If you request they should supply you a draft IEP or a list of goals/objectives but the actual IEP is supposed to be written at the meeting not before so you can give your input into what your child needs.
We have our first IEP meeting next week. Is the school supposed to give you a copy of the proposed IEP BEFORE the meeting so you can review it?
Thanks!!!
I do, and I just ask for it. Don't know if they have to by law.I request one and they give it to me via fax...I agree--just ask for one. They send it to us, but I stated early on that I thought it would be helpful and make the meeting go quicker. If they make changes they do it right there during the meeting and give me a new copy if all parties are present. They always write "draft" on it. And then the finished product comes out after the meeting. They always give me a sheet to fill out prior to the meeting on what I feel his strengths and weakness are and what I think his goals should be. They make the draft based on that and I'm happy that they included all that I suggested.
If you don't get the copy, just tell them you would like to take it home and look it over before it is finalized.
Good Luck,
I've had 3 different things happen with IEP. The initial one was already written when we got to the meeting and was not sent to us beforehand. I didn't have anything to add for lack of education on my part at the time. But i was given it to take home and look over before signing and sending back with my approval. I was given this option at the meeting.
Second IEP was sent home before hand for me to read over and add strategies and goals
First IEP for my second child was NOT sent to me and I was not offered to read it over at home. Although this one i did add things to it at the meeting and also there were many changes to it at the meeting. This time i am more educated and really knew what i wanted out of this for my son.
I'm not sure what the law states in regards to this.
It's pretty much standard practice in my SD for the IEP to be created prior to the meeting. I personally don't have a problem with this AS LONG AS, I have given my input before they start working on the IEP AND they provide me with a draft proposal at least one week in advance of the meeting. After a couple years of IEP meetings, I've finally learned how to "work the system". Essentially, at the beginning of this school year I provided my son's SE case manager and his GE teacher a comprehensive Parent Report. It lists what I view as his strengths and challenges, as well as strategies I find effective for working with him. I then made it clear to his SE teacher that I would like a draft copy of his IEP in advance of the meeting (which is held in October...we actually just had the meeting last week) and I would be providing her with input on suggested goals before she started working on it. She was very open to this approach, asked me for input several weeks before she began working on the IEP, provided me with the draft in time as promised, I wrote back with comments and suggested changes, and by the time we met last week I felt very comfortable with the document. It allowed us to keep the meeting short (one hour), productive, and there were no surprises.
I do understand the intent of the meeting is to talk about goals, but in my son's case, I had had so many discussions with his teachers, ST, the school psychologist, etc prior to the meeting, we were all pretty much on the same page as to what needed to be addressed, and the actual IEP meeting turned out to be more of a formality. I feel fortunate there is such an "open door" policy at my son's school and that my input and suggestions are welcome. I know this isn't always the case in other SD's.
I would always ask for a copy of the IEP before the meeting. It does help if you give them some advance warning you'll want one.
[QUOTE=tzoya].... but I do get a look see at the reports before the meeting -- they learned a LONG time ago that, otherwise, I will spend the meeting reading the reports out loud to the whole group and their schedule will get all screwed up....[/QUOTE]This is a great question. I have only had 3 IEP meetings total but in the last 2 asked to get the IEP draft ahead of time. The last they re evaluated my son and the teacher drove the copy of the draft to my house on a Friday. The meeting was on a Monday. Now the NEW school (our home school) same SD WILL NOT give a draft before hand. I read in IDEA that the parent absolutely has a right to review all documents, even informal and the SD must give them over not more than 45 days later. I wish it specified before the IEP meeting.
In AZ it seems to be preference of the school! My close friend had her IEP meeting yesterday for her son and THEY LITTERALLY SPENT 2 HOURS READING THE IEP TOGETHER. 3.5 HOURS OF MEETING AND THEY HAD AGREED ON NOTHING, TABLED THE BIP UNTIL THE STAFF COULD RECEIVE TRAINING. My friend brought my BCBA therapist who ripped their data to shreads.
I forgot to add, I actually wrote up my own IEP goals at my 2nd and 3rd IEP meetings and sent them email to his teacher ahead of time. It actually went really well. That again was at the other school. I gave this advice to my friend who sent hers to the teacher. The principal then told my friend, You absolutely CANNOT write your own IEP goals. ??? Give me a break, we are parents on the team! We are the experts on our children! I realize they may not adopt MY goal word for word but it is definately a starting point for negotiation and verbage.Well, NEVER SIGN AN IEP AT THE MEETING! You do not have to and you should not. Like someone else said, it is something that really is supposed to be drafted at the meeting and you should get a final copy that has all the changes before you ever sign anything.
I did not ever get a copy of the IEP before the meeting, but was given the results of his eval 4 hours before the meeting one time. That actually helped some, but I should have gotten it 48 hours before. With this new school district, I have no doubt I will get it beforehand and probably 48 hours before. I will request that in writing - which I strongly suggest you do. AND keep a copy of that request! If they say that it is a draft copy and they don't want to give it out (I got that reply once), you can say to them - a draft is fine. Please just mark it as such on each page and no one will need to worry about it getting confused as the final copy!
