EXCEPTIONAL EDUCATION
Why It’s Important to Take Good Notes
at Your Child’s IEP Meeting This School Year By Carly Quinlan BACK TO SCHOOL TIME MEANS BACK TO IEP TIME! YOU CAN REQUEST TO HAVE AN INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PROGRAM (IEP) AMENDMENT MEETING AT ANY TIME, BUT IT IS LEGALLY REQUIRED TO MEET A MINIMUM OF ONCE PER YEAR, DEPENDING ON WHEN YOUR CHILD’S IEP IS DUE FOR ANNUAL REVIEW. IN EVERY IEP MEETING, YOU MAY SEE SEVERAL PEOPLE TYPING AWAY, DOCUMENTING EVERY DETAIL FOR THE SCHOOL’S COPY OF MEETING NOTES, WHICH SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE PAPERWORK YOU RECEIVE AT THE END OF YOUR MEETING. HOWEVER, NOT EVERY DETAIL THAT IS IMPORTANT TO YOU WILL BE INCLUDED IN THEIR NOTES; HENCE WHY IT IS IMPORTANT YOU TAKE YOUR OWN NOTES AS WELL. IN THE WORLD OF IEPS, THERE IS A SAYING: “IF IT IS NOT WRITTEN DOWN, IT DIDN’T HAPPEN.” THIS IS WHY AS AN IEP ADVOCATE AND CONSULTANT, I RECOMMEND PARENTS ALWAYS SUBMIT A FOLLOW-UP THANK YOU LETTER AFTER THE MEETING SUMMARIZING VITAL DECISIONS AND DETAILS AGREED UPON THAT WERE IMPORTANT TO YOU. YOU CAN REQUEST TO HAVE THIS ADDED TO THE IEP AS A PARENT ATTACHMENT. THIS CREATES A PAPER TRAIL IF THERE ARE ANY DISCREPANCIES LATER ON.
58 | Exceptional Needs Today | Issue 4
