When it comes to writing a child’s next IEP, are you getting the data you need to complete the student’s IEP? Are you getting input from the other member’s of the IEP team?
Learn more about IEP input forms and why they are so important to your data collection and IEP writing timeline.
The Case for IEP Input Forms
The best way to get input for an IEP is by sending out the parent and teacher input forms (also called questionnaires) about 30 days before the IEP meeting.
You can also have the student fill one out too!
But why send them out so early?
According to the IEP Writing Timeline and best practice, youโll be sending home a proposed draft IEP. In order to write the draft IEP you need input.
By sending out the input forms 30 days prior to the IEP meeting, youโre giving the family and general ed teachers on the IEP team enough time to fill the form out and give it back to you, while also giving yourself enough time to retrieve the form and then write the draft IEP.
If youโre in need of tried-and-true, loved-by IEP teams questionnaires for parents, teachers, and students you can find ours here. These input forms are included in the toolkit, along with tens of other no-fluff forms, checklists, and templates that are proven to help you write IEPs more efficiently and effectively. Learn more about the IEP Toolkit here.
The Process of IEP Input Forms
It’s important to prepare to send out your IEP Input Forms in enough time that families, general ed teachers, and students have a chance to fill them out. In our experience, 30 days prior to the IEP meeting is enough time to have them filled out and returned, so we recommend looking at your calendar and planning out at least a month before the meeting date to send the forms.
The forms that we suggest using are in the IEP Toolkit and are appropriate to send to families, general educators, and students.
To keep track of which forms are which, print them out on different color paper. For example, the form for parents might be blue and the form for general ed teachers might be yellow. That way, it’s easy to see and find the forms in the student’s folder when you need them.
After printing out the input forms on different color paper, tuck them into a large manila folder. Instead of writing on them as you might normally do, place a sticker on the envelope in the upper-righthand corner. The stickers that we use for the IEP Input Forms are included inside of The Intentional IEP. The reason for the sticker is that it makes the envelope stand out, it tells the recipient exactly what’s in it, and it helps you keep everything organized when it is returned.
Keep track of when and to whom the IEP Input Forms were sent. If you have not heard back within a week, contact the parents or the general ed teacher to gently prompt them to fill out the forms and return them.
Once you have the input forms returned, file them in the student’s IEP Binder right away. It’s important to control the paperwork clutter and organize things as soon as they arrive is one of the ways to do that.
When you sit down to write the draft, you will be able to quickly pull out the input forms and use them to craft the draft IEP.
Having a timeline and preparing your IEP Input Forms to be sent out well ahead of your draft writing will help ease the stress of writing the IEP and help you create a better, more useful document. If you need help establishing a timeline, be sure to check out the IEP Toolkit that includes everything you need to effectively plan for and implement an IEP.
Writing IEPs doesnโt have to be overwhelming! The Intentional IEP gives you the tools, training, and resources to turn IEP chaos into clarity. With access to 10,000+ data-backed, standards-aligned goals, expert-led trainings, and ready-to-use data collection tools, youโll save time, reduce stress, and feel confident in every IEP you write. Join today and transform your IEP process!