Families are an important part of the team that creates the IEP (Individualized Education Plan).
If you are a parent or caregiver, use this checklist to help make sure you are ready to work with the school team and help your child succeed.
If you are an educator, share this with your families. It will help them come prepared and will let them know you value their input. And prepared families make the best partners!
If you’re new to the IEP process, check out Preparing for an IEP Meeting and then come back to this checklist when you’re ready.
This checklist is part of our IEP Welcome Kit, a customizable set of tools schools and families can use for a smooth IEP process.
As soon as you get the meeting invitation:
- ☑ Tell the team now if you need a different date or time, or if you need to meet remotely (by video). Family members have the right to ask for a meeting at a time and place that works for them.
- ☑ Ask for an interpreter if you need one. It is the school district’s responsibility to find and pay for the interpreter. The earlier you ask for this, the easier it will be.
1-2 weeks before the meeting:
- ☑ Ask the team to send the draft IEP and any evaluation reports ahead of time. These documents have A LOT of information and it can be helpful to have time to review them before the meeting. Pay special attention to the accommodations listed so you can ask questions about how those will help your child learn and suggest others, if needed.
- ☑ Share any new reports or letters from doctors or therapists with the IEP team. This can help you all make decisions about what your child needs to make progress at school.
- ☑ Tell the IEP team if you will be bringing any support people with you. You may bring anyone you’d like but the school does need to know ahead of time.
- ☑ Read about the IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) so you understand how the school can support your child.
The week of the meeting:
- ☑ Write down any questions you have about the process or your child’s needs.
- ☑ Look up any terms or acronyms you don’t know in the Special Ed Glossary.
- ☑ Talk to your child. Ask what they think is going well and what’s hard for them at school. Ask about their goals and write them down.
- ☑ If your child will participate, let them know what to expect and answer their questions. If not, ask if they want to tell the team anything. Legally, once your child is 16, they are a part of their own IEP team. Some states (and some school districts) start including the student earlier. They do not have to participate, but even coming to the meeting for 5 minutes can be a great introduction for them.
- ☑ Write down your goals and vision for your child and any information you want the team to know about them. Bring your notes.
Interested in more resources like this? Request a free sample of our IEP Welcome Kit, which includes customizable versions of this checklist and other tools schools and families can use for a smooth IEP process.
