7 Clarifying Questions for IEP Meetings

1. What would it look like if the team were to do that?
2. You must have good reasons for you to tell us some of them?
3. Can you say some more about addressing the issue?
4. What do you see happening if you all go that route?
5. How might that idea be helpful?
6. What benefits could be expected if you did that?

7 Keys to Collaboration in IEP Meetings

1. Remembering the common purpose
2. Giving everyone a voice
3. Communicating openly yet with respect
4. Assuming good reason and intention
5. Exploring underlying interests

Ways Parents Can Get Ready for the IEP Meeting

1. Organize your records and your thoughts.
2. Get copies of items not in your files, such as missing evaluations or more information on the law.
3. Make your list of concerns, questions, and recommendations that you want considered in the development of the IEP. Put them in order of importance.
4. Talk to your personal advocate about what the meeting will be like and plan what his or her role will be.
5. Write statements you want to make to the IEP team.
6. Write self-statements you will support.
7. Set students up for success by helping them role-play and practice before the meeting.

10 Tips for More Welcoming IEP Meetings

1. Be on time.
2. Explain the process and the purpose of the meeting.
3. Make sure participants briefly describe their role in the process when they introduce themselves.
4. Offer refreshments.
5. Refrain from using jargon.
6. Avoid sidebar conversations, which may distract parents who are trying to process a lot of information.
7. Provide positive information and factual information concerning the weaknesses of the student.
8. Engage in active listening.
9. Ask parents for their input throughout the process.

10 Roles of an IEP Facilitator

1. Helping all parties feel welcome
2. Helping with ground rules and agenda
3. Setting a good example
4. Safeguarding a collaborative process
5. Promoting positive communication
6. Helping ensure that all are "on the same page"
7. Clarifying areas of agreement
8. Addressing unproductive communication styles
9. Helping to bring meaningful closure

12 Characteristics of High-Quality IEPs

1. Goals reflect high expectations for learning
2. Family input is considered
3. Activities and environments in which skills will be taught are inclusive
4. Age-appropriate goals, skills, and learning activities are taught
5. Communication, movement, and behavior skills are embedded within typical instructional activities
6. Activities represent opportunities for interactions with classmates without disabilities
7. Students have the opportunity to make choices and learn self-determination skills
8. Assistive technology and other supports are provided to help students access instruction and demonstrate learning
9. Objectives represent real-life skills
10. Targeted skills can be addressed in multiple settings
11. Natural supports are used before specialized supports

4 Steps to Measurable IEP Goals

1. Given. Use this word at the beginning of the goal to set the condition. Example: Given a journal prompt, Sarah will...
2. Observable. Next, use an action word to clearly identify the behavior you are measuring. Example: Given a journal prompt, Sarah will orally read...
3. A target is set. Set the criterion for exactly what the student should do to meet the goal: how much, how often, at what level. Example: Given a journal prompt, Sarah will orally read 90 words per minute with 3 or fewer errors...
4. Limit time. By when should the student master the goal? Example: Given a journal prompt, Sarah will orally read 90 words per minute with 3 or fewer errors by the end of the 2017-2018 school year.

Barriers to Collaboration in IEP Meetings

1. Losing sight of the common purpose
2. Communicating poorly and without respect
3. Engaging in demonizing and accusation
4. Focusing on competing positions
5. Discounting the team and its members