Nothing can ensure that your child’s IEP meeting will be productive. However, you can increase the odds that it will be. Here’s one way. Before the meeting, meet with your child’s case manager and agree on how the meeting should be organized. You have a right to do this as you’re an important member of the IEP Team.
Fortunately, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA-2004) and the format of the IEP offer an excellent sequence for developing the IEP. Unfortunately, the sequence is often ignored and critical parts of the IEP are given the short shrift.
The sequence below, for a mythical student, follows IDEA-2004. We suggest you organize the first part of your IEP meeting or meetings around this sequence. Notice that we used the words meeting and meetings. We added the plural as you should not feel rushed to complete your child’s IEP in one meeting. If you can develop an appropriate IEP in one meeting, great; if you can’t, schedule a second or a third meeting. To be fair to your child and his IEP Team, don’t waste time or rush carelessly through his IEP.
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Example Sequence for Developing David Enigma’s IEP
THE PRINCIPLE: FOLLOW THE SEQUENCE, ONE TOPIC AT A TIME
TOPIC ONE – FULLY DISCUSS ALL OF DAVID’S PROBLEMS: Focus on David’s problems until they’re all fully explained and understood. This includes the severity and extent of his problems. Shun goals, objectives, and solutions.
TOPIC TWO – GET DATA VERIFYING PROGRESS ON THE CURRENT IEP: Focus on the progress David made on all the goals and objectives in his current IEP. Ask for the objective, written data that illustrates the progress. Shun goals, objectives, and solutions
TOPIC THREE – DEVELOP THIS PART OF THE IEP: PRESENT ACADEMIC AND FUNCTIONAL LEVELS: Focus on what David can and cannot do, the levels at which he can succeed, the levels at which he frustrates, the situations in which he succeeds, the situations that frustrate or demoralize him. Shun goals, objectives, and solutions
TOPIC FOUR – DEVELOP GOALS AND OBJECTIVES: Consider every area of educational need that was previously discussed. Make sure that they’re meaningful, manageable, and measurable. Ask yourself, “Will the strategies used to measure them give you a full and accurate picture of his progress?” Shun solutions
TOPIC FIVE – IDENTIFY SERVICES AND EVERYTHING ELSE DAVID NEEDS TO SUCCEED ON THE NEW GOALS AND OBJECTIVES: Refer to Topics 3 and 4. Now talk about solutions and whatever David needs to succeed.
TOPIC SIX – DEVELOP A “HOW AND WHEN” MONITORING PLAN: Focus on how each objective will be monitored, when each will be monitored, how the school will inform you of David’s progress on each objective, and when the school will inform you. Keep in mind that monitoring must be frequent enough for David’s program to be modified or changed as soon as he starts to have difficulty.
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