How to Prepare for an IEP Meeting: 7 Tips for Parents

It’s time for your IEP (Individualized Education Program) meeting with your child’s school. Whether this is your first one or you’re a practiced pro, here are a few tips to help you get ready.

Write it down

Make sure all of your communication with the school is in written form, or otherwise recorded. Bring a pen and paper to the meeting for notes. If note-taking isn’t your thing, let the school know in advance that you’ll be recording the meeting.

Be kind

Kindness goes a long way toward making sure you’re working as a team. Remember, education professionals want to see students improve too. You’re on the same side.

Bring a friend

Having another advocate with you can help you feel more at ease, and free you up to voice your concerns and opinions. A second set of ears may also catch things you miss. Just let the school know in writing ahead of time who will be joining you.

Get organized

Prepare a binder or folder to hold your child’s records. Include:

• Your communication with the school
• Report cards
• Testing scores and assessments, both in-school and privately administered
• Past IEPs
• Student work samples

Do your prep work

Request all of your child’s reports and records beforehand, including logs of work done under the former IEP, if one exists. Writing a letter to the school detailing your child’s strengths and challenges as you see them lets the team know how you think they’re doing, and gives you a natural opening to raise anything else you want addressed.

Keep goals SMART

Make sure any proposed goals are SMART:

• Specific
• Measurable
• Attainable
• Results-oriented
• Time-bound

For example: “By November 11, Sally will be able to orally explain class vocabulary words, with 80 percent accuracy, on 8 out of 10 tries. Her progress will be measured monthly.”

Ask questions

Do you feel more standardized testing is needed to get an accurate picture? Does your child need extra time to complete tests? Don’t be afraid to ask.

Your goal is to work as a team to help your child succeed. Keep in mind the professionals in that room have been working with students all day and may be tired. A little kindness (and maybe a plate of brownies) goes a long way toward keeping everyone at ease.

Frequent, structured practice, the kind built into Online Reading Tutor’s Orton-Gillingham based lessons, tends to reach reading fluency milestones much sooner than traditional once-a-week tutoring. Take our free 10-minute screener to see where your child stands before your next meeting.