Module 5: Tips for Preparing Families to be Active Partners in the Development on an IEP 

Advisory Board Feature

Individualized Education Program

“There are so many laws and rights that an IEP can provide [to a child], and most parents have no idea about them, and they don’t even know they have permission to ask for certain things. And that information is just not put out there willingly or it’s not talked about enough. It would help increase a parent’s individual advocacy if they knew what they could ask for through and through. “I am entitled to this. My child is entitled to this”, but it’s not openly talked about very much.”  Georgia

“It is important that the teacher and the teacher’s assistant, paraprofessional/or whatever they call it in your school district, put themselves in the shoes of the family, or the mother.

Working with students with disabilities, some of the people at school said to me, “you are natural”, what was easy for me was that I thought this could be my son, my nephew, my grandson. That was what helped me to be “natural”. I treated my students the way I would want my son to be treated if I had a child with a disability and sent him to school.” Mariela

“It’s horrible. You learn a new language.. Transitions are horrible. First, they go to kindergarten and life is kind of good, and then they go to middle school, and it is another transition. As far along, maybe you get it under control and then there is high school with its own set of issues. And then they enter transition. So those milestones that everything changes means the family has new teachers/professionals, the student has new teachers/professionals and that nice, warm family that you had with your 1st school changes with each of those transitions and everyone has to make new relationships.” Mary

“I wish every teacher and service provider knew that we have a lot of love in our family. That there’s a lot of patience in my family and a lot of communication. Sometimes I also feel not, not that I ever had teachers or professionals say that they don’t think we do good enough, but I think it’s kind of an insecurity too. I want them to know that there’s so much love and patience in this household.” DeAnna

Teachers, related service personnel, administrators, and families all bring unique and valuable perspectives and experiences to IEP meetings. As described in Modules 2 and 3, it is important for school personnel to demonstrate actions and communicate in a way that shows that families are respected, honored, and valued as members of their child’s IEP team. To be part of co-constructing learning opportunities, supporting learning, advocating, and making decisions, families need to know what to expect and understand their rights within the process. As described in the Dual Capacity-Building Framework in Module 1, throughout the special education process, we want to enhance our own capacity and families’ capacity in the “4 C” areas: Capabilities, Connections, Cognition, and Confidence

This table shares examples of the 4 Cs as they relate to the special education process for educators/related service providers and families. It is important to explore these Cs for yourself and with individual families to determine what would be most meaningful to address. Through conversation within an established partnership, an individualized plan could be developed to help the adults involved best support the student.

“4 C” Areas

Educators/Related Service Personnel

Families

Capabilities = skills + knowledge
  • Knowledge about the special education process and related rights
  • Knowledge about the special education process and related rights
  • Skills in partnering with schools
  • Skills in supporting the goals for their child

Connections = networks
  • Connections to professional development and support
  • Connections with community organizations
  • Connections with social support from family or friends, supportive educators, other families, and community organizations

Cognition = beliefs and values

Four Core Beliefs for Family Engagement (Henderson, et al., 2007)

  • All families have dreams for their children and want the best for them.
  • All families have the capacity to support their child’s learning.
  • Families and school staff are equal partners.
  • The responsibility for cultivating and sustaining partnerships among school, home, and community rests primarily with school staff, especially school leaders.
  • Families have dreams for their children and want the best for them.
  • Families have the capacity to support their child’s learning. They are their child’s first teacher.
  • Families are essential and equal partners in their child’s education. Family engagement is connected to improvements in student outcomes

Confidence = self-advocacy
  • Self-awareness
  • Knowledge of student and family needs
  • Skills in advocating for the student and family
  • Seeking professional development opportunities to build confidence
  • Knowledge about their child’s strengths, disability, and needs
  • Skills in sharing information and feedback, asking questions, responding to differences in opinion, advocating for needs

Here are some Specific actions you can take to partner with a family before an IEP meeting to enhance your partnership and the 4 C areas: 

