Reading & Other Learning Disabilities

In Part 1 of 2, we discussed five ways to minimize feelings of 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.

In Part 2 of 2 we recommend that you take all or some of the following steps well before the IEP meeting

• Develop a list of your child’s weaknesses and strengths.
• Request sufficient meeting time to fully discuss everything you want to discuss.
• Arrange to record the meeting on a digital audio recorder or arrange to have someone take notes.
• Have a knowledgeable person accompany you to the meeting.
• 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.

Here’s a little more detail.

Develop a list of your child’s weaknesses and strengths. Make the list comprehensive, but the phrasing succinct; limit it to one page. Include information about your child’s academic achievement and functional performance.

Well before the meeting, send the list to the Team’s case manager with a note requesting the Team to discuss the specifics at the IEP meeting. During the meeting, use the list as a checklist and a tool to focus the discussion.

Request sufficient time. Tell the Team’s case manager how much time you’ll need to fully discuss your concerns without feeling rushed. Request this time. If the manager tells you that the Team’s policy is one period and you think three are needed, request the manager to schedule two additional periods on other dates. Follow this up in writing. Don’t worry about violating an unwritten law: IDEA-2004, the written law, does not limit IEPs to one session. It supports a thorough examination of the issues. Knowing this, and not feeling rushed, can minimize intimidation.

Arrange to Record the Meeting on a Digital Audio Recorder. Before doing this, check your state’s law. Some states, like New Jersey, allow parents to record meetings if they inform the Team in advance. Not all states do. Digital recorders eliminate the need to store tapes; many models allow you to store files on computers and to send files over the internet.

Have a knowledgeable person accompany you. If you can’t get a knowledgeable friend or advocate to accompany you, get someone who will silently take notes. Again, Charles Fox: “Never go to any meeting alone.” After the meeting, discuss what was accomplished and what remains to be accomplished.

Develop a list of statements that can reduce anxiety and enhance the discussion. Such statement might include:

• Requests for more information: “Tell me more.”
• Requests for data: “What data lead you to that conclusion?”
• Requests for research: “Can you share the research supporting this methodology for Liam?”
• Requests for time to think: “I don’t fully understand. Let me read and think about it. Let’s schedule a meeting to discuss it. Perhaps next week?”
• Gentle Disagreements: “Perhaps you’re right. Liam shuts down when frustrated. Maybe the work is too hard. Perhaps his teachers can assign him easier work over the next month. Let’s try it and see how well he responds. What do you think?”

Follow-up with summaries and concerns. Your summary should state what the Team agreed to and what you think remains to be done. If you have concerns, express them. If thanks are deserved, give them.

When following up, remember that developing an IEP is a legal process that can result in disagreements; to prevail, documentation is critical. So, write clearly calmly, and accurately. Edit your work several days after writing it, when emotions have lessened. If possible, ask an impartial friend to edit it. Before sending it, ask the old question: “Would publishing my letter on the front page of the New York Times help or hurt my cause?”

Here’s the bottom line. By better understanding the situation and your options, you’re less likely to feel intimidated, more likely to feel competent, and more likely to get your child the program he needs to Beat the Odds. Thus, the reason for our book, Reading Disabilities: Beating the Odds. It’s full of information about reading disabilities, IEPs, IEP meetings, special education laws, solving conflicts, working with teachers and schools, reading evaluations, reading methodologies, reading programs, and monitoring progress. Studying and understanding these topics can minimize intimidation and increase the likelihood that you will effectively advocate for your child.

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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