The Importance Of Including Your Child in Their Own IEP Meeting

We as parents spend a lot of time advocating for our children when they are young.  However, there comes a time when our children become older and they have to learn how to advocate for themselves; knowing when the time is right will depend on your child.  If your child is still attending elementary school, they are most likely NOT mature enough to participate.  For those of you who have children in middle school, now is the time to think about the prospect of someday having your child attend their own IEP meeting.

When you and your child have come to the conclusion that they are ready to participate in their IEP meeting….then by all means, bring them in!!  When they first attend, it’s not necessary to bring them in for the entire meeting.  It’s important to make them feel comfortable and let them know that the team is there to help them in school.  The purpose of the IEP is not to discipline your child but to encourage them to become an integral part of some of the decisions pertaining to their IEP.  When you have finished discussing whatever you needed with the school, then bring your child in to participate.  It’s important to make it a positive experience so they are not afraid to participate….it can be frightening for a pre-teen/teenager to walk into a room by themselves with ten adults staring at them.

Read more of Dennise Goldberg's Special Education Advisor article HERE.

Top Ten Questions to Ask at an IEP

If your child has an IEP, the following top ten list is comprised of generic questions that all parents should be asking. This list is not specific to any disability or situation.

10. How has the School updated the present levels of performance?

The Present Levels of Performance (PLOPs) are crucial to writing a successful IEP. Since many IEP Teams only perform assessments every 3 years, for the triennial IEP, it’s important to understand how this section is being updated. “This section forms the basis and justification for all goals and objectives. In turn, the goals and objectives form the basis for all services and placements.” (Brannigan and Margolis, IEP Goals and Objectives are these any good)

Read more of Dennise Goldberg's Special Education Advisor Blog HERE.

The Ever Changing IEP

Whether your child has an annual or triennial IEP, it’s a good idea to review it from top to bottom with the entire IEP team. Believe it or not, there are always changes that need to be made. The goals that were set in the previous grade may need to be changed because they have already been attained, the curriculum has become harder, or adequate progress has not yet been made. As a result, a team effort between the school and yourself must be attempted to make the adjustments necessary to help your child improve on their ability to access the curriculum.

Read Dennise Goldberg's Special Education Advisor blog article HERE.