Chapter 5: The IEP Meeting Itself

Main Ideas & Lessons Conveyed

• IEP meeting purpose and roles: After planning and preparation, the IEP team convenes to develop the IEP. A meeting leader (the student’s special education teacher) runs the meeting, while another staff member (assigned to take notes) ensures paperwork is completed.
• Student-centered annual review: The meeting is framed as being about the student. Besides adults discussing the plan, the student is given time to share preferences, needs, and goals.
• Student eligibility and needs: Dominic remains eligible for special education due to a specific learning disability affecting written expression and reading comprehension.
• Strengths and future vision: The team reviews strengths (e.g., peer relationships, drawing, math strengths, computer use, verbal skills). It also includes parent and student perspectives about aspirations (e.g., tech school/college, living independently, being happy; student wants to be an artist).
• Concerns and accountability: The parent reports that Dominic is not meeting goals, falling further behind, spending a long time on homework, and becoming very frustrated (tears up/shuts down).
• Transitions & special factors: The team discusses transition to middle school and explains that the IEP must address “special factors” if present. Examples include English learner status, communication device use, visual/hearing impairments, or behaviors that affect learning.
• IEP goal-setting and supports: The team develops measurable goals (starting with writing), discusses required supports such as graphic organizers and potentially assistive technology, and sets methods for progress monitoring.
• Accommodations and scheduling supports: The team plans where and when accommodations/supports are provided (including non-academic times like lunch and recess) and how to report them.
• Services and time allocation: The team debates and agrees on appropriate special education service time, balancing challenge/goal needs with keeping the student in general education as much as possible.
• Required IEP documentation & parent paperwork: The meeting concludes with administrative steps such as documenting attendance, providing the revised IEP, and issuing prior written notice (including procedural safeguards/parent rights).

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Methodology / Step-by-Step Process Shown

A. Start of Meeting: Introductions & Logistics

• The meeting leader introduces the purpose: annual review of the student’s IEP.
• Team members introduce their roles, including:
  • Special education teacher (meeting leader)
  • General education teacher
  • Parent/guardian
  • Note-taker (for prior written notice documentation)
  • School psychologist
  • LEA representative / assistant principal
• Confirm everyone has copies of the draft to reference.
• Begin with the student profile.

B. Student Profile Review

• State continued eligibility and disability area/category.
• Identify:
  • Areas of need: written expression, reading comprehension
  • Strengths: teamwork, art/drawing, math strength, computer use, verbal skills
• Invite parent input on the student’s abilities and characteristics.
• Encourage student participation by asking:
  • How school is going
  • Favorite classes/activities
  • What is hard
  • The student’s future goal/aspiration

C. Parent/Concern Documentation

• Ask the parent to describe concerns about the child’s current educational progress.
• Document concerns clearly for consideration during the IEP development process.

D. Transitions and Special Factors

• Identify the key transition: moving to middle school.
• Bring in relevant transition staff/member for input.
• Ask whether the parent has worries/concerns about the transition.
• Explain and verify whether special factors apply, noting that:
  • If special factors are identified, they must be addressed in the IEP.
  • Examples include ELL status, assistive/communication devices, sensory impairments, and behaviors impacting learning.

E. Goal Development (Example: Writing Goal)

• Review “present level” of performance:
  • Dominic can write a loosely organized 3–4 sentence paragraph with punctuation/indentation errors.
• Explain tools/supports:
  • Graphic organizer (with an example)
• Set a measurable goal:
  • Write a 3–5 paragraph essay using graphic organizers independently on 4 out of 5 trials.
• Check feasibility:
  • The team acknowledges the goal may be ambitious but can be appropriate with supports.
• Clarify flexibility:
  • The goal may be adjusted later if progress is insufficient or frustration increases.

F. Determine Need for Assistive Technology

• The team considers whether assistive technology is required to meet the goal.
• Example justification:
  • Assistive technology can support students even when the disability is a learning disability.
  • Dominic benefits from journaling/writing using computer use in class.
• Decision:
  • Add computer/assistive technology opportunities to the IEP.

G. Progress Measurement Plan

• Specify data sources:
  • Work samples (journaling, essays, computer work)
  • Writing assessment results
• Determine student mode of work:
  • Opportunity to use both handwriting and computer for journaling
• Establish a monitoring schedule:
  • Weekly data collection
• Plan communication with parents:
  • Share data aligned with the school report card schedule (unless otherwise noted)

H. Review the Full School Day for Supports

• After goals are completed, review the student’s entire day, including non-academic times.
• Record:
  • When/where modifications, accommodations, aids, or supports will be provided.
• If assistive devices/services are needed:
  • Include them on the IEP
  • Include required training for teachers/other staff
• Decide testing accommodations (examples):
  • Extra time
  • Separate setting

I. Special Education Services & Time Decision

• The special education teacher proposes an initial service time (initially 30 minutes/day).
• The team discusses whether reducing time conflicts with increased goal demands.
• Reasoning includes:
  • Keeping the student out of general education too long isn’t ideal.
• After discussion, the team adjusts the time:
  • Agreement reached to set the time at 45 minutes.
• Note:
  • The IEP can be revised later.

J. Final Required IEP Documentation and Parent Notice

• List related services with:
  • Frequency, session length, and location
• Provide explanations for any time the student is not educated with non-disabled peers.
• Determine:
  • How progress toward goals will be reported to parents
  • Whether services are needed beyond a typical school year
• Document:
  • Who attended/participated
• Provide parents:
  • Copy of the revised IEP
  • Prior written notice, describing proposed/refused actions and explaining them
  • A parent rights handbook covering procedural safeguards under IDEA

K. Wrap-Up and Participation Emphasis (Video Message)

• Encourage effective IEP participation using:
  • Ongoing positive home-school communication
  • Frequent progress checks
  • Early communication of concerns to teachers/IEP team
  • Good communication to resolve disagreements
• Emphasize the ultimate purpose:
  • An educational program aimed at preparing the child for the future.

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Speakers / Sources Featured

• Sandra Miller – Dominic’s special education teacher (IEP meeting leader)
• Michelle Atkins – Dominic’s regular education teacher
• Ally Peterson – Dominic’s mother (parent/guardian)
• Dominic – the student (participates in the meeting)
• Gretchen Adams – note-taker for prior written notice; also the school psychologist
• Rose Smith – staff member from the middle school (transition support; contributes ideas)
• Francis Lumpston – LEA representative and assistant principal
• IDEA / IDEA federal regulations – referenced as the legal framework (not a person)