Has this ever happened to you where you are attending a general meeting (i.e. parent-teacher conferences) and the meeting quickly changes to discuss your child's Individualized Education Plan (IEP) progress? If this has ever happened to you, you are not alone.
The first thing that you need to do is request a copy of a meeting notice that was suppose to be sent to you. If they can not provide such a copy, then request to stop that meeting and reschedule. If you would like to continue your child's parent-teacher conference (not an IEP meeting), you may continue to chat with your child's teachers in regarding his or her overall performance at school.
Meeting Notices
If you can relate to the experience shared above, it is important to know what an IEP meeting notice is, but also know how far advance you should receive one as what to expect to learn from the meeting notice as well as avoid such a negative experience. A meeting notice for an IEP should be given to you in person or mailed to you ten calendar days prior to your son or daughter's IEP. You should know when that IEP meeting is prior to receiving the meeting notice since your child's teacher and/or other IEP team members should have contacted you first determine what date and times work best for you.
Next you should understand what the purpose of the meeting notice is and how the information from that document can help you. The purpose of a meeting notice is to remind you when and where your child's IEP meeting will be, but also to know who will attend the IEP meeting, and what will be discussed at the meeting (i.e. annual review, three year reevaluation, transition, etc.). This information will allow you to have the information to prepare yourself as well as your child for the IEP. It will allow you to write questions that you may have for the meeting, observations or concerns that you have, etc. It also allows you to notify additional people that you would like to attend the meeting to provide support, advocate, and question any information that can assist you in helping your child.
This one page document can assist you in preparing for the meeting so that you can advocate for your child in the most effective way. If you do not receive a meeting notice prior to your child's IEP meeting, contact your child's teacher and/or case coordinator.
It's amazing what a meeting notice can do if developed and sent to parents in a timely manner and the frustration it can cause if it is not.