    • Take time to reflect on your own biases and approach to working with families.
    • Connect with the family early in the year to get to know them and lay the foundation for home-school partnerships (see Module 3).
    • Connect what the student is learning in school to the family’s funds of knowledge.
    • Provide ways for the family to share their goals before a draft of the IEP is created
    • Integrate the family’s goals into the IEP draft.
    • Share a copy of the IEP in an appropriate, accessible way with the family so that they can review it before the meeting.
    • Schedule the meeting at a time and in a format that works best for them to participate (e.g., in-person, remote video call). Ensure the family is provided language access (see Module 3).
    • Communicate who will be at the meeting and what their role is/how each person is connected to the child, what the purpose is, and the shared agenda.
    • Invite the family to bring someone (e.g., a family member, friend, advocate, therapist) with them to the meeting for support or to share their expertise about the child
    • Have a discussion with the family about their rights and responsibilities within the IEP process. The Family Guide to Special Education in Nebraska can be used to guide the discussion. Key questions and points are for discussion are outlined in the table below. 
Questions to Discuss with Families about the Individualized Education Program Process Key Points to Share with Families about Their Rights in Special Education

 

It is A LOT to take in, so you might discuss the information in pieces and remind the family of their rights in the moment

What is an Individualized Education Program?

 

 

 

 An Individualized Education Program…

  • Is a written plan that includes:
    • How the child currently doing with academics, development, behavior, function (this is called present levels of academic achievement and functional performance [PLAAFP])
    • Annual goals set by the IEP team
    • How progress will be measured
    • What related services will be given (this might include interpretive, medical, transportation, occupational, physical, speech, psychological or counseling)
    • What accommodations or modifications will be given
    • How much time the child will be in the general education classrooms (children have the right to be in the least restrictive environment [LRE] unless the IEP team justifies removal from the general education classroom)
    • When, where, how often, and how long services will be given
    • What plan is in place to help the child transition to life after high school (this is called a transition plan)
  • Is a legal document
  • The first IEP meeting must happen within 30 days after the child is found eligible for special education services
  • Must be reviewed and revised every year and a comprehensive re-evaluation done every 3 years unless the IEP team decides it is not necessary

 
Who is on the IEP team?

 

 

 

 
  • By the age of 14, the student attends and participates in transition planning, but sooner is better so that they can learn how to share and advocate for themselves
  • Parents/Guardians- experts on their child’s history, culture, what they are good at and their needs
  • General education teacher can share about the classroom curriculum and support for individualizing the curriculum
  • Special education teacher can share about how supports are being provided to help meet the goals and progress with goals
  • Testing expert to interpret and explain evaluation results
  • School administrator or representative of the school system can share information about school resources and has the authority to commit to resources and make sure services are provided as they are described in the IEP
  • Others
    • Related service providers
    • School nurse
    • Interpreter
    • Person invited by the family- this could be an advocate, family friend, neighbor, therapist for support or to share their expertise about the child

 

See the Reading Rockets IEP Team Members for more family-friendly information on team members

 
 

 

What happens during the IEP meeting?

 

 

 
  • The family receives a draft of the IEP before the meeting to review
  • The IEP team reviews each part of the IEP described above
  • Team members decide if they are ready to sign the IEP document showing if they agree or disagree with the plan- families or other team members can take time following the meeting to make a decision
  • Team members sign the document to show they agree or disagree

 
What the process is if the family disagrees with the IEP or is not satisfied with the special education services

 

(for example, the child’s educational placement, whether the child is receiving a free and appropriate education)

 
  • Meet with the school staff to discuss the concern and ideas and try to come to an agreement
  • Request IEP facilitation from a neutral person assists the team with discussions (not required under IDEA, but included as an option in Nebraska)
  • Request mediation from a trained mediator who can help to find a mutually agreeable resolution; this is voluntary
  • File a petition for a due process hearing in which a hearing officer listens to evidence and testimony and makes a decision
  • Formal hearing in a court

 

See the Nebraska Dispute Regulation website for more information

 
What if I want to meet with the team before the yearly IEP meeting?

 
  • Families can request an IEP meeting at any time to share new information, discuss concerns, review progress, etc.

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Family-Engaged Educational Training: Taking Steps to Build Meaningful Family-School Partnerships Copyright © 2024 by Sara Kupzyk is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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