WRITTEN VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
How to Prepare for Your Child’s IEP, Part Two
Quick Tip #4
Gather private records.
Many parents have children that have private services such as ABA, speech & language, occupational therapy, or academic tutoring. Even though the services might occur in the home, there’s a lot of information that these private providers can suggest for educational purposes.
So, ask your child’s private providers for progress reports or updates. This will help you determine your child’s needs and their present levels of performance. And don’t hesitate to ask the private providers if they have any educational recommendations that might help your child in the school setting and invite them to the IEP meeting.
Quick Tip #5
Invite guests to the IEP meeting.
It’s always good to have someone at the IEP meeting who can support you. And this could be a family member, a friend, or a professional who works with your child such as an advocate, an ABA, therapist, or speech therapist, or occupational therapist.
You might want to talk to them ahead of the IEP meeting to obtain any suggestions they may have about supporting your child in the school setting. Because a lot of these IEP meetings are now online, it is often more convenient for your private provider to simply log into the meeting or conference call into the meeting rather than having to drive from their business location back-and-forth to the school district.
Quick Tip #6
Private provider school observation
If you’re concerned that some component of your child’s program isn’t working, you may want to schedule a time when your private provider can observe your child in the school setting in order to provide expertise and input on your child’s educational program.
And this can be really helpful. If the private provider sees the child, not only in the homes setting, but also in the school setting, the provider is going be much more equipped to make recommendations about services or accommodations that might be helpful in the school setting. And then that provider can be invited to attend the IEP meeting and make their recommendations. And because they have observed your child in the school setting, their recommendations will carry a lot more weight.
Quick Tip #7
Speak to your child’s teacher about your child’s progress
Ask your child’s teacher how your child is progressing in school. The teacher can help pinpoint any challenges your child may be facing, and suggest what services/accommodations might be helpful to address those challenges. Ask them if they have any new concerns about how your child is performing in school.
And speak to your child about their school experience. Ask them about any struggles they may be having.
And make a list of your suggestions and questions for the IEP meeting. After reviewing your child’s educational records, and speaking to the people referenced above, make a list of questions/suggestions you want to address at the IEP team meeting.
Quick Tip #8
Give notice and tape record the IEP meeting
If your state allows it, tape record the IEP meeting. Check your state’s rules to determine how much notice might be required before you attend the meeting. The tape recorder allows you to actively listen to the IEP meeting discussions without having to worry about taking scrupulous notes about what everybody has said. Instead, the tape recorder will take perfect notes. It also creates a record in case there’s any confusion about what was discussed or decided at the IEP meeting.
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