After hours of writing and planning out the perfect Individualized Education Program(IEP) for your student, it can feel like such a relief that it is finally completed! But – don’t stop there! There are still a few more steps you need to take to ensure that the actual IEP meeting will be smooth, efficient, and successful.
One of those steps is inviting all the necessary attendees to the meeting. But who do you need to invite?
Truth be told, this WILL vary depending on your school district and your actual school. We’ll go over a few of the individuals you should consider inviting to the meeting, and why, here. Check in with your Special Education Director and/or school administrator to ensure all the right people will be around the table when the meeting comes.
[ Download the free checklist here. ]
Parent, Guardian, or Caregiver
This is arguably the most important person, or set of people, you’ll be inviting! Be sure to invite them early, and collaborate with them to decide on a date and time that’s both in compliance with the IEP date, and is convenient for both of you.
While it can’t always be done, every effort should be made so that the parent/guardian can be physically present for the meeting. If the child’s parents/guardians are not married or living together, make sure you reach out to both of them.
School District Representative / LEA
This person will likely be the Special Education Director, but this can vary depending on your school district, and what type of IEP meeting you’re hosting. In some districts, it is common practice that an individual from the district level be present in all IEP meetings. Sometimes, this is not the case and building leadership will take over that role. Often times, a director will at least attend meetings that are re-evaluations or when there is legal representation present.
School Administrator
The school principal and/or assistant principal is a great way to keep them informed about the detailed plans for your student. Having them involved is important for them understanding your role at the school in an in-depth way that they may never see otherwise. Parents/guardians also really appreciate having the building leadership present in meetings about their child.
Related Service Providers and School Support Personnel
Who does the student see? What therapy services do they receive? These individuals could be the Speech Language Pathologist, Occupational Therapist, Physical Therapist, School Social Worker, Behavior Interventionist, School Counselor, Orientation and Mobility Specialist, Vision Itinerant, Audiologist, School Nurse… and probably more! Depending on the needs of your student, they may receive some, or all, of these services. If a child is receiving services from any of these providers – even on a consultation only basis – they will need to be invited to the meeting so they can include their yearly goals and be present for the meeting.
General Education Teacher
This can be either a no-brainer, or tricky, depending on the type of services your student receives and the school setting they spend most of their time learning in. If your student spends time in an inclusion setting, it will feel pretty obvious what general education teacher you will be inviting to the meeting. If your student does not, it can still be pretty important to invite a general education teacher. They provide information about what general education peers are learning, what the curriculum looks like, and they can brainstorm ways to include the student into the general education classroom and curriculum during the meeting. You can also consider inviting a fine arts teacher or PE teacher if your student is attending class with them!
The Student
This is an important member of the team we often forget about! When the student is of the age of having a transition plan added to their IEP, they will always be invited to the meeting. This is important to consider when scheduling the meeting, as we want to ensure that they are not missing their inclusion minutes, fine arts time, or PE class to attend their IEP meeting. If the student is not old enough for a transition plan yet, inviting the student to their own IEP meeting can be really powerful. ALL students can participate in their IEP meeting, and considering inviting your student to join in for part of the process can be a meaningful way to foster self-determination and independence!
Advocate
This is not an individual that you would invite, but one that a parent/guardian may bring along with. Parents/guardians are allowed to bring whoever they would like along with them to an IEP meeting, and this can often feel scary to the rest of the special education team. We’re hear to say – never fear! You got this!
If an advocate is invited along with the parent/guardian, always remember that it is only because they want the absolute best for their child, and that may mean bringing along another expert to ensure that their child is getting the most individualized plan for their education. Trust your expertise and be flexible!
There’s a lot of variability among each state, district, school, and student – but these are some of the faces that you will likely be inviting to these important meetings. Now that you know who to invite, you’re almost ready to host the BEST, most comprehensive IEP meeting for your student!
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