibilities under IDEA so parents can learn to collaboratively advocate for their child. She has been an Advocate & Coach since 2005. Doreen is also a private tutor and homeschooled her older daughter.

https://www.parentingspecialneeds.org/article/politics-special-education-information/

More IEP Help

• How can parents prepare for an IEP Meeting? (Part 1)
• How Parents Can Work Together to Help Their Child With Their Education
• The Politics of Special Education: The Information You Need Right Now
• Whether it’s Your First IEP or You’re a Pro: 10 things to Cover at the Meeting
• IEP… I Do’s Building a Viable Home-School Relationship – It’s like a Marriage
• Know Your Rights in the IEP Process: What Do those Procedural Safeguards Really Mean?
• Requests Prior to IEP Meetings: Eval Reports and Draft IEPs
• Three Tips for Highlighting and Color-Coding Your Child’s Draft IEP
• Organizing Your Child’s Special Education File: Do It Right
• “Pre-IEP Worksheet for Parents” {Tip 27 of 31}
• Where Do I Go for Evaluations

This post originally appeared on our July/August 2019 Magazine