Reply to Are IEP meetings still being held virtually?

Forum Index » Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS)

Reply to "Are IEP meetings still being held virtually?"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I hope virtual options will remain in the future. The pandemic definitely allowed certain things to be easier. This is one of them. Same with parent/teacher conferences and back to school night. (I do think parents should have the option for IEP and conferences in person, just pointing out this is very convenient for working parents)[/quote]

It always was an option. Parents just had to ask for a phone or video option. Same for experts parents want at the meeting. The psychologist that did the neuropsychological testing for my child is in Baltimore. The team could meet in person at my child’s school but she participated over Zoom. Saved me for paying for her travel.[/quote]

That isn’t true.  Having someone call into a meeting was an option, but a fully virtual meeting where everyone is on equal footing was not an option.

[b]I have been to so many more IEPs with both parents, and with service providers who aren’t based at individual schools (e.g. The TVI or AT specialist).  In many situations virtual is way better.[/b]  I think the choice should be the parents’ at this point but I hope fully virtual (not MCPS all in one room with “outsiders” on Zoom that’s awful) remains a choice.[/quote]

[b]I teach at a Title I school, and have seen so much more parent engagement and participation in the virtual meetings. Parents who have to choose between not getting paid and missing an important meeting for the child can now join the meeting from their job while on a break. Parents with young children at home don't have to pack them up and cart them awkwardly into the meeting, or pay for a babysitter. Just this week I had a meeting with both parents joining separately from their fast food/retail jobs. Virtual meetings are so much more equitable.[/quote][i][/b][/i][b]

School psychologist at title 1 school and I absolutely agree.[/quote]

As a parent I disagree that virtual is more equitable.

During virtual IEP meetings for my child -

* a school administrator was driving his car

* the general educator left before the meeting concluded

* the meeting was put on mute while staff held a side bar conversation

* reports that were left out of the 5 day documents were not available for reference

* at times there were technical difficulties with audio when someone was presenting

* child was at school while parents were at home (very uncomfortable for my child)

Parents should have the choice of virtual or in person. Very rarely does MCPS staff choose an option that is in the best interest of the child or family. The fact that schools have covered up the reality that in person meetings have resumed shows how MCPS operates under lies of omissions. There is no BOE ban against in person IEP meetings. MCPS can no longer hide behind COVID when the reality is to exclude parents from the process.[/quote]

I've seen all kinds of things at in-person meetings such as the principal typing away on their phone for the majority of the meeting, school participants typing on their computers when not speaking (I'm not including the person responsible for the meeting notes), staff asking to be dismissed after they've done their part (which I understand since they are supposed to also be serving their students), staff communicating via email and text with each other during the meeting, the list goes on. Don't think that in-person meetings solve all of the problems you mentioned. I have found virtual much more efficient, no drive time to/from school, if the team is running late I can continue working at my desk instead of sitting in the school office cooling my heels, and just overall the meetings don't take as long. We get down to business and wrap up the meeting in decent time. People start to tune out when the meetings drag on or get stuck on one area for too long. [/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics