IEP Meeting Preparation

Write to the program specialist (or the administrator in charge of the IEP), the teacher, and/or the case worker to request a draft of the IEP at least two weeks in advance of the meeting; you can request that the district provide the draft no less than three days before the meeting.

In California, once the school receives your meeting request, the meeting must be held within 30 calendar days.

Be specific as to why you are requesting the IEP meeting. Examples include discussing new accommodations for the classroom, a change in service minutes, etc. If there are certain team members that you feel need to be in attendance, make sure you request their attendance ahead of time.

Parents have the right to participate in all meetings related to the identification, assessment, and placement of their child as well as the provision of FAPE. They have the right to request an Independent Educational Evaluation for their child if they disagree with the school district’s assessment.

By law, the people who must participate in an IEP meeting include the parents, general education teacher and/or special education teacher, a representative of the school district, a therapist who can interpret assessments, and other invited third parties such as advocates or attorneys.

List what you perceive are your child’s areas of need that have and have not been addressed in their IEP. Highlight your child’s areas of strength and point out strategies that have not worked and how they might be altered.