What rights do parents have in IEP meetings?

Under the procedural safeguards, parents have the right to:

• Receive a complete explanation of the procedural safeguards under IDEA as well as the state’s procedures for presenting complaints.
• Participate in all meetings related to the identification, assessment, and placement of their child as well as the provision of FAPE. The school must also notify parents with enough time to give them the opportunity to attend meetings.
• Examine all educational records.
• Request an Independent Educational Evaluation for their child if they disagree with the school district’s assessment.
• Receive prior written notice when the school district proposes or refutes a change in the identification, assessment, or placement of a child, or the provision of FAPE.
• Provide or refuse consent.
• Disagree with decisions the school makes, including the identification of the child as a child with a disability, the child’s assessments and educational placement, and the special education and related services the school provides to the child. The law also includes several ways to resolve disputes, including mediation, a resolution session, due process hearings, or a state complaint.

For more, see our article Parental Participation and Procedural Safeguards.