It sounds pretty simple to tell the school team that you want to schedule an IEP team meeting for your student. There are times this is true, and other times when the school team makes it WAY harder than it needs to be. Here are some tips for having IEP team meetings at times that work for you and your family.
Start with making any request for an IEP team meeting in writing. Email is fine, and should go to at least two team members. From the time you request the meeting, the district has 30 days to schedule a meeting.
Now is where we share some insider information. Schools MUST hold the meeting at a time that works for you. Many schools call meetings only after school. For some parents, that is not an option as they are picking up children from school, working, etc. The school team MUST offer times that you can attend. Do not be shy around asking.
For many of us, there were a lot of virtual IEP team meetings the past few years. Some teachers like them, and others are very resistant. Parents have the right to hold the meeting in person, via telephone, or virtually via videoconference. If you have a strong preference for in person, ask for it. If virtual is a lot easier for you because you work the other side of town, then ask for it. In writing is always the best way for any IEP-related request.
In California, you are allowed to record all IEP team meetings as long as you give the school district 24-hours written notice. You do not need to ask their permission.
Some schools schedule a ridiculously short period of time for an IEP team meeting. We recently had a triennial IEP with over 100 pages of documents. The team allowed 50 minutes. Meetings rarely start on time, and you are going to get very little done in 50 minutes when you have so many documents to present and discuss. What ends up happening is you have the first short meeting, and then another 3 or 4 meetings after that. Done this way, it can take 2 to 3 months to finish the annual IEP. Meanwhile, your student is not working on the new goals nor receiving the new services. Email and ask the team for a more adequate period of time to have an IEP team meeting.
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As parents, we understand. As advocates, we can help.