Parent preparation is key for IEP success
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Thursday, February 11, 2010
It is one thing to create a beautifully detailed Individualized Education Program for a student needing special services. But the implementation is a whole different story.
Chicago special education students do not always receive appropriate services outlined in IEPs, and experts say informed parents can make sure that doesn't happen to their child.
With annual reviews often scheduled in the spring, Mary Mulae, a special education litigation attorney with Children's Law Group in Chicago and parent of a child with learning disabilities, weighs in on the issue.
What are the IEP basics parents should
know?
They need to view it as the blueprint for their child's education.
It identifies where their child is at academically, functionally
and socially. Deficits are defined in the plan, and it maps out how
to make meaningful progress by breaking things down into annual
goals.
The key is to make sure those goals are measurable and benchmarks are set to check progress throughout the year. I see IEPs all the time, no kidding, with goals like "Frankie will improve his reading." Make sure the goals set are measurable.
What do you find should happen in meetings yet often
does not?
I rarely go to a meeting where the discussed progress of the child
is actually meaningful progress. When parents look at a child's
grades and know that they can't read and are struggling with their
homework, you have to start saying, "I don't agree with these
goals." At the annual IEP meetings, concerns need to be brought up
to make sure the plan for next year is meaningful.
How can parents prepare for the annual IEP review
meetings?
They need to review IEP progress reports, which should have been
received throughout the year. Look at them carefully and compare to
IEPs from the year before. Parents should think about what they
want to see included in the IEP for the next year.
It's critical for these kids that parents have the big picture in their heads: If you see your child in college, how are they going to get there? What skills are they going to need? Make sure those skills are included in the IEP as early as possible.
Parents shouldn't just sit and take what the schools say. They should be able to feel strong about bringing up things like friendship and bullying. The federal special education laws are focused not only on academics but also ensuring that the child is able to function as an adult.
What should parents check for before they sign the pile
of IEP paperwork?
I've found some Chicago IEP forms that have a little box on the
front that says I agree or I don't agree, and they have been
pre-checked I agree. So parents have to make sure they check for
things like that. If you do not like the goals or measures in the
IEP, make sure you write that down somewhere in the paperwork.
One thing that needs to definitely be discussed and is often not, is ESY (Extended School Year). The box for that is also checked no. ESY is for a child who might regress if they do not keep up with skills. Take a copy with you when you leave. Often schools will say they will send a clean copy later; you have the absolute right to leave that day with that form.
For parents who do not have a child with an IEP, what
are some signs that a child may need those services?
When my son was 3, I noticed that he had speech and development
delays that did not necessarily scream special education, but I was
still concerned. I noticed he wasn't talking or playing like his
peers, so we had him evaluated and discovered that he did, in fact,
need individualized services.
As a parent, you shouldn't wait. If you have a hunch that something is wrong, you are probably right. It's not just the earlier identified the better, it's something you must get going right away. Get feedback from your child's teachers; ask their thoughts on specialized instruction.
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Parents have an important voiceBy Margaret M on Tuesday, August 30, 2011 It is so important that parents get involved and talk to teachers and administrators before an IEP meeting so they are well prepared and know what to expect. The parents need to speak up if they do not agree with something. An IEP is so important for their child's education that they should agree with everything on it. They should also make sure that the goals are measurable and that they are taking place in the classroom. The parents need to think about their child's future and let the IEP team members know what their future plans are for their child. This is a great article for parents with students with special education students to read. |
Parents and IEP'sBy Kathy U on Tuesday, August 30, 2011 It is very important for parents to be well prepared before an IEP meeting. They should also gain as much understanding as they can because it is a blue print for their child's education. This article can be be very helpful for parents who have a child with special needs. It provides a lot of information and helps prepare parents for their next IEP meeting. As a future teacher, I will encourage all of my students' parents to be actively invloved in their child's education. When a parent is well informed, the chances of an IEP's success truly does increase. The IEP process is vital to a child's academic achievement and parents should educate themsleves as much as possible to ensure a successful outcome. |
future teacherBy Jori on Tuesday, August 30, 2011 This article does a great job of informing parents what they should be aware when they are going into an IEP meeting. Parents should have a part in their children's goals and it is absolutely true that if they don't agree with anything or have their own opinions they should share them at the meetings. It's important that parents don't just go along with all of the IEP goals because they are afraid or unsure of their own ideas. As a future teacher, I hope to be able to work with the parents affectively to come up with appropriate goals for their children. |
