Part 1 of 2
Even if the members of your child’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) Team are extraordinarily kind, caring, and courteous, you might find them intimidating. After all, they know the rules, the language, and the system far better than you. This is their umpteenth IEP meeting, only your second. And even if they simplify their language, you may still find it mysterious, complex, and fast-paced. What’s a WISC-IV and a Woodcock-Johnson? What do they look like? How does memory for digits relate to word identification? What’s the difference between a norm-referenced test and an informal reading inventory? Why is this even important?
To minimize intimidation, we recommend that you take all or some of these steps well before the IEP meeting:
- Study the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA-2004), especially the sections that explain the requirements for IEPs and IEP meetings.
- Send the IEP Team any new information you have that identifies your child’s needs.
- Examine your child’s school records.
- Meet with a private expert to review all reports about your child and a copy of his school records.
- Develop a list of questions to ask the IEP Team.
- Develop a list of your child’s weaknesses and strengths.
- Request sufficient meeting time to fully discuss everything you want to discuss.
- Have a knowledgeable person accompany you to the meeting.
- Arrange to record the meeting on a digital audio recorder or arrange to have someone take notes.
- Prepare a list of statements that can reduce your anxiety and enhance the discussion.
- Plan to send the Team a summary of what it agreed to at the meeting as well as a list of unresolved issues and concerns.
This post will discuss the first five suggestions.The next post will discuss the rest.
Study the sections of IDEA-2004 that directly relate to IEPs and IEP meetings. Study the sections that tell you what the IEP should address; this tells you what to expect. For example, all IEPs must have a section that IDEA calls the child’s Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance. Thus, you should expect the Team to discuss your child’s current academic achievement: What is his instructional level for reading? What is his frustration level? Which phonic elements can he apply effortlessly? Which give him trouble. This section includes much more than academics. As Charles Fox, a special education attorney in Illinois, notes, “the IEP is about academics AND social, emotional, and functional outcomes.” What’s one quick way of convincing some Teams that Fox is right? Look at the title IDEA-2004 gives this part of the IEP: Academic Achievement and Functional Performance. By separating the two, IDEA-2004 makes clear that for students with disabilities, education is more than academics.
To quickly find these sections of IDEA-2004, go to our website (www.reading2008.com); under Resources, download Law-IDEA2004-FedRegister-Regs-2006-Aug14. Study sections §300.320 to §300.328, pages 46787 to 46791.
Send the IEP Team new information about your child’s needs. If you recently had your child evaluated by a private reading specialist, discuss the report with the specialist. Once you accurately and fully understand it, send a copy to the IEP Team. By sharing reports and understanding them, you’re likely to feel more confident and speak with greater authority. If possible, have your specialist attend the meeting in person, or at the very least, by phone. This too should boost your confidence and add importance to your report.
In writing, request that at the IEP meeting the Team discuss whatever you send them. Keep in mind that the Team must consider your private evaluations: “The IEP Team must consider … the results of the … most recent evaluation of the child …. If the parent … shares with the [school] an evaluation obtained at private expense, the results of the evaluation … must be considered by the [school]…” (34 CFR §300.324, §300.502).
Examine your child’s school records. If parents give the school adequate notice, they’re entitled to examine their child’s school records. Examine the records well before the meeting so you’re not surprised by anything in them and so you have time to discuss a copy with your expert.
Meet with a private expert to review all relevant information. This can dramatically increase your understanding and confidence. If your child has a reading problem, meet with a reading specialist; if his problems are emotional, a school psychologist; if they’re language based, a speech and language specialist. One expert can often cover several areas.
Develop a list of questions to ask the IEP Team. After studying IDEA-2004, examining your child’s records, and meeting with your expert, write down whatever questions you need to ask the Team. Make the questions relevant; stress questions likely to affect your child’s program and progress. Before the meeting, send your questions to the Team’s case manager with a note requesting that the Team discuss the questions at the meeting.
Together, these five steps should minimize the mystery and fear surrounding IEPs and IEP meetings. By helping you to better understand the IEP process, your child’s needs, and the law, they should increase your confidence. Much of this is discussed in greater detail in our book, Reading Disabilities: Beating the Odds. Our next post will discuss six more ways to minimize intimidation and increase your confidence and effectivness.
References for Parts 1 and 2
34 CFR, Parts 300 and 301 (Rules and Regulations for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004).
Fox, C. P., Esq., (http://specialedlaw.blogs.com/home).
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