When thinking how to prepare for IEP meeting as a Special Education teacher, it can be a daunting task. Following these 3 simple steps will get you going in the right direction. They include how often do you have IEP meetings, meeting with the general education teacher(s), and getting your ideas ready. You’ll also find what to bring to a meeting and even some during the meeting tips for success.
Step 1: When Should An IEP Meeting Be Held and Who Arranges It?
The first thing when tackling this topic is discussing how often are IEP meetings held.
Most IEP meetings are held once a year. Legally the meeting needs to be held at least 364 days (1 day short of a year) from the last one.
Sometimes, IEP meetings are held at a different time during the school year. These are often called review/revise meetings. They take place when a change to the IEP needs to happen. This can be for many different reasons. More or less service minutes from Special Education. The student met their goal(s) early and therefore they need to be changed. Or maybe a student needs an additional service like occupational therapy to be looked at.
It is usually the Special Education teacher’s job to plan these meetings. Planning the meeting is the first step in how to prepare for an IEP meeting as a teacher.
Who is Required to Attend an IEP Meeting?
When preparing for the IEP meeting, take time to make sure everyone that needs to attend can.
The basic required participants at IEP meeting is four. This includes one parent/guardian, one general education teacher, a special education teacher, and LEA. Multiple parents/guardians are welcome, but at least one must be invited to attend. If the child has more than one general education teacher, which is common in the higher grades, multiple teachers could attend if needed/wanted. The LEA is the person who makes sure all legal laws are being upheld and that the information that is being given out is correct.
Step 2: Teacher Preparation for IEP Meeting With General Education
Meeting with the general education teacher(s) is an essential part to how to prep for an IEP meeting. This is a great second step.
Getting on the same page prior to the meeting is helpful for a few different reasons.
The first of these is that there are not any surprises for anyone. This makes the team look united to the parent(s)/guardian(s), which generally makes them feel like their child’s team is working together to meet their needs.
Another reason is that it gives time to come up with some ideas for goals. Doing this assists in keeping the meeting going and provides a great starting point for the team. Otherwise, people can freeze up in meetings and forget things they felt were important to share or for the child to work on.
A third reason for this gives you some insights that you might not have had prior to this time touching base. Sometimes there are things that the Special Education teacher doesn’t know the student needed support or assistance with. It may be possible to brainstorm or work out these things prior to the meeting. Doing this is helpful to both the child and the general education teacher to get things in a great place as soon as possible.
If you can’t meet with the teacher in person, think about sending them some type of email or form to gain information. Usually, this consists of current levels (in academics and functional skills) as well as strengths and concerns. This gives the teacher an opportunity to share their thoughts without having to find time to meet.
Looking for a form to send to teachers ahead of time? Check out this resource that has a few different versions. Either print it out and put it in a mailbox or send it digitally via Google Forms. You’ll collect valuable information in a snap to help you prepare for meetings. Find these time-saving resources here.
Step 3: Getting Your Ideas Ready
Having your ideas ready prior to the meeting is an essential step in how do teachers prepare for an IEP meeting.
A big reason this is a needed step is that It keeps you on track and helps you not forget things.
A great way to do this is just using a word document. Put on there headings like current academic & functional levels, current goals (along with data to support achieving or not), current programming & supplementary aids/services along with any ideas you have for changes. This doesn’t need to be anything fancy, just your thoughts on the subject.
When bringing notes to a meeting, write your name at the top along with ‘notes’. This is so everyone knows this is just your thoughts and in no way is the final paperwork.
Over the years, I’ve found that bringing the IEP paperwork with your notes on it, even with ‘draft’ written over it, can be super overwhelming to the parent(s)/guardian(s). This can make them feel like you and the team already knows what you are going to do to service their child. So why is there even a meeting with them? They might feel scared to advocate for their child, or even intimidated. Having a notes version that isn’t on official paperwork can make them feel like they are truly on a team working together to best meet their child’s needs and share their ideas more freely.
What To Bring To An IEP Meeting
Here is a list of things to put together to help with how to prepare for an IEP meeting:
Paper & writing instrument – you are going to want to take notes during the meeting. There is nothing worse than wanting to write something down to remember later and then realizing that you don’t have anything to write with. If you wrote down your ideas on a page prior to the meeting, this is a great place to write things down. Pro tip: use a different colored pen than black so you can see your notes easily.
Work Samples – This is a great way to showcase student growth. It also provides you with a great tool to show the parent(s)/guardian(s) how far the student has come in the last year. Additionally, it gives you evidence for goals (both current ones and those you might propose for the next IEP).
Water (or beverage of choice) – you are going to be doing a fair amount of talking. Let me tell you from experience how much it stinks to get a dry mouth in the middle of a meeting that you are running. Having something to sip on during this time is super helpful.
Agenda – having an agenda helps everyone know what to expect at an iep meeting. This way everyone knows what will happen and in what order to stay on track. Having an agenda is a great way to make sure to not forget anything. It can be easy to forget something once everyone starts talking. Also, it is the perfect tool to turn the conversation that went way left back to focusing on the child.
If you aren’t sure how to make an agenda or don’t have time to put one together yourself, check out these done-for-you ones. There are a few different types, including editable ones using Google. Plus you’ll get some other goodies to help you have a great IEP meeting such as teacher input forms, meeting reminder sticky note printables, and a checklist to stay on top of all the things. Simply print and go or download, change what you want, and share digitally. Find this time-saving resource here.
IEP Meeting Tips for During the Meeting
Now that you know all about preparing for an IEP meeting, here are a few tips for during the meeting.
Make sure to have the parent(s)/guardian(s) speak first. Have them share something that they feel is going well at either school or home. Also, ask them how they feel the school year is going. Finally, finish with having them share any concerns they have. It is okay to try to alleviate these concerns by sharing information, adding this as an IEP goal (or part of one), or making a plan of how to address this area.
Another great thing to do during the meeting is share positives about the student. Too often IEP meetings focus on what the child isn’t doing that they should be. Make it a point to give some strengths and areas they have improved in over the past year. Celebrate the growth!
Read the cues of the parent(s)/guardian(s) throughout the meeting. An IEP meeting can be super confusing and overwhelming. So make sure you are reading their cues to see if you need to slow down or re-explain things. Some might even need you to stop mid-meeting and reconvene again at a later date because it is just too much to process at one time.
Looking for More on IEP Meetings?
Check out these resources to become a master of IEP meetings.
Wondering how to conduct a successful IEP meeting? Check out this post. This post guides you through the things that need to be done at a meeting to ensure that it runs smoothly.
Not sure what the difference is between a 504 plan and an IEP? Click here to read this article on the similarities and key differences between them.
Happy Teaching!