IEPs are individual and uniqueBy Brie on Tuesday, August 30, 2011 It is so important that parents are informed and receive this necessary information found in this article! As a future teacher I hope to be able to work with parents so that they can have as much as a say as possible in their child's education. I think it is really important that parents look at what they want their child to learn, what will benefit the student the most. Some academic skills are not as important as specific skills their child might need, such as speech therapy or social skills. Parents should look at the INDIVIDUAL skills that their child needs the most, and bring up their ideas and concerns in the IEP. To be honest, the professionals don't know as much about the student than the parents do, so parents should help them out! Parents, IEPs are made so that your child can receive the specific services they need, so please say what you need to say in order to make that IEP individual, unique and most beneficial for your child. |
Special Education StudentBy Mike Jones on Tuesday, August 30, 2011 A parent who has a child with special needs should enter an IEP meeting with both caution regarding the quality of these services being planned for the child and also an open mind to be ready and willing to work with the service professionals who show that they are prepared, and care about their child's future. Not all schools and schools districs are the same, and the services they provide and are willing to provide without objection can vary greatly, so a parent should do research about the their school's IEP process by say something as simple as talking to other parents in that school who have gone through an IEP meeting. WIthout being a lawyer, any parent can find out a fair amount of information about federal special education laws online and also through the Illinois State Board of Education's (ISBE) website, such as this link: http://www.isbe.state.il.us/spec-ed/html/parent_rights.htm As a future special education teacher, I realize that every parent will see their child as perfect the way they are, and may not want to hear certain statements from professionals about their child's abilities, but ultimately it is my job to provide that child with the very best of services, and their is no one better to help me plan for that than the parents themselves. |
future educatorBy kathy hossink on Tuesday, August 30, 2011 I really enjoyed this article and found it very beneficial. I'm currently working on a special education major and with the experiences I've had practicing with IEPs and IEP goals, I've discovered that the whole IEP process can be quite challenging. It can be difficult to write these goals in a way that is meaningful, but your article was a great reminder that they serve as a blueprint for a child's education, and therefore cannot be taken lightly. I admire your willingness to be an advocate on this topic and to encourage other parents to do the same. It is important to keep teachers and administrators accountable and being prepared for IEP meetings is just one way that parents can do that. |
"Educate Yourself"By Jenna Young on Tuesday, August 30, 2011 I really appreciate articles like this being published, and I'm seeing more and more of them as I get farther into the field of special education. As a future teacher, I feel that I am very educated about the IEP process, however as I get more into the process, I'm seeing how much parents are in the dark. I feel that they are uninformed most of the time. They're not told to actively participate, but however just actively sign on the dotted line when we're done discussing your child. This isn't right by any means, and parents need to be told more the right that they have in these meetings. What they have to say is extremely valuable. They're the ones who are with the child a majority of the time. They're a valuable tool to their child's education. Hopefully articles like this will get in their hands and they will be able to start speaking out with the confidence that they should have. |
Goals like "MOM" - meaningful, observable, measureableBy Laura Roose on Tuesday, August 30, 2011 As a future teacher I have been becoming prepared for leading an IEP meeting. Everything that was stated in the blog is what we have been taught as future special education teachers. Along with writing goals that are measurable it is important to write goals that are meaningful and observable. (As our Professor likes to remind us, our goals need to be like MOM: meaningful, observable, and measurable) This is where you as a parent comes in. I highly encourage all parents to come in with ideas that you would like your child to work on. This way the goals are meaningful for the student and we can work on setting the objectives and benchmarks together. It should always be a team effort. It is also important like the blog said to ask "how is your child going to get to college?" As a part of transition planning and services at age 14 we are reuired to age this component into the IEP's. Just as a future note for parents, make sure you are knowledgable about the law and your rights so that you can help your child the best that you can. When parents are supportive of their child's education, there is no stopping the learning that can happen. |
"Learning the Ropes of IEPs"By Melissa Voss on Tuesday, August 30, 2011 I must say as a student learning about special education, IEP writing is a very daunting task. I have learned a lot in the classes that I am taking about how to write good goals and objectives but something that I have come to realize is that no matter how good the goals and objectives are, it still comes down to the student and what is done in the classroom. I thought this article was great to read especially the first hand account because ultimately we as teachers need to see the student as a child who is beautifully created. As a future teacher I want to be able to have good communication with the parents of my students so that we can facilitate as a team the best approaches for each individual student. I want to build accountability in order that the student, parent, and IEP team members can work together with the best interest of the student in mind. |
