Parent Voice and the IEP

UNDERSTANDING THE IEP Issue

Parent Voice and the IEP

It is important for your child to feel involved in their special education services and that their experiences and views matter to the process. Here are a few ideas to help improve the involvement of your child in their special education services and IEP.

Parents and guardians are an integral part of the Individualized Education Program (IEP) team as you are the experts in your child's development and can best advocate for their needs. Using your voice and advocating for your child is essential in developing and implementing an effective IEP. Some parents hesitate to participate in the IEP meetings, thinking they should follow the experts' recommendations. However, the best educational plan for a child is one that is customized to their child’s individual needs.

Parents are essential in providing perspectives of their children outside the school building and helping educators see a picture of the whole child. This information also needs to be reflected in your child’s IEP.

There are many steps you can take during the IEP meeting to share your perspectives and advocate for your child's educational progress, supports and services.

Bring a support person with you – this could be a loved one or someone knowledgeable about special education. Parents can feel outnumbered at an IEP meeting, so having another support person with you can be encouraging.
Share strengths and concerns about your child with the IEP team. By collaborating with the team, all members can better understand all the variables involved with your child that must be considered. Your advocacy helps ensure that the IEP addresses these needs.
Focus on the priorities your child needs to ensure that the conversation's content stays relevant and focused on the areas you see as most important.
Ask questions for clarification to ensure that you understand your child's IEP. Specific questions can also help ensure that goals and accommodations are tailored to your child's exact needs. Here are some sample clarification questions.
Share perspectives from your child regarding their IEP goals, progress, and services.
Identify who will be your contact for updates on your child's progress after the IEP meeting. This person is often the special education teacher, and you are encouraged to continue frequent email, phone, or meetings with them outside of the formal IEP meetings.

As a parent or guardian, it is essential that you frequently communicate with your child's teachers and support personnel as they work to implement services for your child and discover what approaches are the most successful. It also is important for you to write down your thoughts and what you want to talk about with your child’s teachers. See our handout section for a guide to help you pre-plan a meeting with your child’s teacher.

As we discussed in our previous lesson, we also recommend keeping a file or binder with copies of your child's IEP and any other relevant paperwork, like evaluations and copies of emails about services/supports for your child. Your child's special education teachers and service providers will likely change frequently over time. However, since you have been present since your child’s first IEP, your understanding of the purpose of different services and the success of various approaches provides an extremely valuable long-term perspective to the IEP team.