What questions should a parent ask at an end of year IEP or ARD meeting?

Question

The secenario is of a 4th grader, going into 5th who performs on a third grade level.

Answer 1

also... bring a copy of the previous year's IEP. Put them side by side and see if the school has carried over goals which are not mastered onto the new IEP. We had one speech teacher once, who kept putting down "I" for improving for 4 years on the same goal!
Ask to see the pre and post tests the child did and if they have done formal(standardized test) then be sure they take the time to explain the findings.
You didn't give us too much info here.. so I don't know if he/she has resource room help, self-contained or what for service times and location. Review those times. Are they enough, is he seen by a specialist, how long and w/in a small group or individual?

Answer 2

The scenario you gave isn't the end of the world. The child is performing about a grade level below and is in elementary school.

I'd be asking about the IEP -- what gains have been made, what areas are still a concern, etc. I'd also ask for testing scores, particularly on mandated state testing (TAKS in Texas).

Basically, a parent (or legal guardian) can ask about anything related to the student's disability and the school's accommodations and modifications for that disability.

Answer 3

I have been a special education teacher for 17 years. In my experience early interviention ( such as what has been suggested for you child) is the very best way to either correct speech and fine motor skills developmental delays or give the child coping skills to deal with them in social and academic situations. Without more information it is very hard to develop an IEP for your son. It does sound to me that the interventions that have been introduced are appropriate at this point. As far as the IEP meeting I would ensure in the minutes for the meeting that it was written that frequent (maybe weekly) progress reports are sent to you so you can see how your son is responding to the interventions. Also, talk to him in the evenings to find out what his feelings are about what is going on. Kids are very forthcoming with information and will tell you what needs to be done if you are attentive to their needs. Concerning visits with the psychologist, it is pretty common that kids with identified speech delays to be able to express their feeling to a professional. They can identify also what is working and what is not in the interventions and pass on pertinent information to the sped teacher. At this point go into the IEP with an open mind, ask questions, make sure everything you agree on is documented and read the "procedural safeguards" that will be given to you at the meeting. The safeguards are rather lengthy and quite boring but they have good information for parents. Good Luck...I hope this helps

Answer 4

If your child is two years behind, pre and post test scores...Be a pest. If you do not advocate for your son no one else will. Remember that your son is in a classroom with his peers and if he is two years behind. The teacher is not going to wait for him to catch up, he/she must teach to the other students too.

I suggest you get a tutor for your child that is qualified in reading programs. Insist that your son go to this tutor not for homework help but for reading remediation...most kids fall further and further behind after the 5th grade. And have this person show you how he/she will assess your child in order to help him and then at the end of say six months ask that the assessment be repeated...this will allow you to see improvement (hopefully).

Take this summer to immerse him in a reading program and don't listen to your son's whining about no time off! He will thank you when he is in college...from a mom of an LD student finishing a environmental biology degree, who drove me crazy with "that's not FAIR, everyone else gets to take the summer off!" I did, however, strike a deal with my son. On weekends we HAD to do whatever he wanted...within reason: We went to many amusement parks, swimming pools and the likes (this was my sacrafice to him).

Answer 5

It depends entirely on whether this is the first IEP year, what progress he has made (should be one school year's worth of progress for one school year's worth of time for most kids), and what the disability is.

Answer 6

What tests have you performed? What, other than just being behind, do they show? Are any learning differences evident? Where are there particular issues? What are your plans to address and remediate these differences? What is your classroom plan for him? Do you have tutors available?

Answer 7

Go to www.schwablearning.org and sign up for free to post on their parent to parent message board.
The folks there are experts on this and will be glad to help!