5 Tips for Incredibly Successful IEP Meetings
When you attend a meeting about your child’s special education program, you need to share your observations, concerns and requests in clear, simple language. Use facts, not feelings. Be prepared to answer these questions:
- What are you concerned about?
- What do you want?
- What action do you want the school to take?
- What facts, incidents, or observations support your request?
When you negotiate, you are dealing with people. Stick to the facts. Put your emotions in your back pocket and use them as a source of energy.
Treat the team members respectfully, as you want to be treated.
When you negotiate, you need to know what will motivate the people on the other side of the table to give you what you want. You need to be able to answer questions like these:
- How does the school see the problem? What are their perceptions?
What does the school want? What are their interests?
What is the school afraid will happen if they give you what you want? What are their fears?
Make a list of possible solutions to resolve the problem. If you have a friend who is a special ed parent, ask your friend to help you brainstorm solutions.
During the meeting, let the team know you’ve given serious thought to solutions. If the school ignores you or belittles your ideas, don’t argue or get overtly angry. Document their reaction in your after-meeting follow-up letter.
Remember: When you negotiate, you have two interests:
to solve problems, and
to protect relationships
