Understanding your Child’s Individual Educational Plan

By Bev - Your K12 Advocate

Understanding your child’s Independent Educational Plan 

When parents share their child’s Independent Educational Plan or IEP with me, they frequently tell me that they don’t understand it, they disagree with it, or they neither understand it nor agree with it. These problems seem to be the common denominator in many advocacy situations, and parents of children with a variety of disabilities from autism to Down Syndrome, dyslexia or emotional disabilities describe the same feelings of confusion and uncertainty about how to resolve these problems. 

Parents in this situation tell me they are unhappy with, or unsure about what is happening in school and that they feel left out.  

It may surprise parents to know that their child’s IEP document is intended to represent the shared opinion (or consensus) of the IEP team: a team which includes you as an equal partner.  As you struggle to translate the IEP document, you will notice contributions from teachers and other professionals, but do you see your own contribution in writing?  If not, doesn’t this strike you as odd given that you are an equal member of the team?   

Consensus doesn’t mean unanimous agreement; often IEPs contain several perspectives.  As a parent it is your right to have a different perspective from other team members and still expect to see your input in the IEP.  

Consensus does, however, imply that every aspect of the IEP was discussed and that reasonable effort was made to ensure that you understood the information to the extent that you were able to judge whether you agreed or disagreed with it.   

The most crucial thing to remember is that consensus is reached through the process of sharing and discussing information and ideas.  Every part of the IEP document including: present levels of performance, strengths and needs, goals and accommodations, and type and level of services must be discussed by the team if the final document is to accurately record the teams general agreements and the reasoning behind the decisions made.  

For example if you ran out of time at the meeting and were told that you would receive a draft of the complete IEP to look at and make comments on (and to please get back to them with changes by next week), I suggest you instead request a follow up meeting. Don’t bypass the discussion because this is your best chance to participate in creating your child’s IEP. 

So what can you do to make sure you understand your child’s IEP, have an equal voice at your child’s IEP meeting and that your voice is accurately recorded in the IEP document itself? 

There is plenty you can do and it takes only a little preparation: 

  • Ask for an agenda a week in advance of the meeting
  • Ask for a copy of all draft documents that will be presented at the meeting a week in advance.
  • Make these requests in writing. Just nice notes to the special education teacher is fine, and if you are told they don’t have the time,
  • suggest delaying the IEP as preparation is crucial to your participation.
  • Carefully read the documents and mark anything you don’t understand or don’t agree with.
  • Do not say you disagree with things at the meeting, simply give the team your perspective and ask that they include it in the IEP document.

Questions are your best allies at the meeting so continue to ask questions about the things you don’t understand until you do understand. 

       Some good standard questions are:

  • “What does the research suggest is a good way to teach these skills?”

  • “Would you be able to walk through the data you have collected showing my child’s progress on goals and objectives?”

  • “What do you see as my child’s strengths, and how could they be used to help overcome some of her needs?”

  • “I’m not sure I understood what you said, would you be willing to explain it in a different way?”

Finally; never go to a meeting alone.  Take someone who can listen, take notes, ask clarifying questions, help you feel safe and not so alone, and debrief after the meeting. 

    If you can take someone who is less emotionally involved than you are as a parent, this is a very good idea. They won’t experience the same fight, fright or freeze response and can listen and think clearly if there are times when you cannot.

    Remember that you are your child’s best advocate and that your voice is as important as everyone else’s so expect to be heard.

    Good luck!

    Your K12 Advocate Ailsa