Future IEP writerBy Courtney K on Tuesday, August 30, 2011 As a student in the field of special education, I have learned a lot about what to expect in an IEP and we have practiced plenty on how to write them. Professor Post has done a lot to shed light on the point of view of a parent, we have even had a parent personally tell our class about her struggle with IEPs and the meetings. After learning what I have I want to go into future IEP meetings with the child in mind, but the parent is just as important. The parent is the spokesperson for their child, their advocate and they know what they want for their child. A teacher has to be prepared for an IEP meeting, so if the parent cares about their student's education they should be just as prepared. I have learned what a frustrating situation this can be for a parent so as a future educator I hope to be there for the parent prior to the meeting so they can be as prepared as possible, after all this is the child's future we are talking about and they always deserve the best. |
"IEP"By Lauren Gattuso on Tuesday, August 30, 2011 I am one of Prof. Post's students and I believe that parents do need to be informed before an IEP meeting of what will be discussed at an IEP meeting and that parents should be prepared to bring up concerns. As teachers I believe that we do need to pay attention to what the parent's concerns and ideas are for their child. Parents know their child better than teachers in most cases and I think to hear the parent out is so important. And of course EVERYONE in the IEP meeting needs to focus on the child, not just as a student, or as a kid, but as an learning, growing, sometimes frustrated individual. |
soon to be teacherBy Jessica K on Tuesday, August 30, 2011 This article makes a lot of sense and parents who have children with special needs really should take a look at this. We have been learning a lot about what teachers need to do in the IEP process, but parents need to know as well. If they want the best for their child they must be well informed about IEP meetings. They are their child's advocate. This article could be a huge help to parents. |
learning from parentsBy pete post on Tuesday, August 30, 2011 Thank you again for an article that I will challenge my students at Trinity Christian College to respond to. My teachers in training have been reading about IEPs and even attending some meetings. This article is given from the perspective of the parent and perhaps the most important lesson that I must relay is that the school and family are on the same team. After spending 30 years writing IEPs, my greatest hope for my students and the families that they will serve is that the IEP will become a celebration of whatever the student has accomplished combined with renewed dedication to finding ways to enable that son or daughter to continue to make progess. Prof Post |
Grandmother, FosterparentBy Essie Mcallister on Tuesday, August 30, 2011 I Have a 5 yr. old grandson who has autism. |
Teacher, Mother, AuntBy Jennifer McQuade on Tuesday, August 30, 2011 Wow - When I read the words written by Tammy I am so thankful that because of her and Julia I am a better teacher and the most lucky Aunt on this Earth! When I sit in on IEP meetings of my students I remember what it felt like as I sat with Tammy during one of Julia's IEP meetings. I always remember that I'm breaking news to a mother, father or guardian who isn't quite sure exactly what I'm trying to say. I remember to talk mother to mother, not educator to parent. More importantly though, when I write 3 different spelling lists and 3 different levels of lesson plans I do it without hesitation because I know there is a wonderful teacher in Chicago that is doing the same thing for Julia. So, thank you Tammy for making me a great teacher and keep writing these article - you are speaking for many when you do! |
juliaBy martha. a friend of your mom's on Tuesday, August 30, 2011 oh tammy what a beautiful article you wrote! julia is so blessed to have you as a mother and you are equally blessed to have her for your daugher. thanks for sharing. |
GrandfatherBy Mike Clifford on Tuesday, August 30, 2011 My wife worked in a school system with "disabled" children, both mental and physical disabilities. I had the privledge of working with some of these students and was always amazed at their ability to learn and expand their world. I will state without any doubt, the students whose parents were involved in their education made the most progress. These parents talked with the teachers, attended meetings, asked many questions, and in some instances did not take "no" for the answer. I know other parents that simply could not get past feeling sorry for their child and/or themselves, and their children suffered for it. So the above articles are so true, and Tammy being daily involved in your daughters education, and being her "cheerleader" will pay more dividends than you can imagine ! I know teachers/professionals can not feel as a parent feels, but it is important for them to be reminded about these children, and there is no "average", each is special in their own way, and need to be approached with that in mind. Go girl!!!!!!!! |
Advocate for my daughter
By Dorene Chan Moore on Tuesday, August 30, 2011
I have a nine year old daughter with Autism and know first hand how important your IEP meetings are to your child and all that is involved in her education. We are blessed to live in a community with great educators and school system that supports our child's learning. Kudos for the information you are giving others out there. You are not alone.