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Parent involvement in the IEP process
You know your child better than anyone else on the IEP team. A parent is not only a member of the team but an integral part of the IEP team’s success. A successful team is able to develop a strong Individualized Education Program (IEP) geared toward your child’s specific needs in their educational environment.
The information you can contribute to the team discussion is invaluable. You have spent more time with your child, have worked with your child, have guided your child in a multitude of situations, on a multitude of days more than anyone else on the IEP team. You are the expert on your child and understand the intricacies of their strengths and struggles.
As the expert, it is important to have your voice heard at the IEP discussion table. All IEP teams structure and run their meetings differently. Team differences will always exist, but your ability to contribute should be a constant.
Examples of information that you can communicate include things like:
There are many ways you can share information with the IEP team. You can choose the form with which you are most comfortable and find most effective. The beginning of every meeting is the best time to discuss your student’s strengths and any concerns. You should be asked by the team leader to contribute your thoughts verbally. If you are not asked, you need to stop and state to the team that first, you would like to discuss student strengths and parental concerns. If you are unable to do this verbally, you can also submit this information in writing and ask that it be read aloud at the meeting.
Whatever you share, or how you share it, YOU are in control of possibly the most detailed and intimate knowledge about your child. Think through how that information can help the IEP team develop a plan with goals and accommodations that are very specific to your child. YOU can push your child’s IEP team to think outside the box and apply the best of themselves to creating an IEP plan tailored to your student’s special needs.
Working to be in control of your contribution to an IEP process takes significant time and effort. It is very understandable if you are short on time. Or, if you have trouble adequately expressing everything you want to about your student. Additionally, how you present your ideas and thoughts to the IEP team can greatly impact the effectiveness of your contributions. I can help you structure and present your knowledge about your child, and your thoughts on their IEP plan -let’s talk about how.
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