IEP meetings can be tricky. Sometimes they are filled with emotion and feel like a struggle to get through. Other times they are congenial and so friendly that they get off-topic.
Being able to smoothly transition from general conversation and chit-chat back to the IEP at hand is as much of a skill as being able to redirect an emotionally charged conversation. So, how do you keep an IEP meeting on track? The following suggestions may help.
Keeping an IEP Meeting on Track
As the special educator in charge of the IEP meeting, it is your job to make sure that things run smoothly. Staying on topic and within the given timeframe for the meeting is your responsibility so feeling confident that you know what to say and do can alleviate a lot of stress.
Take the tips and tricks below into your next IEP meeting to help you keep things on track:
Have an Agenda
Have a written agenda that is either posted on the presentation screen or printed off for each attendee. At the start of the meeting, briefly explain the agenda and why you’ll be sticking to it throughout the meeting.
It’s a good idea to let parents know when they’ll have the opportunity to ask questions and bring up concerns so that they know ahead of time.
Create a Presentation
Some teachers swear by having a PowerPoint or Google Slides presentation for their IEP meetings. They include the data, scores, and recommendations, as well as the goals and objectives so that they are available for all to see.
This helps keep everyone on topic because the slides are so focused on each section of the IEP that there’s little time or room for tangents.
You can also have students create the slides as part of a Student Led IEP Meeting. Here’s a toolkit to help with that.
Get Students Involved
If the student is attending the IEP meeting, assign him a small part to read or recite at the beginning of each discussion topic or when you change slides in the presentation. Announce that it’s the child’s turn to speak and the other team members will quickly get quiet and stop tangent conversations to listen to the student.
It’s an easy and effective way to get everyone’s attention and allow the child to be actively involved in the meeting.
Introduce Each Section Quickly
As the point person for the meeting, take charge and quickly move on to each new section when it’s time. If you allow downtime, tangent conversations will undoubtedly occur. Allow discussion as needed, but do not be afraid to move on.
- You can use our IEP Meeting Parking Lot Discussion resource to help take notes and make sure to circle back on unrelated topics that may arise during the IEP meeting.
“For the Sake of Time…”
“For the sake of time…” is a magical sentence in an IEP meeting. It reminds the team that there is a limited amount of time available for the meeting that’s been scheduled and brings everyone back on topic.
- For the sake of time, let’s circle back to that if we have time.
- For the sake of time, let’s be sure to help you set up a meeting with [the general ed teacher] after we’re done here.
- For the sake of time, we’re going to postpone this conversation until we finish with the IEP portion of the meeting.
However, remember that there is no time limit per IDEA regulations for how long an IEP meeting has to be or can be. If the meeting needs to be extended or rescheduled for a second meeting – then that is what should occur.
Getting and keeping the IEP meeting flowing smoothly comes with practice. Even the most veteran teachers can sometimes run into situations where a meeting veers slightly off course. Use the suggestions above to help stay on track and be mindful that you’re not just discussing data, you’re meeting about someone’s child and they are very invested. Proceed with kindness.
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