If we have to choose one key rule to IEPs and Special Education, it is: “If it is not in writing, it never happened.” This also includes any of your requests for assessments, requests for records, requests for IEP meetings, documentation of discussions.
Sometimes, school staff may pull a parent aside—before or after school—and have a key conversation about that student’s IEP (or some topic that is an area of disagreement between the family and the school district). After the discussion, immediately write down the conversation as you understood it and send it in an email to the person with whom you had the conversation and at least one other school official. Always make sure that your child’s case manager at the school is informed of these conversations; they could absolutely be the additional person you include in the aforementioned email.
For our one key rule to IEPs to function optimally, we have to keep extensive records of meetings with the school district. The best way to quickly document records of meetings is to record them. Always. We have met parents who have informed us that their child’s school district has made a plethora of excuses for not providing services that the child needs to succeed in school. However, there are few cases where special education law allows a school district to deny a child the services that they (the child) need. When you record meetings with the school district, claims of inability to provide services are significantly reduced and can change the atmosphere of meetings in such a way that it can greatly benefit the student.
Make writing everything down your one key rule to IEPs. It will help you a lot!
You are required to let the school district know that you are recording at least twenty-four (24) hours in advance of the meeting. This allows the school district to plan to record the meeting as well. What you can do to make this easier is send notice that you will record the meeting when you receive a notice for the meeting. This way, you will not have an opportunity to forget to send notice in the often-stressful last few days before the IEP meeting. Per our one key rule for IEPs, you need to let the district know in writing.
You need the ability to record meetings, but is there a “best way” to record? No, but you should pick a recording device that you are not likely to accidentally forget on your way over to the IEP meeting with your school district. There are many recording applications available for smartphones and tablets, though if you want to adhere to our one key rule for IEPs, try to find an application that can transcribe the meetings for you. You can briefly proofread the written record and then store it in an easy-to-find and read document. We recommend storing these files on Google Drive if you have it, as you can access the files from any device that has internet activity.
We know as parents that informing the district that you will be recording can feel like you are being adversarial. It can feel uncomfortable. It if helps you get your child what they need, isn’t it worth some minor discomfort?
As parents, we understand, As advocates, we can help.
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