Keeping track of the IEP meetings for your students can be overwhelming. With so much to do and so much to remember, it’s no wonder that sometimes things unintentionally slip by.
This year, set the systems in place that you will need to be successful with all of your annual IEP meetings – from start to finish. It will make things more efficient, more productive, and nothing will get overlooked.
Steps to Prep for Annual IEP Meetings
The timeline below guides you through how to prep for an annual IEP meeting from the beginning of the year through the meeting itself. While it may seem like a lot, with implementation and practice, it becomes an intrinsically streamlined practice that allows you to keep track of everything IEP meeting-related.
Beginning of the School Year
The first step to being organized for your annual IEPs is to know when they are. Put all of your annual IEP due dates on your calendar. There are multiple calendar options in the member’s resources area of The Intentional IEP and a mini training on how to do this.
Without knowing when your students’ IEP meetings are due, you will be hard-pressed to get everything done in the time in which it needs to be completed.
30-45 Days Prior
30 to 45 days prior to the meeting start to send the formal invitation to parents. Not only does it help them plan and reserve time from their schedule, but it also gives you ample time to reach out to them again if they do not respond right away. Be sure to document all contact attempts.
This is also when you should send the parent input form home and get general ed input requests out to your student’s teachers. These input forms are inside the IEP Toolkit, and you can grab the Paraprofessional Input Form free here.
2 Weeks Prior
Two weeks prior to the meeting (or a minimum of 3 school days prior), it is time to send home the draft IEP. The draft IEP should only include the student’s present levels (with information gathered from evaluations, progress data, classroom data, parent and general ed teacher input forms, etc.) and proposed IEP goals. By sending the draft IEP early, it gives you time to check in with the family prior to the IEP meeting to discuss the data and proposed goals.
REMEMBER: Providing any additional information in a draft IEP can – and more than likely will be – considered a predetermination of services. While it may be tempting to provide the parents with more information or ideas, it is best to stick strictly to the things that should be sent out.
1 Week Prior
A week before the scheduled IEP meeting, follow up on the draft with parents. Answer any questions they may have, assure them that nothing has been predetermined, and reiterate the fact that they are a valuable member of the IEP team.
Confirm the IEP meeting time and location with the school team and double-check room availability.
1 Day Prior
Trusty technology can fail, so the day before the IEP meeting, I suggest print all of the IEP documents needed for the meeting.
You’ll also double check that technology in the meeting room is working and that there are enough chairs for everyone who will be in attendance of the meeting.
The Day of the Meeting
On the day of the IEP meeting, arrive early at the location, make sure everything is set up and ready for the family, as well as the rest of the team. Double-check that you have all of the documents you need. Take a deep breath and feel confident that you have done all that you can to make sure the meeting runs smoothly.
Walk to the front office to get the family, and walk with them to the IEP meeting. Together, you’re going to do amazing things for your student!
Not sure what to do during and after the IEP meeting? In Module 4 of the Intentional IEP Writing Course, we talk about all things related to IEP meetings. We cover what to do before, during, and after the meeting, where to send prior written notice, and so much more! Go from feeling overwhelmed and frustrated this year to feeling relieved and confident as you prepare yourself with the knowledge and tools that will make this year different. Learn more about the Intentional IEP Writing Course here.
Writing effective IEPs is so much easier when you have the right tools in your toolbox! Inside The Intentional IEP, youโll get access to expert-led trainings, a searchable IEP goal bank with IEP Screeners, and ready-to-use resources that take the guesswork out of IEP writing and implementation. With the right tools at your fingertips, youโll save time, reduce stress, and feel confident in creating IEPs that truly support your students. Join today and fill your IEP toolbox with everything you need!