Annual IEP meeting

[Anonymous]

Our annual IEP meeting is coming up. Can you please give me an idea how is it different from the regular IEP meeting? Am I expected to come up with a new set of goals? Do we discuss whether the existing goals are met?

[Anonymous]

It's not different. You should expect that you'll discuss how things are going, whether goals are being met, and whether the current plan is working. Is there anything we're not using that we should take away? Is there anything that we want to add?

At my kid's annual meeting, people would talk about how he was doing. That could be very painful, even in the context of helping. I always ended up crying in the parking lot afterwards.

[Anonymous]

The annual IEP meeting IS the regular IEP meeting. Each IEP is supposed to be reviewed, at minimum, annually. That's the regular IEP meeting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's not different. You should expect that you'll discuss how things are going, whether goals are being met, and whether the current plan is working. Is there anything we're not using that we should take away? Is there anything that we want to add?

At my kid's annual meeting, people would talk about how he was doing. That could be very painful, even in the context of helping. I always ended up crying in the parking lot afterwards.

I am so sorry you are going through that.
I am usually quite worked up after IEP meetings because MCPS usually tells you that your child is doing just fine and all is great just so that they do not have to provide services.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our annual IEP meeting is coming up. Can you please give me an idea how is it different from the regular IEP meeting? Am I expected to come up with a new set of goals? Do we discuss whether the existing goals are met?

You should receive a copy of the draft IEP ahead of the meeting. You can request it if they don't plan to send it. Compare the reported progress from first quarter to the present levels pages. Check to see if present levels show progress from last year.

Compare current accommodations to last year's accommodations. If any are missing, make a list and ask the time why they weren't included. Ask what data the team has to show your child no longer needs those specific accommodations.

Read over new goals and make a list of questions. Are they all written as SMART goals? Do you understand what they mean? Are they set high enough? Are they realistic?

They won't send the services ahead of time but have your current services available so you can see whether they are providing the same amount or more. If they are offering fewer service hours, ask for an explanation why.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The annual IEP meeting IS the regular IEP meeting. Each IEP is supposed to be reviewed, at minimum, annually. That's the regular IEP meeting.

+1. My kid's annual IEP meeting IS also the regular IEP meeting. Every year, I get 2 or 3 IEP progress report that is sealed in envelope inside my kid's school backpack, and I also have an annual IEP meeting online/in person.

[Anonymous]

You should prepare by carefully rereading the current IEP and be ready to discuss your child’s progress, strengths and weaknesses, and anything you want the team to know. Be sure to request a draft IEP ahead of time. Be sure to request that a teacher with knowledge of academic functioning is present for the entire meeting, not the PE teacher. Ask your child what schedule is being followed for services, if they are able to tell you. So many times, I see IEPs where an hour a day of pull-out services are listed, but actually, the child is only pulled once or twice a week. I’d ask at the IEP meeting what the weekly schedule is, and how often sessions are missed, and how the time is made up.

You do not have to sign at the meeting. You can take time to think it over at home. You should also ask to see actual work samples that they have documenting progress or lack of progress. I’d want to see the actual test paper, not just a score.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's not different. You should expect that you'll discuss how things are going, whether goals are being met, and whether the current plan is working. Is there anything we're not using that we should take away? Is there anything that we want to add?

At my kid's annual meeting, people would talk about how he was doing. That could be very painful, even in the context of helping. I always ended up crying in the parking lot afterwards.

I am so sorry you are going through that.
I am usually quite worked up after IEP meetings because MCPS usually tells you that your child is doing just fine and all is great just so that they do not have to provide services.

Lots of parents cry in frustration after the IEP meeting because they get no information and feel like the staff doesn't even know their kid.

[Anonymous]

OP make sure they send you the draft ahead of time. Send the case manager your comments and proposed edits *before the meeting*.

When reviewing the draft, look at the present levels first. Are they accurate and thorough? When you look at goals, ask whether they are SMART. Look up the acronym if you don't know it. The goals should be edited if they are not SMART.