Tips on how to get through an IEP meeting...Yes-I Understand the Pain!

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    If you are reading this you are either an educator or a parent who either has been through and IEP meeting or is about to. Lets get the acronym out of the way first- IEP= Individual Education Plan. I conduct close to seventy of these meetings each school year. Not one is alike, and no matter how much you try to prepare they bring a bit of anxiety for both the parent and believe it or not the educator too. In this blog I am going to give some tips I have learned along the way as a mom of a special needs child for 9 years, and a special educator for 4 to both the educator and the parent.


Educator Tips:
  • When I prepare for an IEP meeting...especially a child's initial (first) IEP meeting I make sure to do everything I can to prepare the parents. I have resources available and the LEA and I also make sure the parents know they can ask as many questions as they need prior to, during and after the meeting. Educators- make sure you know the child. Get to know more than their data! Find out what they like to do, what their favorite toy is, what stresses their learning and what eases their learning. Knowing this before hand helps to write the IEP and individualize it more as well as lets the parents know you have spent time with their child and know them. 
  • During the IEP meeting provide tissues, give the parents time to process and most importantly explain things in the easiest terms possible. I find that giving parents my Google Voice number, email and remind code also helps to ease the anxiety because they leave knowing they have a lifeline and if they have questions after they have processed everything they have someone to contact in whichever way is more comfortable for them. COMMUNICATION IS KEY! 
  • After the IEP meeting I like to follow up with the parent and make sure they understand what happened at the meeting and what their child's service will look like. Many parents are in a fog during those initial meetings and making sure they understand everything completely is very important. 
  • One added note- I have also begun creating brochures that explain each special education category so parents can read up on their child's disability and have resources such as support groups, community services etc right at their finger tips. 
Parent Tips:
  • Going into an IEP meeting whether it is the first time or tenth time can always be full of emotions. If you are going for the first time you don't know what to expect. You do not want anything to be hindering your child's progress, but you also want your child to receive help. Trust me, I have been there. When I walked into my sons first meeting and heard the word Autism my heart sank. I knew something wasn't quite right even though he was perfect to me in every way...I knew he needed help but hated hearing that word. After I heard it I just blanked. Everything that was said in the meeting I listened to and understood but kept focusing more on the diagnosis. If the same thing happens to you make sure you leave with a contact number or email so you can have someone sit down and explain it all once you have processed it all. I would recommend making a list of questions before each meeting because once you are in there if they are not written down they are easily forgotten. Use your voice and do not be afraid to ask questions or give concerns. If you don't say it they wont know and nothing will change. Be your child's advocate! Trust your gut, do your research and establish a relationship with your child's special education teacher. Your chid has a different teacher each year typically but the one that typically remains steady is their special education teacher. Having a good relationship and communication with them is key to your child's success. Another tip is to create a binder for your child's records. Sometimes it feels like we are signing papers to buy a car with the amount of pages an IEP has. Keeping all of it in a binder and keeping track of all of your child's records helps when questions arise or when you need it at your finger tips.
  • No one can quite prepare you for each IEP meeting but having some tricks up your sleeve can be beneficial. I have added some links to some resources that have other tips and recommendations if you would like to delve in further click on the below. I would also love to hear what some tips of your own are! Please share and write them in the comments below!

Would these tips help you as a parent or teacher? Is there anything you would like to share? Please comment below and share with me👇

Links to more helpful information on IEP Meetings:



❤Author- Lindsey Cruz- Special Education Mama and Teacher

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