1. Starting the process. If your child is in school, always keep good open communication with the teacher. You can catch patterns and concerns much faster if you’re collaborating with the people who spend time with your child. If the child is falling behind, having trouble regularly, etc. and the teacher is not providing support, you want to bring the principal and resource teacher in. Request a meeting and evaluations. For starters, this will involve a nurse, a psychologist, and the teacher.
- ALL communication should be in writing. If you have a conversation in person or on the phone, follow up with an email. Not only does this create a paper trail for any future issues that may pop up, but it makes for clear communication across the board.
- Familiarize yourself with your rights as a parent and your child’s rights as a student.
2. The Meetings. You should usually take someone with you–preferably a person who is not as emotionally involved in your child as much as you are–to the meetings. This person can be a huge stress reducer for the parent and take notes for the parent.
- I always take food and a bottle of water to the meetings. I’ve been in countless IEP meetings, and the quickest one has been about 90 minutes. For new assessments, new districts, complicated cases, etc., the meetings can last 3+ hours.
- I always write my assessment. Not only is the parent part of the IEP team, but they are a CRUCIAL link. The parent is the one who knows the child best. That information is invaluable to the team as a whole.
- I always ask for assessments to be emailed or sent home before the meeting. The emailed or mailed assessment is your right, but you have to request it. I try to give a couple weeks’ notice for the request and ask that I have them at least a day or two beforehand. This allows me to read the information before the rush of the meeting and write down comments, questions, concerns.
- You are encouraged to sign the IEP at the meeting, but you do not have to. You have the right to take it home and review it.
- Remember the IEP team is a TEAM. Each part has its caseload and stresses, etc. You have to work together toward the best interest of the child. I think a lot of parents hear nightmare stories before they go through the process, so they go in with swords drawn. This doesn’t help anyone. I always go in with a collaborative mind and then bring up concerns as they arise. If I feel something is necessary for my child and he’s not getting it, then I know my rights and how to escalate as needed.
3. Other stuff. Check out your child’s classroom regularly if you can. I learn so much walking into the room and watching the staff work with the kids. He is in a special day class, so sometimes the main teacher doesn’t have the whole picture, and the staff can share a lot more.
- Know your resources. In California, there are Family Resource Centers that serve every area. Most of them provide service to kids, birth to 3, but some have expanded. If yours hasn’t, they can point you in the direction of other local resources. This site will tell you your local one: http://www.frcnca.org/frcnca-directory/.
Erin Pereyra is the mom to the wonderful and sweet 13-year old, RJ, who has been in Special Education his entire academic career. Here are some of her tips regarding IEPs.