Advocacy Tips for IEP Meetings
If you are the parent or guardian of a student with an Individualized Education Program (IEP), you will be asked to attend IEP meetings. This fact sheet offers advocacy tips in three parts:
- Part 1: Preparing for the Meeting
- Part 2: During the meeting
- Part 3: After the meeting
Part 1: Advocacy Tips for Preparing for the Meeting
Parents and guardians are members of their child’s IEP team. It is important for you to take part in the IEP process. This is your chance to discuss your child’s IEP services, help with IEP planning, and share your questions and concerns. School districts must make efforts to include parents at IEP meetings. IEP meetings will take place at least once a year. If you have concerns about your child’s IEP services or a special education issue related to your child, then you can also request that the district hold an IEP meeting. Sometimes this is called a “special review” IEP meeting.
Notice of the IEP meeting
School districts should send you a notice of the IEP meeting that includes the date, time, and location. The law does not give a deadline for when the notice should be sent, but it should be reasonable enough for you to plan to attend or to let the district know you will need to reschedule. Do not ignore this notice. If the district tries but cannot get a parent or guardian to attend, then the district is allowed to hold the meeting without you.
IEP meeting locations
Most meetings will be conducted in person, but you may also attend a meeting remotely by phone or virtually. A remote meeting can sometimes help solve scheduling or transportation issues. If you would like to participate in an IEP meeting remotely, then ask the school district about this option.
Know the purpose of the meeting
The notice of the IEP meeting should tell you the reason the meeting is being held. This can help you prepare for the meeting. If you feel there are other reasons for the meeting, let the district know. This can help with planning for who should attend the meeting.
Know who will be present at the meeting
The IEP meeting notice should include a list of everyone attending. It typically lists what the people do or their position in the district. You should review this list and make sure that the people needed are invited to the meeting. You can request people you would like to be present. It’s best to put the request in writing, especially if you want someone who does not normally attend the meetings. Sending an email will document the request. Example: if school bus matters will be discussed, ask that district transportation staff be present. If an essential member of the team is not present, parents/guardians can ask that the meeting be rescheduled so that the person can attend.
Know what issues you want to discuss at the meeting
It can help to make a list of the things you want to discuss at the IEP meeting and bring this list with you to the meeting. This helps you remember what is important to you. You may also want to share this list with the team ahead of time, so they can be prepared to discuss your concerns and make sure the right staff are present. You can request a draft of the meeting agenda outlining the topics the IEP team will discuss at the upcoming IEP meeting.
Request an interpreter for the meeting, if needed
The school district must make sure that you can understand the IEP meeting. This includes providing an interpreter if needed. You should make a request if you need help to understand or take part in the IEP meeting. For example:
- Spoken language interpreter, such as Spanish
- Sign language interpreter
The school must arrange these supports so you can fully participate.
Talk to people or service providers who may be able to help you prepare for the meeting
To prepare for the meeting, you may want to talk with the people working with the student, such as:
- Student’s health care provider
- Private service providers, such as therapists
- Mental health counselor
- Teachers or other school staff who work closely with the student
These people may have ideas about services, accommodations, or supports that could help the student succeed at school.
If needed, you can:
- Invite them to attend the IEP meeting, or
- Ask them to write a letter or note for the IEP team
Written information can explain the student’s diagnosis, symptoms, and how their disability affects learning, as well as recommend supports or services the IEP Team should consider.
Learn More:
Disability Rights South Carolina’s fact sheet: Health Care Needs of Students Attending Public Schools
Bring copies of important records to the meeting
Come to the meeting prepared. Bring any documents you may want to look at or share. Having these documents can make it easier to clear up confusion during the meeting. We suggest keeping all these documents in a binder, folder, or digital file folder for easy access. This includes the student’s:
- Current IEP
- Most recent evaluation
- Grades
- Doctor’s notes
- Meeting invitation
Review your student handbook or guide to special education services
It is important to know what rules or procedures the school will be following and what your rights are if you disagree with the meeting’s outcome. You can learn more about your rights by attending public trainings, reading books, or reviewing online resources. There is a list of resources at the end of this fact sheet.
Bring someone with you
You can invite anyone who knows the student or understands the special education process. This person can help you take notes and speak about your concerns at the meeting. People that you might want to bring are:
- Family members
- Friends
- Parent mentor
- Special Education Advocates
- Attorneys (only when problems arise)
If you have invited a professional to share information and they cannot attend in person, you can ask the district if they can join remotely. If you plan to bring an advocate or an attorney to a meeting, you should tell the school district ahead of time. This will help you maintain a good relationship with the school district. Note: bringing an attorney may change the tone of the meeting.
Remote IEP meetings
Here are some things to consider if you are planning to attend a meeting remotely by online video or phone.
- Plan to be in a quiet location with few distractions.
- Ask the school district which virtual platform they will use and if the link is secure.
- If you are joining online, ask for a phone number to call if you lose connection.
- Ask the school to send you copies of any documents they plan to go over before the meeting, and have these documents in front of you when the meeting begins.
- Let the district know if there are any technical difficulties to determine if the meeting can take place via another format or if it should be rescheduled.
Part 2: Advocacy Tips for During the Meeting
Meeting notes
School districts are not required to take meeting notes, but some may. If you don’t know, ask before the next IEP meeting. If the district takes notes, you can request that they be read aloud before the end of the meeting. Speak up if you think anything should be changed or added. The notes should show both the school district’s understanding and your understanding of what was said. It’s also a good idea to write down your own notes, including what you asked for and what the school district said they would do.