They're not supposed to HAVE a proposed IEP. The IEP is supposed to be developed IN the meeting. Of course, some Districts do. Perhaps many. However, the decisions are made during the meeting. What I do is ask for "any paperwork that will be presented during the meeting." In NY, they HAVE to give it to you 5 business days before the meeting. I never hold them to it, but I do get a look see at the reports before the meeting -- they learned a LONG time ago that, otherwise, I will spend the meeting reading the reports out loud to the whole group and their schedule will get all screwed up. Just ask, in writing, to get copies ahead of time of whatever will be presented during the meeting.That's interesting tzoya. I wonder if Minnesota's regs state the principal has to be there. Because every IEP meeting I've attended, the principal has been there - even in our old school district (which was pretty crappy). In our old school district, that was the only time I ever saw the principal. For the first one, she kept referring to my son as a "she" and I had to correct her. His name isn't completely gender-specific, but I think it's still pretty obvious. In addition, I would just have rathered her not be there - she had absolutely nothing to add and just took up space. She kept looking at her watch like she had tons of better things to do than sit at our meeting. Which she probably did - but she didn't have to ACT like that at the meeting!
Our new principal is awesome though. She asked very relevant questions, gave me several examples of her interactions with my son (who she knew by name this summer after meeting him ONCE!). She is a former autism teacher so she was very involved in the meeting and I was glad. She had to leave a few minutes before the meeting was over and she was missed!
I thought the principals were required to be there - but maybe that is just in our state!
I wish the principle at my son's school would stay away from IEP meetings. Far away. Sure enough she sits in on everyone with her hawk like expression writing down things and exchanging look with teachers and therapists when ever they attempt to say anything. We meet every 6 weeks to discuss progress. This is going to be a very long year unless I can make her stay away. I have put in a request.For the 1st IEP we didn't get anything in advance, but we spent 3 hours going through it all as a group.
For all subsequent IEP's a draft proposal typically comes home in C's backpack a few days before the meeting.
I've always done what Tzoya does. If a piece of material is handed out at the meeting that I haven't seen before, I usually say "I'm sorry, I haven't seen this before, I need to take a few minutes to get familiar with it." I then make everyone sit there while I read it. I don't read it aloud but I do pause while reading to take notes and write down questions. So does my husband. Then we compare notes. They we're ready to rejoin the discussion and start asking our questions. The group learns quickly to give us stuff in advance or meetings drag on forever!
Parents, by law, have the last word unless a Hearing Officer overrules them. That means that if you don't agree with an IEP, you can say no and file for Due Process (take them to a Hearing). Of course, that is a drastic measure and will make you forever persona non grata in your District. I don't recommend it under ordinary circumstances -- it really should not be done unless there is a SERIOUS disagreement. I'd also always consult a lawyer. However, technically, parents have veto power. It's called "pendency." Once you've filed for Due Process, the last agreed-upon IEP is the one that is in force. That means, for example, that if your child is currently in an inclusion class and the District wants him moved to a self-contained class, you can claim pendency, file for Due Process, and your child will not be moved. At least not until the Hearing Officer rules. The ONE exception is if the District wants to move your child because he's done serious bodily harm to himself or others (not a scratch or bruise but something that requires medical attention) or if he brings a weapon to school (if it's a knife, the blade MUST be 2.5 inches or longer to be considered a "weapon") or if he brings illegal or controlled substances (recreational drugs or unauthorized rx meds) to school. Then the SD has the right to ask a Hearing Officer to IMMEDIATELY OK a change in placement for 45 days until a determination can be made about how to proceed. Of course, none of the above is what has been talked about on this thread so far, but I thought it would be good for everyone to be aware of the parameters of the law regarding change of placement.jobo -- Of course you can write your own IEP goals. Just as ANY member of the IEP Team can. However, that does not mean that they will make it onto the final IEP anymore than anyone else's goals will. What goes on the document is what is supposed to be discussed and decided DURING the meeting. Of course, most of US know that, but the LAST person to know that is the Principal. Unless your state says otherwise, PRINCIPALS are not automatically part of the IEP Team. They are not generally invited. Of course, each case is different and there may be a REASON for the Principal to be there, but if you check IDEA 2004, Principals are not official IEP Team members. Some states may include them, though (NY does not), so it's worth checking your state's regs.We always get a copy to the parents before the formal meeting. We also have them in to meet as a team to get their input as we are writing it. It amazes me when I hear people say that their schools don't let me them see it or won't give them copies.....that is just wrong!I don't typically see my IEP before our meetings but I also write most of my sons IEP and change goals and objectives at the meeting so they are agreeable with everyone there as to what he is going to get. We also do monthly parent teacher conferences where we talk about what we would like to see at school and what can be implemented at home to help with the goals. Right now we are changing it again so that he spends an hour a day with a para in an integrated kindergarten class. I guess it all depends on if they are writing the IEP or if you are writing it and how the school does things.