State and federal rules that say there must be at least one annual IEP team meeting. This must take place within 364 days of the previous annual IEP team meeting. If your student has had one IEP team meeting, the first page of the IEP will show the date when the next annual meeting is due.
Some students and their families must have one IEP team meeting a year. More are possible, and one is the required minimum. Other students have multiple IEP team meetings. When the student’s needs change, they meet a goal and the team wants to create new ones. When the old IEP is not working the way it needs to work, these are all excellent reasons to call an IEP team meeting.
So who can call an IEP team meeting. Parents of a student with an IEP can request one at any time, as often as you wish. Please do so in writing, and email at least 2 people at your child’s school district. Their case manager should be one of the people receiving the emailed request. Your child’s school district can also request an IEP team meeting at any time. For both parents and school district IEP team meeting requests, the meeting must take place within 30 days of the written request.
Please note that schools often want to meet at times that are convenient for them, which is fair. However, they MUST also consider what times work for you. If you do not have care for your child and will not be able to focus on the meeting, if you will be severely penalized for taking off work, or any other good reason, then ask the team to schedule the IEP team meeting during a time that works for you. Typically it must take place between 7:30 am and 5 pm during the week due to school contracts with staff.
If the district calls the meeting, email and ask them what topics they would like to cover during the meeting so that you can be prepared.
If you are calling the meeting, we also recommend that you give them at least a rough idea of what you want to discuss so that they can also be prepared. If you ask in advance that they give you a goal update, that can also take place during this IEP team meeting. They are not required to provide those updates outside of the 2 to 3 times a year listed on the IEP, so this is also a good opportunity for an update on how your student is doing on achieving their IEP goals.
For help at your child’s next IEP meeting, more information about our special education advocacy services, or for a FREE 20-minute consultation to see if we are a good fit for you, call or email today!
As parents, we understand. As advocates, we can help.