Recording meetings
You should ask the school or district before the meeting if you want to record the meeting. If this is approved, the district will likely record the meeting as well. Keep in mind that recording can sometimes have an impact on the comfort level of conversation during a meeting, especially when there are disagreements. Federal special education regulations do not require districts to allow all parents to record IEP meetings. However, school districts must make sure you can understand the IEP meeting. If recording the meeting is necessary for you to understand it, the school district should allow it.
Start with introductions
Before the meeting begins, everyone should introduce themselves and say their name and position. This helps you get to know the team and to know if the right people are present. If you aren’t clear on why someone is attending, you can ask. If the meeting is online, ask everyone to share their screen during the meeting.
Stay calm, speak clearly, and be polite
Sometimes there may be disagreement at the IEP meeting. Share your concerns, but also be willing to listen. This can be hard to do when you disagree, but staying polite usually leads to a better response and helps keep the focus on your child during the IEP meeting.
Stay focused
Bring your list to help stay on track. You can also request a draft agenda before the IEP meeting, so you know what will be covered. If the meeting becomes tense, ask for a break if you need to get some air, or if you have an advocate with you and need to speak with them privately. Make sure the team talks about the student’s strengths and abilities.
Sharing input during the meeting
Parents and guardians are members of the IEP team, and you should have a chance to provide input throughout the meeting. Some parents are surprised to see draft IEPs made before they can provide input. Drafts are allowed as long as there is a chance for you to give feedback. These drafts are meant to help the school staff prepare for the meeting and can be changed based on IEP Team decisions.
Ask questions at any time. For example, if the team reviews an evaluation and you do not understand the results, ask them to explain them. This will help you take part in the meeting.
If the IEP team needs more information or time to think through solutions to a problem, the IEP Team can decide to pause the meeting and meet again later to work through any remaining issues.
Always read everything that you are asked to sign
It is important to read or have read to you any document before you sign it. Once you sign, you may be agreeing to what the document says, even if you did not fully understand it. Reading documents ahead of time helps you:
- Know what rights you may have or be giving up
- Understand what services or supports are being offered or denied
- Catch mistakes or missing information
- Ask questions or request changes before it is final
If something is confusing, ask them to explain it to you. You can also ask for more time to review the document or get help from someone you trust before signing. This includes attendance or sign-in sheets. If you don’t agree with the information stated on the paper, then don’t sign it.
Ask for copies of the resulting meeting documents
Keep a copy of everything that you give to the school district as well as all documents given to you in or after IEP meetings relating to the meeting. They may help you in the future if you and the school district cannot agree about what was said in the meeting. Keep these papers together in a binder, folder, or digital file so you can find them when you need them.
Confirm next steps
At the end of the meeting, make sure you and the school district know what is supposed to happen next. If it is not clear who is responsible for each task, ask before the meeting ends. You can set a date for completing any goals, and you may need to schedule another IEP meeting to follow up.
Part 3: Advocacy Tips for After the Meeting
The Completed IEP
South Carolina school districts use online special education software to create, update, and store IEPs and other required documents. These systems help teams keep track of meetings, forms, timelines, and compliance with federal and state requirements.
Some districts have it set up so you can view these documents through a parent portal, like PowerSchool or another online system. Other districts do not. If you cannot see them online, you can ask the district for a copy of the completed IEP and any other supporting documents, in either printed or digital form.
If needed, write a follow-up email or letter
After an IEP meeting or any meeting with the district staff, you may want to write to the team to clarify things. You may want to do this to:
- Confirm what was discussed
- Clarify anything you did not understand
- Confirm what the next steps are, and when they will take place
Keep in mind that you should not send a letter or email when you are upset by the meeting. You may write something in the heat of the moment that could hurt your case later. This follow-up can be helpful if the district does not take detailed notes.
Prior Written Notice
The Prior Written Notice (PWN) is a very important document. If a school wants to change a child’s special education program or will not make changes a parent wants, then the law says the school must give the parent “prior written notice.” PWN is an explanation of why the school wants to make changes or why it does not want to make changes.
Learn More:
Disability Rights South Carolina’s factsheet: Prior Written Notice.
Follow through
It is very important to follow through with your part of any agreement as soon as you can. This may include returning signed forms, sharing documents, or completing other requested steps so services are not delayed.
Stay in regular contact with the school district until the services, supports, or changes discussed at the meeting are in place. Do not assume everything is moving forward without checking. If services are delayed or not provided as agreed, follow up in writing and ask for an explanation. Clear and consistent follow-up helps make sure the student receives the supports outlined in the IEP.
Where to get help and what to do if you are unhappy
If you have questions, need support, or are unhappy with how the IEP process is going, you are not alone. There are people, such as special education advocates, parent mentors, and attorneys, who you can speak to, as well as lots of online resources that can help you understand your options and next steps.
Resources:
South Carolina Parent Training and Information Center, Family Connection South Carolina
South Carolina Department of Education Office of Special Education Services Parent Resources website
South Carolina Autism Society Parent School Partnership Program
South Carolina Centers for Independent Living:
Disability Rights South Carolina: Education resource page
Sources for the information in this fact sheet
20 United States Code § 1401 (et seq.) Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, “IDEA 2004”
34 Code of Federal Regulations Part 300 (et seq.) U.S. Department of Education
Regulations for IDEA 2004 (effective as of October 2006)
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This publication provides legal information, but is not intended to be legal advice. As the law may change, please contact Disability Rights South Carolina for updates. Please let us know if you would like this information in an alternative format.
The Protection and Advocacy System for South Carolina. This publication was made possible by funding, in part, by SAMHSA. These contents are solely the responsibility of the grantee and do not necessarily represent the official views of SAMHSA.